However tempting, don't pull that straggly thread hanging from your sleeve. You'll just unravel or totally undo that hand knitted sweater.
Something that's unraveled has been completely undone, whether it's a spool of thread, some knotty shoelaces, or your mental state after a long and frustrating day. You can also unravel a mystery by picking it apart, untangling the details or just following the trail of clues like a line of string.
