unwind
Other forms: unwound; unwinding; unwinds; unwinded
The literal meaning of the verb unwind is exactly what it sounds like — the opposite of "wind," or twist. But when someone says they need to unwind, they mean that they need to relax.
When you come inside on a cold, snowy day, you might first unwind the scarf from around your neck, loosening and untwisting it. If you then grab a cup of hot chocolate and put your feet up on the coffee table, you’ll feel yourself start to unwind, or become less tense. Unwind has been in use since the fourteenth century, but the figurative meaning of “to relax” dates only from the mid-twentieth century.
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reverse the winding or twisting of
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separate the tangles ofsynonyms: disentangle
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become less tense, rest, or take one's easesynonyms: decompress, loosen up, relax, slow down, unbend
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cause to feel relaxed
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Vocabulary lists containing unwind
Seventeen-year-old Greg Harris of New York's South Bronx must learn to work with others both on and off the basketball court to improve his game and his math grades.
While visiting her grandmother in Australia, Livy tries to fulfill a promise to help a magical creature find his way home.