unscrew

American

[uhn-skroo] / ʌnˈskru /

verb (used with object)

to draw or loosen a screw from (a hinge, bracket, etc.).
to unfasten or withdraw by turning, as a screw or lid.
to open (a jar, bottle, etc.) by turning the lid or cover.

verb (used without object)

to permit of being unscrewed.

unscrew British

/ ʌnˈskruː /

verb

(tr) to draw or remove a screw from (an object)
(tr) to loosen (a screw, lid, etc) by rotating continuously, usually in an anticlockwise direction
(intr) (esp of an engaged threaded part) to become loosened or separated

the lid wouldn't unscrew

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of unscrew

First recorded in 1595–1605; un- ² + screw

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As Alemu helped her young children unscrew parts while she rewired their toys, she hoped they’d take away a much larger lesson about sharing.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 22, 2023

Take a moment and unscrew the lids of the cumin and chili powder jars, sniff, and see what moves you.

From Washington Times • Oct. 26, 2023

It took the man just a few seconds to unscrew a steel plug, smaller than a coffee mug.

From BBC • May 23, 2023

“We found their weak spot. We found where we could unscrew the nut. It is the task of reconnaissance to find the weak spot.”

From New York Times • Nov. 1, 2022

Then he went on: “But It is here, and I’ll find It. It is in the hold, perhaps in one of those boxes. I’ll unscrew them one by one and see. You work the helm.”

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023