unstop
Americanverb (used with object)
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to remove the stopper from.
to unstop a bottle.
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to free from any obstruction; open.
to unstop a sewer.
-
to draw out the stops of (an organ).
verb
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to remove the stop or stopper from
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to free from any stoppage or obstruction; open
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to draw out the stops on (an organ)
Etymology
Origin of unstop
First recorded in 1350–1400, unstop is from the Middle English word unstoppen. See un- 2, stop
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.
Will we unstop our ears and learn from the mistakes of the past?
From Los Angeles Times
Her confession seemed to unstop a dam: there has been a tidal wave of books since by women who have given up drink, confessing to their alcoholism.
From The Guardian
In another, a nurse used a plunger to unstop a toilet and then held a patient’s hand during a surgical procedure without changing scrubs, according to the report.
From Washington Post
You need to have a relationship with a contractor or handyman who you know will be available if the toilet is stopped up, or be ready to unstop it yourself.
From US News
"One flute will serve only to unstop your ears and dissolve the caul from off your eyes, so that you may hear and see the truths that will be laid before you."
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
