untwine
Americanverb (used with or without object)
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of untwine
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.
See Examples For:
“To untwine it to one aspect of it diminishes the other, and I don’t want to do that. It’s the totality of it. It’s the gestalt of it.”
From Washington Post ● Aug. 1, 2022
It would be difficult to untwine the system by which we measured much of the past 80 years — but that isn’t really New Zealand’s goal.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 14, 2019
They are two events in his life he will never be able to untwine.
From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2013
She later said the police had to untwine him before he could be taken to the ambulance.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
"I got him for you, sir," announced the officer proudly, to the astonished Alfred, who had just managed to untwine Zoie's arms and to struggle to his feet.
From Baby Mine by Mayo, Margaret
She untwined herself from the chair and trundled into the kitchen to retrieve a plaque she wanted to show.
From New York Times ● Apr. 30, 2016
Cora untwined herself from Ridgeway and crawled toward the hand-car, left leg in agony.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
“We’ve been clutching each other like a couple of lost children,” Theodora said and untwined her arms from around Eleanor’s neck.
From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
“But, Lenina . . .” he began protesting; and as she immediately untwined her arms, as she stepped away from him, he thought, for a moment, that she had taken his unspoken hint.
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
"Let me be," he said sullenly at last, as he untwined her dogged arms.
From The King of Schnorrers Grotesques and Fantasies by Zangwill, Israel
“Oh, my father!” said she, untwining herself from the colonel’s embrace, though she still nestled up close to him, as she stared at me shyly, with a puzzled look on her mignonne face.
From The Ghost Ship A Mystery of the Sea by Austin, Henry
"Don't give me your advice, Ogilvie," said he, untwining and throwing away the bit of casting-line that had cut his finger.
From Macleod of Dare by Black, William
But his eyes were wide open, feverish, almost glaring; he was twining and untwining his fingers and muttering excitedly.
From The Best Short Stories of 1921 and the Yearbook of the American Short Story by O'Brien, Edward J. (Edward Joseph Harrington)
In truth, it was surprising to see how many disagreeable sentiments they all three contrived to express, without untwining their arms, or loosening their fond and graceful hold on each other.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 03, No. 18, April, 1859 by Various
O why should fate sic pleasure have, Life’s dearest bands untwining?
From The Complete Works of Robert Burns: Containing his Poems, Songs, and Correspondence. With a New Life of the Poet, and Notices, Critical and Biographical by Allan Cunningham by Burns, Robert
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.
