unhook

English

Etymology

From un- +‎ hook.

Verb

unhook (third-person singular simple present unhooks, present participle unhooking, simple past and past participle unhooked)

1. (transitive) To remove from a hook.
   • 1951 February, K. Westcott Jones, “Some Australian Railway Byways”, in Railway Magazine, page 118:

     A rather interesting and notable convenience, however, is that of ice water bags, which are hung on to the outside of the coaches at certain stops. These can be reached by leaning out of the window rather perilously, to unhook them, and paper cups are stocked in the compartments.

   • 1961 March, 'Balmore', “Driving and firing modern French steam locomotives”, in Trains Illustrated, page 146:

     After Aulnoye the route lay through the colliery area and past Maubeuge to Jeumont, on the Belgian border. There Eùgene unhooked and we handed the train over to a Belgian diesel.

2. (transitive) To unfasten by means of hooks.

   to unhook a bra

   • 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 82:

     "She was standing in front of the mirror unhooking her frock. Mrs. P., I mean."

   • 1969, Lawrence Garber, Garber's Tales from the Quarter, page 230:

     Subject apparently unhooks button, releases clasp, pulls zipper, draws string, unholes button, loosens band. Trousers fall to buttock, revealing white rubber panties.

3. (transitive, colloquial) To unfasten the bra of (its wearer).

Translations

to remove from a hook

• Bulgarian: откачам (bg) (otkačam)
• Cherokee: ᎫᏓᎴᎠ (gudalea)
• Polish: odhaczać (pl) impf, odhaczyć (pl) pf

Anagrams

• konhou