unquote

English

Etymology

From un- +‎ quote; possibly an eggcorn of end quote.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊt

Interjection

unquote

1. Used in speech to indicate the end of a quotation.
   • 1942, “The Dover Boys at Pimento University” (1:53 from the start), in Chuck Jones, director, Merrie Melodies, spoken by Telegram Boy:

     Telegram for the Dover Boys, Messrs. Tom, Dick and Larry, care of Wayward Tavern, Upper Bottleneck, New York, sirs, quote, HEEEELP!, unquote, signed Dora. 35 cents collect.

   • 2012, Jim Broadbent as Vyvyan Ayrs, Cloud Atlas, circa 1:28:04

     Mackerras himself wrote, and I quote: "He is a prostitute, whose liaisons with perverts and sodomites were commonplace in his brief and forgettable career at Caius. Lock up the silverware." Unquote.

Derived terms

• quote unquote

Translations

end of quotation

• Bulgarian: край на цитата (kraj na citata)
• Danish: citat slut
• German: Zitat Ende n
• Hebrew: סוף ציטוט (sóf tsitút)
• Norwegian: sitat slutt
• Romanian: închei citatul
• Russian: коне́ц цита́ты (konéc citáty)

Verb

unquote (third-person singular simple present unquotes, present participle unquoting, simple past and past participle unquoted)

1. (transitive, computing) To convert (a quoted expression) back to its original form.