Untie Meaning
/ʌnˈtaɪ/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo loosen, as something interlaced or knotted; to disengage the parts of.
verbTo free from fastening or from restraint; to let loose; to unbind.
Sentence Examples
The first thing he did was to untie his shoelaces and take his shoes off.
I can't untie this knot.
I can't untie this knot; it's too tight!
CEFR Practice Quiz
He tried to ____ the knot in his shoelace, but it was too tight.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I had to ask my friend to help me ____ the heavy knot in my laces after I finished my long morning run today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English untien, unteyen, untyȝen, untiȝen, from Old English untīġan (“to untie”), equivalent to un- + tie.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Haſt thou the pretty vvorme of Nylus [an asp] there, / That killes and paines not? / […] / Come thou mortal vvretch, / VVith thy ſharpe teeth this knot intrinſicate, / Of life at once vntye: Poore venomous Foole, / Be angry, and diſpatch."
— c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 367:
"Sacharissa's captive fain / Would untie his iron chain."
— 1645, Edmund Waller, To Amoret:
"Though you untie the winds, and let them fight / Against the churches."
— c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
"All the evils of an untied tongue we put upon the accounts of drunkenness."
— 1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC:
"After you finish with the INI file, all you need to do is untie the hash. Then you really are finished!"
— 2002, Dave Roth, Win32 Perl Programming: The Standard Extensions, page 151:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
He tried to ____ the knot in his shoelace, but it was too tight.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I had to ask my friend to help me ____ the heavy knot in my laces after I finished my long morning run today.