ungluev.
1.
a. transitive. To free from the binding or adhesive effect of glue; to detach or make loose in this way.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > separation > separation or detachment > loosening or unfastening > loosen, unfasten, or untie [verb (transitive)] > loosen or weaken the attachment of > unstick
unglue1548
ungum1598
reglutinate1623
unstick1706
1548 T. Cooper Bibliotheca Eliotæ (rev. ed.) Reglutino,..to vnglewe.
1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Sgommare, to vngum, to vnplaister, to vnglue.
1686 W. Aglionby Painting Illustr. (new ed.) i. 29 Being Vexed at the Suns ungluing some Pictures of his.
1703 R. Neve City & Countrey Purchaser 277 To prevent..Brick-walls from Ungluing the Joynts of the Pannels.
1718 J. Ozell tr. J. Pitton de Tournefort Voy. Levant I. 130 Their Strings or Filaments separate..in parcels, as if they had been glued together at first, and now were unglued.
1859 H. Morley Mem. Bartholomew Fair i. 12 There was a young man..whose head stuck to his left hand. He was unglued at St. Bartholomew's establishment.
1872 T. Hardy Under Greenwood Tree I. i. v. 63 That there instrument [a fiddle] will be unglued and spoilt in ten minutes.
b. transferred. To open (the eyes) after sleep.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > head > face > eye > [verb (transitive)] > move eyes > open eye
undoa1000
unseel1530
severa1586
unseala1586
stretch1600
unglue1606
unsile1628
1606 T. Dekker Seuen Deadly Sinnes London ii. sig. C2v Another..arriu'de at one of the Gates, before any Porters eyes were vnglewd.
1682 N. O. tr. N. Boileau-Despréaux Lutrin iv. 207 But yet the Noise that had unglew'd their eyes Could not perswade the Sluggish Chanons rise.
1729 J. Swift Jrnl. Dublin Lady 2 She stretches, Gapes unglues her Eyes And asks if it be time to rise.
c. figurative. To detach, separate, dissolve.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > separation > separation or detachment > detach [verb (transitive)]
undoc1275
unwork1548
ungluea1617
unhinge1655
disattach1658
disengage1662
untacka1677
unglutinate1683
detach1686
unshackle1694
unship1793
unhitch1876
a1617 S. Hieron Spirituall Fishing in Wks. (1620) I. 641 Happy were it for vs if the meditation of this point..were able to vnglue and vntwist our affections, which are so neerely tyed vnto it.
1649 Bp. J. Hall Resol. & Decisions iv. ii. 402 Heresie and Infidelitie; which are enough to unglew all naturall and civill relations betwixt father and sonne.
1675 T. Hobbes tr. Homer Odysses xi. 130 Your death.., for which Age shall prepare you, and your Soul unglew Insensibly.
1831 Syd. Smith in Lady Holland Mem. (1855) II. 314 Where is it to end? Are all political agglutinations to be unglued?
1897 H. Caine Christian iv. iii. 373 Unless we unglue ourselves from the vanities which imperil our existence.
2. intransitive. To lose cohesion; to become detached.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > separation > separation or detachment > become detached [verb (intransitive)] > become detached in other specific manner
unglue1693
patch1848
to pull away1858
to pinch off1910
abscind1963
1693 J. Evelyn tr. J. de La Quintinie Compl. Gard'ner ii. v. xv. 112 Otherwise they are apt to unglue, that is, to separate cleverly from the part where they are Graffed, in great Storms of Wind.
1703 R. Neve City & Countrey Purchaser 29 When ever the Joints shall happen to unglue.
Derivatives
unˈgluing n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > separation > separation or detachment > loosening or unfastening > [noun] > weakening attachment > lack of adhesion > becoming unglued
ungluing1591
1591 R. Percyvall Bibliotheca Hispanica Dict. at Desengrudamiento Vngluing.
1623 H. Cockeram Eng. Dict. i Reglutination, an vngluing.
1703 R. Neve City & Countrey Purchaser 277 Yet neither of these ways will prevent their ungluing in some Houses.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1924; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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