unbind

U1N1B3I1N1D2
/ʌnˈbaɪnd/

verb

To take bindings off.

Opposite
bind
OriginMiddle English unbinden ← Old English unbindan ← Proto-West Germanic *andabindan →
UncommonScrabble 9
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Meanings

verbunbind (third-person singular simple present unbinds, present participle unbinding, simple past unbound, past participle unbound or (rare) unbounden)

present singular third person unbinds · participle present unbinding · past unbound · participle past unbound · participle past rare unbounden

  1. transitiveTo take bindings off.
  2. figurativelytransitiveTo set free from a debt, contract or promise.
  3. transitivecomputingTo disable some kind of connection in software, such as a key binding.

    Unbinds the specified key from a command

    2013, Douglas Chick, Minecraft Secrets Book Cheat Codes, page 23

Synonyms & antonyms

verbuntie or unfasten

Opposite
bind
Broader
detach
Also see
loose

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Germanic*andabindaną
  2. Proto-West Germanic*andabindan
  3. Old Englishunbindan
  4. Middle Englishunbinden
  5. Englishunbind

From Middle English unbinden, from Old English unbindan, onbindan (“to unbind; untie”), from Proto-West Germanic *andabindan, from Proto-Germanic *andabindaną, equivalent to un- + bind. Cognate with Dutch ontbinden, German entbinden, Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌱𐌹𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽 (andbindan).

More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek λύω
  • λύω (lúō)take bindings off
Bulgarian развързвам
  • развързвам (razvărzvam)take bindings off
Dutch ontbinden
  • ontbindentake bindings off
French détacher
  • détachertake bindings off
German losbinden
  • losbindentake bindings off
Romanian dezlega
  • dezlegatake bindings off

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with unbind

finddesignedmindkindbehinddefinedwindsignedcombinedassignedblindbindlineddeclinedremindmankindalignedinclinedgrindresignedrewindhindunwindmined
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

unbind. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unbind

MLA

“unbind.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unbind. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unbind,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unbind.

Source: unbind on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.