unhook

present singular third person unhooks · participle present unhooking · participle past unhooked · past unhooked

1. transitiveTo remove from a hook.

   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.

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

   1 more example

   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.

   1951 February, K. Westcott Jones, “Some Australian Railway Byways”, in Railway Magazine, page 118

2. transitiveTo unfasten by means of hooks.

   to unhook a bra

   2 more examples

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

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

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

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

3. colloquialtransitiveTo unfasten the bra of (its wearer).