unstick

English

Etymology

From un- +‎ stick.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪk

Verb

unstick (third-person singular simple present unsticks, present participle unsticking, simple past and past participle unstuck)

1. (transitive, sometimes figurative) To free from the condition of being stuck.
   • 2012, Laura Pazzaglia, The Everything Healthy Pressure Cooker Cookbook:

     Add the rice and sauté until the first few grains begin to brown (about 3 minutes). Add peas, stock, and salt. Mix well and be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to unstick any rice.

2. (intransitive) To become freed from a stuck condition.
   • 2019, Russ Linton, Plea Bargain:

     Starting to panic, I stepped back and put my foot right through the door. Outside, Nelson laughed. The door unstuck. I hopped on one leg as it swung outward, carrying my boot.

3. (intransitive, aviation, of an aircraft) To leave the ground during takeoff.

Derived terms

• come unstuck

Translations

to free from the condition of being stuck

• French: décoller (fr)
• Polish: odkleić (pl) pf (sticky things), odklejać (sticky things), odlepić pf (sticky things), odlepiać impf (sticky things)
• Spanish: despegar (es)

to become freed from a stuck condition

• French: se décoincer
• Polish: odkleić się pf (sticky things), odklejać się impf (sticky things), odlepić się pf (sticky things), odlepiać się impf (sticky things)

to leave the ground during takeoff

• Dutch: opstijgen (nl)
• French: décoller (fr)
• Spanish: despegar (es)

Anagrams

• tuck-ins, tucks in, tunicks, unticks