Muundo wa matumizi:
unravel [something]
She patiently unraveled the knot in the fishing line.
Türelmesen kibogozta a horgászzsinóron lévő csomót.
I unraveled the yarn and rewound it into a neat ball.
Kibogoztam a fonalat, és újra szép gombolyaggá tekertem.
He used a pin to unravel the tight tangle of thread.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
I unraveled the string.
Kibogoztam a zsinórt.
She unraveled a knot in her hair.
Kibogozott egy csomót a hajában.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may use *unravel* for any kind of opening (e.g., a door); it usually refers to threads/strings or to solving/understanding something.
Maana
untwist or disentangle threads
Miunganiko ya maneno
unravel a knot
|unravel tangled thread
|unravel the yarn
|unravel a ball of wool
|unravel the string
|unravel a necklace chain
|unravel a tangle
|unravel hair
|unravel the rope
|unravel the cord
Visawe
untangle (Most common for removing knots and tangles.)
|
disentangle (Often suggests careful separation of something intertwined.)
|
unwind (Focuses on reversing a winding or coiling motion.)
Vinyume
tangle (To create knots or confusion in threads or hair.)
|
entangle (To twist together so it becomes hard to separate.)
Mada
daily_life
|clothing
|materials
Ufafanuzi
To make threads or string straight again by taking out knots and twists.
To separate and straighten threads, string, or hair that has become twisted, tangled, or knotted; to undo the twists in something long and flexible.
Muundo wa matumizi:
unravel [a mystery/problem/story]
Detectives unraveled the mystery after a new witness came forward.
A nyomozók kibogozták a rejtélyt, miután egy új tanú jelentkezett.
It took weeks to unravel exactly how the data was leaked.
Hetekbe telt kibogozni, pontosan hogyan szivárogtak ki az adatok.
The documentary unravels the events leading up to the crash.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
The police unraveled the mystery.
A rendőrség kibogozta a rejtélyt.
I finally unraveled what went wrong.
Végre kiderítettem, mi ment félre.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may overuse *unravel* where simple *find out* fits better; *unravel* suggests a complex situation with many details.
Maana
solve or explain something complex
Miunganiko ya maneno
unravel a mystery
|unravel the truth
|unravel the story
|unravel a plot
|unravel the case
|unravel a puzzle
|unravel the cause
|unravel what happened
|unravel the reasons
|unravel the details
Visawe
figure out (More informal and general; less dramatic than *unravel*.)
|
decipher (Often used for codes, unclear writing, or hard-to-read meaning.)
|
solve (Neutral problem-solving; *unravel* highlights complexity and step-by-step discovery.)
Vinyume
confuse (To make something harder to understand.)
|
obscure (To hide or make the truth unclear.)
Mada
learning
|work
|crime
|media
Ufafanuzi
To find the explanation for something difficult to understand.
To discover, explain, or understand how something complicated happened, especially by finding the hidden details and connections.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[something] unravels
After a few washes, the seam began to unravel.
Néhány mosás után a varrás bomlani kezdett.
One loose thread can make the whole cuff unravel.
Egyetlen laza szál miatt az egész mandzsetta felbomolhat.
The old rope unraveled when he pulled on it.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
My sweater is unraveling.
Bomlik a pulóverem.
The seam unraveled.
A varrás felbomlott.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may confuse *unravel* with *rip*; *unravel* often involves threads loosening rather than a sudden tear.
Maana
come apart into loose threads
Miunganiko ya maneno
the seam unraveled
|the hem unraveled
|the stitching unraveled
|the sweater unraveled
|fabric unraveling
|unravel at the edge
|unravel quickly
|unravel over time
|start to unravel
|unravel completely
Visawe
fray (Specifically about edges becoming worn and threadbare.)
|
come apart (General; can apply beyond fabric.)
|
unpick (Often deliberate removal of stitching (more common in British English).)
Vinyume
hold together (To remain joined and not come apart.)
|
stay intact (To remain whole and undamaged.)
Mada
daily_life
|clothing
|materials
Ufafanuzi
To start to come apart, with threads becoming loose.
To start coming apart, especially as threads loosen and separate from cloth, rope, or stitching.
Muundo wa matumizi:
[a plan/relationship/system] unravels
Their agreement unraveled when neither side would compromise.
A megállapodásuk felbomlott, amikor egyik fél sem volt hajlandó kompromisszumot kötni.
As costs rose, the whole business plan began to unravel.
Ahogy emelkedtek a költségek, az egész üzleti terv kezdett szétesni.
After the scandal, public trust unraveled quickly.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
The plan unraveled.
A terv szétesett.
Their relationship unraveled.
A kapcsolatuk felbomlott.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes use *unravel* for sudden failure; it more often suggests a gradual breakdown with many small problems.
Maana
gradually fall apart or collapse
Miunganiko ya maneno
a plan unraveled
|the deal unraveled
|talks unraveled
|their marriage unraveled
|the project unraveled
|the system unraveled
|unravel under pressure
|unravel over time
|begin to unravel
|start to unravel
Visawe
break down (Very common; can be sudden or gradual.)
|
collapse (Often more sudden and complete than *unravel*.)
|
disintegrate (Stronger and more formal; suggests total falling apart.)
Vinyume
stabilize (To become steady and stop changing for the worse.)
|
cohere (To stay logically connected and consistent.)
Mada
relationships
|work
|politics
|emotions
Ufafanuzi
To slowly break down so it no longer works.
To gradually lose order, strength, or stability so that a plan, relationship, organization, or situation stops working.
Muundo wa matumizi:
unravel [something]
One false rumour unraveled months of careful negotiations.
Egyetlen hamis pletyka szétzilálta a hónapokig gondosan folytatott tárgyalásokat.
The ruling could unravel key protections for consumers.
Az ítélet alááshatja a fogyasztók kulcsfontosságú védelmét.
A lack of funding unraveled the program within a year.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
The mistake unraveled our plan.
A hiba szétzilálta a tervünket.
The decision unraveled the agreement.
A döntés felborította a megállapodást.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may confuse this with meaning 4 (intransitive). In this sense, someone or something actively *unravels* a plan or progress.
Maana
cause something to fall apart
Miunganiko ya maneno
unravel an agreement
|unravel a deal
|unravel reforms
|unravel progress
|unravel the coalition
|unravel negotiations
|unravel years of work
|unravel a partnership
|unravel a strategy
|unravel the settlement
Visawe
undermine (Weakens something gradually rather than fully undoing it.)
|
dismantle (Suggests taking something apart deliberately and systematically.)
|
roll back (Common in politics/policy; reverse changes already made.)
Vinyume
strengthen (To make something more stable and effective.)
|
build (To create or develop something rather than undo it.)
Mada
work
|business
|politics
|law
Ufafanuzi
To make something stop working by undoing it.
To cause a plan, system, or achievement to be undone or to stop functioning, often by removing key parts or support.