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View synonyms for

unlock

[uhn-lok]

verb (used with object)

  1. to undo the lock of (a door, chest, etc.), especially with a key.

  2. to open or release by or as if by undoing a lock.

  3. to open (anything firmly closed or joined).

    to unlock the jaws.

  4. to lay open; disclose.

    to unlock the secrets of one's heart.



verb (used without object)

  1. to become unlocked.

unlock

/ ʌˈɒ /

verb

  1. (tr) to unfasten (a lock, door, etc)

  2. (tr) to open, release, or let loose

  3. (tr) to disclose or provide the key to

    unlock a puzzle

  4. (intr) to become unlocked

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • unlockable adjective
  • ܲˈdz첹 adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of unlock1

1350–1400; Middle English unloken; un- 2, lock 1
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The enduring success of the series, set in the frontier town of Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, demonstrates how every new evolution of video consumption can unlock the value of beloved vintage titles.

From

The master tapes were unlocked, and Sahanaja said he downloaded the tracks and unconnected song fragments, aware that he was handling the very material that had nearly driven its author mad.

From

The loss of his mother propelled him into rock and roll and its gift of the love of an audience; his father’s passing somehow unlocked the vocal range he’d always wanted.

From

The V&A East Storehouse is a purpose-built arts storage centre, intended to widen access and "unlock" the collection of art, design and fashion items, much of which is not usually on display.

From

On the unit, plastic bags were not used in the bins in patient bedrooms for safety reasons, but they were in a few communal locations, including a toilet that was often left unlocked.

From

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unloanableunlocked