unfold
/ʌnˈfoʊld/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.45 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To lay open to view or contemplation; to bring out in all the details, or by successive development; to reveal.
Transitive verb
noun
In functional programming, a kind of higher-order function that is the opposite of a fold.
Example Sentences
- "to unfold a map; to unfold a tablecloth; She unpacks the new dress and unfolds it carefully."
- "Unfold thy forehead gathered into frowns."
- "Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him."
- "The curtains unfolded to reveal the stage."
- "Events unfolded in an unexpected way."
- "Memento unfolds over 22 scenes—or, more accurately, 22 strands of time, the main strand (in color) moving backward in increments, and another strand (in black and white) going forward, though the two overlap profoundly."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: unfolden, unfealdan
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ʌnˈfoʊld/
- British English: /ʌnˈfəʊld/