📖 U — The English dictionary · page 10

unfinished — Everyday, meaning 1: Unfinished means not finished, not complete yet.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Unfinished wood or furniture has no paint or varnish on it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: «Unfinished business» means a problem or job that still needs to be dealt with.↗ Example: I took my unfinished work home.↗ · The painting was left unfinished.↗ · There's an unfinished puzzle on the table.↗ · The house next door is still unfinished.↗ · His unfinished sandwich sat on the plate.↗ · The story ends with an unfinished sentence.↗ · We have some unfinished business to talk about.↗ · Was it by accident that one window was left unfinished?"↗

unfit — Everyday, meaning 1: Not healthy or strong in the body, usually because of too little exercise.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Not good enough or not suitable for something: unfit to eat, unfit for use.↗ Example: I felt unfit after the summer holidays and got out of breath fast.↗ · The water in the pond is unfit to drink.↗ · The old bridge was declared unfit for use.↗ · The player was unfit to play because of an injury.↗ · Food left in a hot car may be unfit to eat.↗ · The council said the flats were unfit for families.↗ · Am I unfit to be emperor?↗

unflattering — Everyday, meaning 1: Unflattering means making someone or something look or seem worse than they really are, like an unflattering photo.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Unflattering words are honest but not kind or praising.↗ Example: That photo of me with my eyes shut is so unflattering!↗ · The newspaper used an unflattering picture of the mayor.↗ · Bright yellow light can be unflattering.↗ · The critic wrote an unflattering review of the play.↗ · The baggy uniform was unflattering on everyone.↗ · The diary gives an unflattering picture of the queen.↗

unfledged — Everyday, meaning 1: Of a young bird, not yet grown its feathers, so it cannot fly yet.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (figurative) young and not yet experienced.↗ Example: The unfledged chicks sat with open beaks in the nest.↗ · Mum bird flew off to find worms for the unfledged young.↗ · Our class felt like unfledged learners on the first day of the new school.↗

unfold — Everyday, meaning 1: To open something that was folded so it lies flat or spreads out.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (of a story or events) To happen or become known little by little.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (of a leaf, flower or wing) To open out.↗ Example: Unfold the map so we can find the beach.↗ · She unfolded the letter and began to read.↗ · As the story unfolds, we find out who the thief is.↗ · We watched the race unfold on the big screen.↗ · In spring the new leaves unfold on the trees.↗ · The butterfly slowly unfolded its wings.↗ · If you unfold the cereal box, you can see its net.↗ · Oh! what wonders and splendours unfolded themselves before Elsa’s astonished eyes!↗ · But every attempt to unfold this mystery has hitherto been unsuccessful".↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

unfollow — Everyday, meaning 1: (online) To stop following a person or account on social media, so you no longer see their posts.↗ Example: If an account makes you feel bad, you can unfollow it.↗ · She unfollowed the channel because the videos were too scary.↗ · He was upset when his friend unfollowed him.↗ · I unfollowed the page because it was full of adverts.↗ · You can unfollow without blocking.↗ · After the argument, they unfollowed each other.↗

unforced — Everyday, meaning 1: Unforced means done naturally and easily, not with effort or pretending.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (sport) An unforced error is a mistake a player makes on their own, not because the opponent made it hard.↗ Example: Her smile was warm and unforced.↗ · The tennis player made ten unforced errors.↗ · That goal came from an unforced mistake by the defender.↗ · Their friendship was easy and unforced.↗ · He gave an unforced apology without being asked.↗ · Too many unforced errors lost us the match.↗

unforeseen — Everyday, meaning 1: Not expected or planned for; something nobody guessed would happen.↗ Example: Due to unforeseen circumstances, the concert is cancelled.↗ · The builders found an unforeseen problem with the roof.↗ · We set aside money for unforeseen costs.↗ · The road was closed for unforeseen reasons.↗ · An unforeseen snowstorm kept us at home.↗ · The plan worked, apart from one unforeseen hitch.↗ · But when the Argonauts, as these fifty brave adventurers were called, had prepared everything for the voyage, an unforeseen difficulty threatened to end it before it was begun.↗

unforgettable — Everyday, meaning 1: Unforgettable means so special, exciting, beautiful or strange that you will remember it for a very long time.↗ Example: The school trip to the zoo was unforgettable.↗ · Seeing the northern lights was an unforgettable sight.↗ · Our holiday in Ireland was unforgettable.↗ · She gave an unforgettable speech at assembly.↗ · The taste of Nan's apple pie is unforgettable.↗ · It was an unforgettable match – we won in the last second.↗

unforgiving — Everyday, meaning 1: An unforgiving person does not forgive people easily and keeps blaming them for wrongs they did.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An unforgiving place, weather or task is very hard and does not allow any mistakes, as an unforgiving desert or an unforgiving mountain.↗ Example: He was unforgiving and never spoke to his brother again.↗ · In the parable, the unforgiving servant would not cancel a small debt.↗ · The desert is unforgiving; without water you cannot survive.↗ · The mountain was unforgiving to climbers who did not plan well.↗ · Exams can feel unforgiving: one wrong answer loses the mark.↗ · She tried not to be unforgiving when her friend apologised.↗

unformed — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: Unformed means not yet shaped or made into a form.↗ Example: Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters.↗ (Torah GEN.1.2, JPS 1917)↗ · Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance, and in Thy book they were all written — even the days that were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.↗ (Writings PSA.139.16, JPS 1917)↗

unfortunate — Everyday, meaning 1: Having bad luck; unlucky.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Causing problems or sad results: an unfortunate accident.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (formal) Not suitable and a bit embarrassing: an unfortunate remark.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (noun, old-fashioned) A poor or unlucky person.↗ Example: It was unfortunate that it rained on sports day.↗ · The unfortunate boy dropped his ice cream.↗ · An unfortunate mix-up sent our parcel to the wrong town.↗ · Calling the new teacher by the wrong name was an unfortunate slip.↗ · Unfortunately, the shop was shut.↗ · The kind woman helped the unfortunates of the town.↗ · What had become of all these unfortunate children?↗

unfortunately — Everyday, meaning 1: Used to say that something is sad, bad or unlucky, or that it did not turn out well: «Unfortunately, it started to rain.».↗ Example: Unfortunately, I left my lunch at home.↗ · We wanted to go swimming, but unfortunately the pool was closed.↗ · Unfortunately the cake burned while we were playing.↗

unfounded — Everyday, meaning 1: Unfounded means not based on facts or evidence; not true.↗ Example: The rumour was completely unfounded.↗ · My fears about the new school were unfounded.↗ · The claims were unfounded and untrue.↗ · The teacher said the complaint was unfounded.↗ · Scientists showed the worry was unfounded.↗ · Don't spread unfounded stories.↗

unfree — Everyday, meaning 1: Unfree means not free; not allowed to choose how you live, work or move, such as a slave, a serf or a prisoner.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) Unfree can also describe a country or society where people lack basic rights and freedoms.↗ Example: Medieval serfs were unfree and could not leave their lord's land.↗ · Enslaved people were unfree and forced to work without pay.↗ · Convicts in early Australia were unfree workers.↗ · In an unfree country people cannot say what they think.↗ · Historians study unfree labour across the world.↗ · The prisoners felt unfree behind the high walls.↗

unfriendly — Everyday, meaning 1: Unfriendly means not kind or welcoming, not wanting to be nice to other people.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Unfriendly can describe a place or thing that is hard or not safe, like an unfriendly climate.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In compounds, «-unfriendly» means bad for something, like «environment-unfriendly» or «user-unfriendly».↗ Example: The new boy wasn't unfriendly, just shy.↗ · The dog looked unfriendly, so we didn't pat it.↗ · It was an unfriendly place with no shade or water.↗ · She gave me an unfriendly look.↗ · Ignoring people is unfriendly.↗ · The desert is an unfriendly place for most plants.↗ · Try to welcome new pupils so no one feels the class is unfriendly.↗ · The shopkeeper was unfriendly and grumpy.↗

unfrozen — Everyday, meaning 1: Unfrozen means no longer frozen; thawed, or never frozen at all.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (money, law) Unfrozen money or accounts can be used again after being blocked.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (computing) An unfrozen screen or app works again after it stopped responding.↗ Example: The pond is unfrozen again now spring has come.↗ · Make sure the chicken is fully unfrozen before cooking.↗ · The bank account was unfrozen after the mistake was fixed.↗ · The computer finally unfroze and the game came back.↗ · Some plants survive only in unfrozen soil.↗ · The unfrozen peas went soft.↗

unfulfilled — Everyday, meaning 1: Not carried out or finished, as a promise or task is not done.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Not satisfied, with a wish or need still missing.↗ Example: The king's promise remained unfulfilled.↗ · She felt unfulfilled after the boring job.↗ · The wish was unfulfilled until the fairy came back.↗

unglazed — Everyday, meaning 1: Unglazed pottery or tiles have no shiny glassy coating (glaze) on the surface, so they look dull and feel rough.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An unglazed window or door has no glass in it.↗ Example: Our clay pots came out of the kiln unglazed.↗ · Unglazed pots soak up water.↗ · The terracotta plant pot is unglazed.↗ · We painted glaze on the unglazed bowl.↗ · Medieval cottages had unglazed windows with wooden shutters.↗ · Unglazed floor tiles are less slippery.↗

ungodliness — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: Wickedness, a lack of respect for God.↗ Example: Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is ungodliness gone forth into all the land.↗ (Prophets JER.23.15, JPS 1917)↗

ungodly — Everyday, meaning 1: (old use) Not respecting God; wicked or sinful.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) Very early or very late, or very unpleasant: «an ungodly hour».↗ Example: The ungodly witch was punished.↗ · The ungodly man cheated the poor farmer.↗ · We had to get up at an ungodly hour for the trip.↗ · An ungodly witness mocketh at right; and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.↗ (Writings PRO.19.28, JPS 1917)↗ · God delivereth me to the ungodly, and casteth me into the hands of the wicked.↗ (Writings JOB.16.11, JPS 1917)↗ · An ungodly man diggeth up evil, and in his lips there is as a burning fire.↗ (Writings PRO.16.27, JPS 1917)↗

ungovernable — Everyday, meaning 1: Ungovernable means impossible to control or rule, like an ungovernable country, crowd or class.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Ungovernable feelings, like anger, are too strong to control.↗ Example: After the war, the region became ungovernable.↗ · The wild horse was ungovernable.↗ · The class was ungovernable on the last day of term.↗ · He had an ungovernable temper as a child.↗ · Rebels made the province ungovernable.↗ · The crowd grew ungovernable when the gates opened.↗

ungracious — Everyday, meaning 1: Rude or not polite; not kind in the way someone speaks or behaves.↗ Example: It was ungracious of him not to say thank you.↗ · Her ungracious reply upset everyone.↗ · Don't be so ungracious to your guests.↗

ungrammatical — Everyday, meaning 1: Ungrammatical means not following the rules of grammar of a language, like «She go to school yesterday.».↗ Example: «Him and me goes to school» is ungrammatical in Standard English.↗ · Circle the ungrammatical sentence.↗ · The robot's sentences were ungrammatical and funny.↗ · Poets sometimes write ungrammatical lines on purpose.↗ · «We was» is usual in some dialects but ungrammatical in Standard English.↗ · My little brother's speech is ungrammatical but cute.↗

ungrateful — Everyday, meaning 1: Ungrateful means not thankful, not showing thanks when someone has helped you or given you something.↗ Example: It was ungrateful of him not to say thank you.↗ · I don't want to seem ungrateful, but I already have this book.↗ · The ungrateful prince threw away the gift.↗ · Don't be ungrateful; Grandma knitted that for you.↗ · She wrote a thank-you note so she would not look ungrateful.↗ · "Ungrateful creatures!" said a voice from the Plane Tree.↗

unguarded — Everyday, meaning 1: Unguarded means not watched or protected by anyone.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An unguarded moment or remark is one when you are not careful and say or show something you meant to keep secret.↗ Example: Never leave a fire unguarded.↗ · The goal was unguarded and he scored easily.↗ · Toad slipped past the unguarded gate.↗ · In an unguarded moment, she told us her secret.↗ · The castle was left unguarded at night.↗ · The bags were unguarded on the train.↗

unguent — Everyday, meaning 1: (old use) A soft cream or oil rubbed on the skin to heal it, soften it or make it smell nice.↗ Example: The witch rubbed the unguent on the wound.↗ · She kept the golden box of unguent on her shelf.↗ · The sweet-smelling unguent soothed his burns.↗

unhappily — Everyday, meaning 1: In a sad way, showing you are unhappy.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Unluckily; sadly, as a pity.↗ Example: She looked unhappily at the broken toy.↗ · Unhappily, the boat sank before the storm ended.↗ · He spoke unhappily about his lost dog.↗