📖 U — The English dictionary · page 14

unlikeable — Everyday, meaning 1: An unlikeable person or character is hard to like because they are unkind, rude, selfish or unpleasant.↗ Example: The main character was so selfish that he was unlikeable.↗ · Mr Twit is an unlikeable man who plays nasty tricks.↗ · Some readers found the princess unlikeable at first.↗ · She was rude and bossy, which made her unlikeable.↗ · A good writer can make an unlikeable character interesting.↗ · By the end of the book, the unlikeable boy had changed.↗

unlikely — Everyday, meaning 1: Unlikely means probably not going to happen or probably not true.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Unlikely means surprising or not what you would expect: «an unlikely friendship», «an unlikely hero».↗ Example: It's unlikely to rain today.↗ · Rolling a six three times in a row is unlikely.↗ · They became unlikely friends — a dog and a duck.↗ · It is unlikely that he forgot.↗ · In the unlikely event of a fire, use the stairs.↗ · Put «unlikely» on the probability line.↗ · The mouse was an unlikely hero.↗ · It is not unlikely that originally only the Sefer Yetzirah had been ascribed to Joseph ben Uziel, but as there were several other works in the same volume, some careless copyist attributed them all to him.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

unlimited — Everyday, meaning 1: Without any limit; as much or as many as you want.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Very great or not fixed in amount: unlimited patience.↗ Example: The ticket gives unlimited rides all day.↗ · My phone plan has unlimited texts.↗ · You have unlimited time to finish this puzzle.↗ · Teachers need almost unlimited patience.↗ · The buffet offered unlimited pizza.↗ · There is no unlimited supply of water on Earth, so save it.↗ · This is in per- fect harmony with the Pythagorean formula that all numbers originated from two elements, the limited (the one, 1,) and the unlimited (the Zero, 0).↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

unlit — Everyday, meaning 1: Not having lights switched on; dark: an unlit street.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Not set on fire or burning: an unlit candle.↗ Example: The path through the park is unlit, so take a torch.↗ · We walked carefully down the unlit lane.↗ · An unlit candle stood on the table.↗ · Cyclists must not ride on unlit roads without lights.↗ · The old house was unlit and silent.↗ · The bonfire was still unlit when we arrived.↗

unload — Everyday, meaning 1: To unload is to take things off or out of a vehicle, machine or container.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To unload a vehicle or machine means to empty it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Informally, to unload your worries means to tell someone about them.↗ Example: Can you help me unload the shopping from the car?↗ · It is my job to unload the dishwasher.↗ · The workers unloaded boxes from the truck.↗ · The ship was unloaded at the harbour.↗ · A lorry had 40 boxes and unloaded 15, so 25 were left.↗ · She unloaded her worries to her best friend.↗ · They were obliged to unload their cargo, and throw their chests and the dead walruses on the ice.↗

unlock — Everyday, meaning 1: To unlock is to open a lock, usually with a key, code or button.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To unlock a phone, tablet or computer is to enter a code, pattern or fingerprint so you can use it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In games, to unlock is to make a new level, character or item available.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To unlock can mean to discover or free something hidden, like unlocking a secret or a talent.↗ Example: Dad unlocked the front door with his key.↗ · Don't unlock the door for someone you don't know.↗ · Use your fingerprint to unlock the tablet.↗ · I unlocked a new level in the game.↗ · The key will unlock the treasure chest.↗ · Reading can unlock new worlds.↗ · Never tell anyone the code that unlocks your phone.↗ · Scientists are trying to unlock the secrets of the brain.↗

unlogical — Everyday, meaning 1: (rare) Unlogical means not logical; not following reason or sense.↗ The usual word is «illogical».↗ Example: That answer seems unlogical – please use «illogical» in your writing.↗ · It is unlogical to wear a coat in a heatwave.↗ · Her excuse sounded unlogical to the teacher.↗ · The robot said the rule was unlogical.↗ · It is illogical to think 0.5 is bigger than 0.75 just because the digits look different.↗ · Spock would call that unlogical!↗

unloved — Everyday, meaning 1: Unloved means not loved or cared for by anyone.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Unloved things are not wanted, used or looked after, like an unloved old toy or building.↗ Example: The unloved toy sat at the bottom of the box.↗ · In the story, the orphan felt unloved until she met her new family.↗ · The rescue centre helps unloved animals.↗ · The old cinema stood unloved for years.↗ · No child should feel unloved.↗ · Christians believe no one is unloved by God.↗

unluckily — Everyday, meaning 1: Unluckily means sadly, because of bad luck; it shows that something went wrong.↗ Example: Unluckily, it started to rain just as we set off.↗ · Unluckily, the bridge was closed.↗ · Unluckily for the fox, the hen woke up.↗

unlucky — Everyday, meaning 1: Unlucky means having bad luck, when things go wrong by chance.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Unlucky means bringing bad luck, as some people believe: «an unlucky number».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Unlucky can mean sad that something did not happen: «you were unlucky not to win».↗ Example: The unlucky team lost 3 games in a row.↗ · Unlucky Sam dropped 4 of his 10 eggs.↗ · 13 is called an unlucky number.↗ · It was an unlucky day: he lost 2 dollars.↗ · «Unlucky!» said the coach when the ball hit the post.↗ · Some people think a black cat crossing your path is unlucky.↗ · She was unlucky to miss the bus by one minute.↗ · Unluckily, it rained on sports day.↗ · But odd numbers are sometimes considered unlucky.↗

unmanageable — Everyday, meaning 1: Something unmanageable is too big, too wild or too difficult to control or deal with.↗ Example: The load became unmanageable on the steep hill.↗ · The horse grew unmanageable and ran off.↗ · The homework was unmanageable in one night.↗

unmarked — Everyday, meaning 1: Unmarked means having no sign, label or name on it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Unmarked work has not yet been checked and scored by a teacher.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Unmarked means without scratches, stains or damage.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (sport) An unmarked player has no one from the other team guarding them.↗ Example: The police arrived in an unmarked car.↗ · The road was unmarked, so we nearly missed the turning.↗ · The teacher still has a pile of unmarked tests.↗ · The table came out of the move unmarked.↗ · The striker was unmarked and scored easily.↗ · The soldier was buried in an unmarked grave.↗ · Leave the unmarked boxes by the door.↗

unmarried — Everyday, meaning 1: Unmarried means not married: an unmarried person does not have a husband or wife.↗ Example: My uncle is unmarried and lives on his own.↗ · In the story, the unmarried princess ruled the kingdom.↗ · Many unmarried couples have children.↗ · The form asks if you are married or unmarried.↗ · The two unmarried sisters ran the shop together.↗

unmask — Everyday, meaning 1: To unmask someone is to take off their mask so you can see their face.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To unmask a person or plan is to show the truth about them, especially that they are a cheat, spy or criminal.↗ Example: At the end, the kids unmasked the ghost – it was the caretaker!↗ · The detective unmasked the thief.↗ · The reporter unmasked the fake charity.↗ · The superhero was never unmasked.↗ · At midnight, everyone at the party unmasked.↗ · The test unmasked a mistake in the plan.↗

unmatched — Everyday, meaning 1: Better than all others; with no equal: unmatched skill.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Not paired or matching: unmatched socks.↗ Example: Her speed on the track is unmatched.↗ · I found three unmatched socks under the bed.↗ · The view from the top is unmatched.↗ · Match each number to its double; two numbers are left unmatched.↗ · There are 12 boys and 15 girls; if each boy pairs with a girl, 3 girls are unmatched.↗ · The castle's beauty is unmatched in the country.↗

unmeaning — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: Having no meaning; making no sense.↗ Example: These unmeaning sounds, they said, have magic power.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)↗

unmeasured — Everyday, meaning 1: Unmeasured means not measured; nobody has found its size, amount or value.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (literary) Unmeasured can mean without limit; too great to measure.↗ Example: Label the unmeasured angle «x».↗ · Two sides of the triangle are still unmeasured.↗ · The rainfall that day went unmeasured.↗ · The scientist knew unmeasured guesses were not evidence.↗ · The cook added an unmeasured pinch of salt.↗ · The poem spoke of unmeasured joy.↗

unmentionable — Everyday, meaning 1: Unmentionable means too rude, shocking, embarrassing or upsetting to talk about.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (joking, euphemism) «Unmentionables» is a funny polite word for underwear.↗ Example: Grandma thinks some words are unmentionable at the dinner table.↗ · The smell in the boys' changing room was unmentionable.↗ · He hung his unmentionables on the washing line.↗ · For many years illness was an unmentionable subject in that family.↗ · Don't forget to pack your unmentionables, Dad joked.↗

unmentionables — Everyday, meaning 1: (euphemism, humorous) underwear: pants, knickers, bras.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (adjective, «unmentionable») too shocking or embarrassing to talk about.↗ Example: (joke) Don't hang your unmentionables on the front fence!↗ · (shop) Unmentionables are on the second floor.↗ · (holiday) I packed everything except my unmentionables.↗ · (chat) the washing machine ate my unmentionables↗ · (old book) Ladies' unmentionables were never shown in shop windows.↗ · (adjective) Her cooking was unmentionable — truly awful!↗

unmercifully — Everyday, meaning 1: Unmercifully means without pity, very harshly or very hard, with no kindness shown.↗ Example: The giant struck the door unmercifully.↗ · The sun beat down unmercifully all day.↗ · The wicked stepmother treated the girl unmercifully.↗

unmerited — Everyday, meaning 1: Unmerited means not deserved, whether good or bad (formal).↗ Example: The praise was unmerited, because he had copied his work.↗ · The punishment was unmerited.↗ · Christians believe grace is God's unmerited favour.↗ · She felt her prize was unmerited.↗ · His unmerited good luck surprised everyone.↗

unmindful — Everyday, meaning 1: Not thinking about something or not paying attention to it; forgetting it.↗ Example: Unmindful of the rain, the children kept playing.↗ · He ran on, unmindful of the danger.↗ · Toad was unmindful of Badger's warnings.↗ · She was unmindful of the time and missed the bus.↗ · They chatted, unmindful of the people waiting.↗ · Never be unmindful of road safety.↗ · Of the Rock that begot thee thou wast unmindful, and didst forget God that bore thee.↗ (Torah DEU.32.18, JPS 1917)↗

unmixed — Everyday, meaning 1: Unmixed means pure, with nothing else mixed in; complete, with no sadness or worry added.↗ Example: The day was one of unmixed happiness.↗ · He drank unmixed milk straight from the jug.↗ · We had unmixed delight at the circus.↗

unmotivated — Everyday, meaning 1: Unmotivated means not wanting to do something, without the energy or interest to try: an unmotivated pupil.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) An unmotivated action has no clear reason: an unmotivated attack.↗ Example: I felt unmotivated to tidy my room.↗ · The coach tried to cheer up the unmotivated players.↗ · When you feel unmotivated, start with a small task.↗ · He seemed bored and unmotivated in class.↗ · The police said the attack seemed unmotivated.↗

unmoved — Everyday, meaning 1: Unmoved means not changed or affected by feelings, pleas or events, staying calm.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Unmoved means still in the same place, not shifted or pushed.↗ Example: The judge stayed unmoved by his tears.↗ · The tortoise was unmoved, as if nothing had happened.↗ · The heavy stone remained unmoved by the flood.↗

unmown — Everyday, meaning 1: Unmown means not cut by a mower: unmown grass has been left to grow long.↗ Example: We left a corner of the school field unmown for the bees.↗ · The unmown grass came up to my knees.↗ · Daisies and clover flowered in the unmown verge.↗ · The empty house had an unmown, weedy garden.↗ · Grasshoppers jumped through the unmown meadow.↗ · During No Mow May, many lawns stay unmown.↗

unnamed — Everyday, meaning 1: Unnamed means without a name, or whose name is not given.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (news) An unnamed person is someone whose name the reporter does not tell, often to protect them.↗ Example: An unnamed source told the newspaper about the plan.↗ · The unnamed boy was only nine years old.↗ · We sailed past an unnamed island on the map.↗ · The parent wished to remain unnamed.↗ · The new kitten was still unnamed after a week.↗ · Label the unnamed angle "x".↗ · An unnamed shop owner called the police.↗

unnatural — Everyday, meaning 1: Unnatural means not natural; made by people or different from what usually happens in nature.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Unnatural means strange, odd or not normal, like an unnatural silence or colour.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Unnatural behaviour is forced or false, not relaxed.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Unnatural can also describe someone who is cruel in a way that goes against normal love and kindness, such as a parent who harms their own children.↗ Example: The sweets were an unnatural bright green.↗ · An unnatural silence fell over the forest.↗ · Her smile in the photo looked unnatural.↗ · Keeping a parrot alone all day is unnatural for it.↗ · The lake glowed with an unnatural light.↗ · Try to speak naturally – shouting every line sounds unnatural.↗ · In all of them, the heroine is a princess, who runs away from an unnatural father.↗