“+ verb
Etymology: un- (II) + ravel
transitive verb
1. : to disengage or separate the threads of : disentangle
unraveled the cord into its separate strands
unraveled the woven fabric
2. : reverse , undo
many of them have had to unravel their training in this direction — John McDonald
3. : to resolve the intricacy, complexity, or obscurity of : trace the origin or the elements of : clear up
many attempts have been made to unravel the origin of language — Edward Sapir
there is always the pleasure of unraveling a difficulty — O.W.Holmes †1935
poking far into the atom to unravel the heart of matter — Norman Cousins
intransitive verb
: to become unraveled : ravel
an old rope had frayed and unraveled
a tangled skein of hardly won evidence which gradually unravels into strands of horse-doping, blackmail, and fear — Vernon Knowles
Synonyms: see solve