|ən+ verb
Etymology: Middle English unyoken, from Old English ungeocian, from un- (II) + geocian to yoke
transitive verb
1.
a. : to free (a draft animal) from a yoke or harness : outspan , unhitch
b. obsolete : to liberate as if from a yoke : release
the property of truth is … to unyoke and set free the minds and spirits of a nation — John Milton
2. : to take apart : disjoin , unlink
at the rapids the large rafts are … unyoked, and divided into small portions — Anthony Trollope
intransitive verb
1. archaic : to unharness a draft animal
2. archaic : to stop work : slack off