From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Unravel \Un*rav"el\, verb (used with an object) [1st pref. un- (intensive) + ravel.]
1. To disentangle; to disengage or separate the threads of; as, to unravel a stocking.
2. Hence, to clear from complication or difficulty; to unfold; to solve; as, to unravel a plot.
3. To separate the connected or united parts of; to throw into disorder; to confuse. ''Art shall be conjured for it, and nature all unraveled.'' --Dryden.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Unravel \Un*rav"el\, verb (used without an object) To become unraveled, in any sense.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
verb
1: become or cause to become undone by separating the fibers or threads of; "the sweater unravelled" [syn: {unknot}, {unscramble}, {untangle}, {unpick}] [ant: {ravel}, {ravel}]
2: disentangle; "can you unravel the mystery?"; "unravel the ball or yarn" [syn: {ravel}, {ravel out}]
3: become undone; "the sweater unraveled" [syn: {run}] [also: {unravelling}, {unravelled}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
155 Moby Thesaurus words for "unravel": account for, allegorize, answer, avulse, bottom, break, break loose, break out, carry away, clarify, clear, clear up, come apart, come off, come undone, come unstuck, crack, crack up, cut loose, cut out, debug, decipher, decode, demonstrate, demythologize, deracinate, dig out, dig up, disembarrass, disembroil, disengage, disentangle, disintegrate, disintricate, disinvolve, dislodge, dissolve, divine, do, dope, dope out, draw, draw out, dredge, dredge up, elucidate, enlighten, eradicate, euhemerize, evolve, evulse, excavate, excise, exemplify, explain, explain away, explicate, exposit, expound, exsect, extract, extricate, fall off, fall to pieces, fathom, figure out, find out, find the answer, find the solution, fly apart, free, get, get loose, get out, get right, give reason for, give the meaning, give way, go to pieces, gouge out, grub up, guess, guess right, have it, hit it, illuminate, illustrate, interpret, make clear, make out, make plain, mine, open the lock, peel off, pick out, pluck out, pluck up, plumb, popularize, psych, psych out, pull, pull out, pull up, puzzle out, quarry, rake out, rationalize, ravel, ravel out, release, remove, resolve, riddle, rip out, root out, root up, shed light upon, show, show how, show the way, simplify, solve, sort out, spell out, spring apart, start, take out, tear loose, tear out, throw light upon, unbraid, unclutter, uncoil, undo, unearth, unfold, unknot, unlock, unmix, unriddle, unscramble, unsnarl, untangle, unthread, untwine, untwist, unweave, unwind, uproot, weed out, withdraw, work, work out, wrest out
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