Meaning & use
unhands
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“unhands” is a form of “unhand”.
Meanings
verbtransitiveliteraryold-fashioned
Lets go of someone or stops holding them, especially by removing the hands.
Grammar: Takes a person as its object: she unhands him. It is almost always used of people, not things.
Patterns
- unhand someone
- unhand me!
- refuse to unhand someone
The knight finally unhands the frightened girl and steps back.
"Unhand me at once!" the prisoner cries, twisting away from the guard.
He unhands his opponent only when the referee blows the whistle.
verbtransitiveliteraryold-fashioned
Releases a grip on an object; lets something go from the hands.
Grammar: The object is the thing being released: unhand the sword. This use is rarer than the one about people.
Patterns
- unhand something
- unhand the reins
With a sigh, the old sailor unhands the wheel and lets the young mate take over.
She unhands the rope and the little boat drifts away from the dock.
Word forms
| third person singular | unhands |
|---|---|
| past tense | unhanded |
| past participle | unhanded |
| -ing form | unhanding |
| base form | unhand |
Common combinations
- unhand someone
- In the play, the villain will not unhand the heroine until the final scene.
- unhand me
- "Unhand me, sir!" she said, pulling her arm free.
- refuse to unhand someone
- The guard refused to unhand the prisoner, even when ordered to.
- unhand the reins
- The driver unhands the reins and jumps down from the cart.
- finally unhand someone
- He finally unhands her, and she hurries out of the room.
Synonyms and how they differ
- release
- The everyday word for letting someone or something go; it works in modern contexts where "unhand" would sound theatrical.
- let go of
- A plain phrasal verb that fits normal speech; "unhand" is far more formal and old-fashioned.
- loosen
- Means to make a grip less tight rather than to stop holding completely, so it is not a full replacement.
Opposites
Word family
- unhand verb
- The base form, meaning to let go of someone or something.
- unhanded adjective
- Rare; describes something done without using the hands, or a person who has not been handled.
- hand noun
- The body part at the end of the arm; the root of this verb.
Commonly confused: unhands or unhand? unhands or hand?
unhands vs unhand
This is the base form used with I, you, we, they and after "to": they unhand him. "Unhands" is only for he, she or it.
unhands vs hand
"Hand" means to pass something to someone, the opposite idea of letting go; "unhands" is not a plural noun here, it is a verb form.
Practice
Which sentence uses the verb form correctly?
Choose one answer.
"Unhands" is the third-person singular form, so it goes with he, she or it, as in "she unhands the child". Option 0 and option 2 use it with plural or first-person subjects, where the base form "unhand" is needed, and option 3 uses the base form with "he", which should be "unhands".
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unhands”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.