Unsews

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To remove stitches from fabric by pulling them out carefully
2. Describing the act of taking apart sewn sections in textiles to either repair or repurpose
3. Characterizing the process of reversing a sewing operation to restore fabric to its original state

Etymology: "Unsews" is simply the third-person singular present form of "unsew," so the history belongs to the verb itself. "Unsew" is formed from the prefix "un-" joined to "sew," the everyday English verb meaning to join fabric with stitches. The prefix "un-" attached to a verb reverses its action, so "unsew" means to undo sewing, which is exactly what the meaning describes: taking out stitches carefully rather than cutting the fabric.

Synonyms: dismantles, removes stitches, unzips, takes apart