Unstopping

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To remove an obstruction or blockage, allowing flow or passage again
2. to cease a blockage or hindrance, thereby restoring normal function
3. to unblock or clear an area to facilitate movement or operation

Etymology: "Unstopping" is the present participle and gerund of "unstop," which traces back to Middle English "unstoppen," formed from the prefix "un-" and the verb "stop." The reversing sense of "un-" is the key here: the verb means to undo a stopping, whether that is a blocked pipe, a clogged passage, or a jammed mechanism. The same construction appears in Dutch "ontstoppen" and German "entstopfen," which suggests the pattern of prefixing a reversing element to a verb meaning "to block" was shared among these Germanic languages. Because "stop" was already in use in Middle English, "unstop" needed no special coinage; speakers simply applied the familiar reversing prefix to a verb they already had.

Synonyms: unblocking, removing obstructions