unlock B2 Topic:Education & Learning US /ʌnˈlɑk/ UK /ʌnˈlɒk/ See IPA manual Freq #7247 Meanings 1 verb To open something that is locked, usually with a key or code. I unlocked the door and walked in. 2 verb To get access to something that was previously blocked or hidden. You unlock the next level by collecting enough points. 3 verb To reveal or release something hidden, such as knowledge or potential. The discovery of a clue unlocked the mystery. Thesaurus Word family Forms unlockedunlockingunlocks Etymology AI details From Middle English unloken, unlouken, onlouken, from Old English onlūcan (“to unlock”), equivalent to un- + lock. Cognate with Dutch ontluiken (“to unlock”). unloken Middle English onlūcan Old English View etymology graph -> Topics Education & Learning External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # unlock **Type:** Word **Level:** B2 **Part of speech:** verb **IPA (US):** /ʌnˈlɑk/ **IPA (UK):** /ʌnˈlɒk/ **Frequency rank:** 7247 ## Meanings 1. To open something that is locked, usually with a key or code. 2. To get access to something that was previously blocked or hidden. 3. To reveal or release something hidden, such as knowledge or potential. ## Examples - I unlocked the door and walked in. - You unlock the next level by collecting enough points. - The discovery of a clue unlocked the mystery. ## Roots and Affixes - Root: unloken - Root: onlūcan - Affix: un- - not ## Etymology From Middle English unloken, unlouken, onlouken, from Old English onlūcan (“to unlock”), equivalent to un- + lock. Cognate with Dutch ontluiken (“to unlock”). ## AI Etymology Unlock is from Middle English unloken, unlouken, onlouken, from Old English onlūcan (“to unlock”), equivalent to un- + lock. Cognate with Dutch ontluiken (“to unlock”). The historical line also includes Middle English unloken, Old English onlūcan. In present-day use, it can mean to open something that is locked, usually with a key or code, or to get access to something that was previously blocked or hidden. ## Topics - Education & Learning markdown