WordGarden.iounbury
Pronunciation
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Meanings
Verb
dig up a buried body or remains
dig out or uncover something that has been buried or covered over
bring something hidden, forgotten, or ignored back to attention
Beyond the definition
To unbury something is mainly to dig it up or uncover it after it has been buried, covered, or hidden from view. Picture archaeologists carefully unburying old bones, tools, or walls from the earth. In a broader sense, it can also mean bringing something back into view after it has been hidden for a long time.
The word usually suggests effort. Something is not simply found by chance; it is brought out from under what covered it. Because of that, it can sometimes be used in a figurative way for memories, facts, or old stories, though the literal sense is the most common.
"Unbury" means to dig something up or uncover it after it has been buried or covered over. The clearest use is physical. If snow, soil, sand, or rubble has covered something, to unbury it is to bring it back into view by removing what is on top of it.
Think of an archaeologist carefully unburying a wall, a grave, or an ancient object. In that kind of scene, the word has a strong sense of patient effort. Something has been hidden below the surface, and someone works to expose it again.
The word can also be used more figuratively, though this is less common than the literal sense. A person might unbury an old memory, or a reporter might unbury facts that were long ignored or covered up. In these cases, the idea is still the same: something hidden is brought back into sight or attention.
So at its heart, "unbury" is about removing what keeps something out of view. Whether the covering is earth, snow, debris, or even time and neglect, the word tells a story of something concealed being brought back into the open.
Examples
- 1
Storm cleanup
By noon, the city crews had unburied the road signs after the storm.
- 2
Archaeology
Archaeologists hope to unbury more of the temple next summer.
- 3
Hidden emotions
Writing about the accident seemed to unbury emotions she had kept hidden for years.
- Phraseunbury emotions
make hidden feelings come back
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- unbury