un|heard /ʌ nhɜː r d/
1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ , ADJ after v, oft ADJ n] If you say that a person or their words go unheard , you are expressing criticism because someone refuses to pay attention to what is said or take it into consideration. [WRITTEN , DISAPPROVAL ] □ His impassioned pleas went unheard.
2 ADJ If you describe spoken comments or pieces of music as unheard , you mean that most people are not familiar with them because they have not been expressed or performed in public. □ …a country where social criticism was largely unheard until this year. □ …a previously unheard piece by Ottawa composer Deirdre Piper.
3 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If someone's words or cries go unheard , nobody can hear them, or a particular person cannot hear them. [WRITTEN ] □ Martin's weak cries for help went unheard until 6.40pm yesterday.
u n|hea rd of
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] You can say that an event or situation is unheard of when it never happens. □ Meals are taken communally. Private bathrooms and toilets are unheard of. □ It is unheard of for a professional golfer to take such action.
2 ADJ You can say that an event or situation is unheard of when it happens for the first time and is very surprising or shocking. □ Mom announced that she was going away, which was absolutely unheard of.
un|heed|ed /ʌ nhiː d I d/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ , oft ADJ n, ADJ after v] If you say that something such as a warning or danger goes unheeded , you mean that it has not been taken seriously or dealt with. [WRITTEN ] □ The advice of experts went unheeded. □ …a damning picture of lax banking standards and unheeded warnings.
un|help|ful /ʌ nhe lpfʊl/ ADJ If you say that someone or something is unhelpful , you mean that they do not help you or improve a situation, and may even make things worse. □ The criticism is both unfair and unhelpful. □ …unhelpful hotel staff.
un|her|ald|ed /ʌ nhe rəld I d/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe an artist or sports player as unheralded , you mean that people have not recognized their talent or ability. [JOURNALISM ] □ They are inviting talented, but unheralded film-makers to submit examples of their work.
2 ADJ If you describe something that happens as unheralded , you mean that you did not expect it, because nobody mentioned it beforehand. [WRITTEN ] □ …Sandi's unheralded arrival on her doorstep. □ The complete reversal of this policy was unheralded.
un|hesi|tat|ing|ly /ʌnhe z I te I t I ŋli/ ADV [usu ADV with v] If you say that someone does something unhesitatingly , you mean that they do it immediately and confidently, without any doubt or anxiety. □ I would unhesitatingly choose the latter option. □ So is there any taboo she wouldn't touch? Unhesitatingly she replies, 'Politics.'
un|hinge /ʌ nh I ndʒ/ (unhinges , unhinging , unhinged ) VERB If you say that an experience has unhinged someone, you mean that it has affected them so deeply that they have become mentally ill. □ [V n] The stress of war temporarily unhinged him. ● un|hinged ADJ □ …feelings that make you feel completely unhinged and crazy.
un|hinged /ʌ nh I ndʒd/
1 ADJ If you describe someone's behaviour or performance as unhinged , you are critical of it because it seems wild and uncontrollable. [JOURNALISM , DISAPPROVAL ] □ The phrase 'yeah yeah yeah' can rarely have been delivered with so much unhinged passion.
2 → see also unhinge
un|hip /ʌ nh I p/ ADJ If you describe someone or something as unhip , you mean that they are not at all fashionable or modern. [INFORMAL ] □ …two rather stiff, unhip, middle-aged men.
un|ho|ly /ʌ nhoʊ li/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] You use unholy to emphasize how unreasonable or unpleasant you think something is. [EMPHASIS ] □ She protested that it wasn't traditional jazz at all, but an unholy row. □ The economy is still an unholy mess.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you refer to two or more people or groups working together as an unholy alliance, you mean that this arrangement is unusual because the people usually oppose each other. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ There has been this unholy alliance between the far right and the left. □ The party was run by an unholy coalition between North and South.
3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe something as unholy , you mean that it is wicked or bad. □ 'This ought to be fun,' he told Alex, eyes gleaming with an almost unholy relish.
un|hook /ʌ nhʊ k/ (unhooks , unhooking , unhooked )
1 VERB If you unhook a piece of clothing that is fastened with hooks, you undo the hooks. □ [V n] She unhooked her dress.
2 VERB If you unhook something that is held in place by hooks, you open it or remove it by undoing the hooks. □ [V n] Chris unhooked the shutters and went out on the balcony.
un|hur|ried /ʌ nhʌ r I d/ ADJ If you describe something as unhurried , you approve of it because it is relaxed and slow, and is not rushed or anxious. [APPROVAL ] □ …an unhurried pace of life.
un|hurt /ʌ nhɜː r t/ ADJ [ADJ after v, v-link ADJ ] If someone who has been attacked, or involved in an accident, is unhurt , they are not injured. □ The lorry driver escaped unhurt, but a pedestrian was injured. □ The two girls suddenly emerged from among the trees. Both seemed to be calm and unhurt.
un|hy|gien|ic /ʌ nha I dʒiː n I k, [AM ] -dʒie n I k/ ADJ If you describe something as unhygienic , you mean that it is dirty and likely to cause infection or disease. □ Parts of the shop were very dirty, unhygienic, and an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. □ …unhygienic conditions.
uni /juː ni/ (unis ) N‑VAR Uni is short for university . [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ I scraped by at uni with the minimum grades. □ The uni is based on two main campuses.