undo

B1 · Intermediate

v. to open something that is tied, buttoned, or zipped.

v. to unfasten, untie, or loosen a physical connection or closure.

“He had to undo his seatbelt before he could get out of the car.”

“She struggled to undo the intricate silk knots on the parcel without tearing the delicate decorative paper.”

C1 · Advanced Literary

v. to cause someone to fail or lose their reputation.

v. to bring to ruin or destruction; to cause the downfall of a person or entity.

“His greed would eventually undo him and his entire family.”

“It was ultimately his stubborn refusal to listen to his advisors that would undo his long and otherwise successful career in diplomacy.”

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Computing

n. a button or command that cancels the last thing you did on a computer.

n. a function within a software application that reverses the most recent operation and restores the document to its previous state.

“If you make a mistake while typing, just click undo.”

“The application supports multiple levels of undo, allowing the designer to revert through several hours of incremental changes if necessary.”