[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/unpack.html)

[home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / unpack

[← U](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/U/)

# unpack

«unpack» in Mova's school dictionary: **To take things out of a bag, suitcase or box: "unpack…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 2 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (unpack, unpacks, unpacked, unpacking)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To take things out of a bag, suitcase or box: "unpack your suitcase". [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unpack/#m1)

2) To explain something step by step so it is easier to understand: "Let's unpack this question." [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unpack/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In everyday life families unpack after a holiday or a move, and pupils unpack their school bags. In maths and English lessons, teachers ask pupils to "unpack the question": find what it tells you and what it asks. Phrases: unpack the shopping, unpack your bag, unpack the problem.

### examples

- Please unpack your bag and hang up your coat. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unpack/#x1)
- We unpacked the shopping and put it away. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unpack/#x2)
- It took a week to unpack after moving house. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unpack/#x3)
- Let us unpack the word problem: what do we know? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unpack/#x4)
- She unpacked her suitcase as soon as we got home. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unpack/#x5)
- Unpack the box carefully; the plates might break. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unpack/#x6)
- But then the rose-tree with the beautiful rose was unpacked. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unpack/#x7)

### note

Regular verb: unpack, unpacked. "Un-" here means the opposite action: pack, unpack. In maths, unpacking a word problem means underlining the numbers and the question before you start calculating.

### In the corpora

- [«Packing the basket was not quite such pleasant work as unpacking the basket.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/books/27-willows-ch1-part3-otter-badger-and-toad/36/)
- [Unpacking your favourite things first helps a new bedroom feel like home.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/97-moving-change-and-grief/6/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «unpack» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/unpack/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.
