Unlatches

To release or open something that is secured by a latch. This action involves disengaging the mechanism designed to hold something closed, allowing it to be opened or separated. The process of unlatching can be physical, such as releasing a door latch, or metaphorical, referring to the freeing or opening of something non-physical, such as a memory or emotional state. The core idea is one of freeing or making accessible what was previously held back or closed off. This often requires a specific action, like lifting a lever, sliding a bolt, or pushing a button, to overcome the lock's intended function of holding something in place. It can apply to anything from a physical object to an abstract concept that is held closed or confined. The key action is releasing the fastening or the restraint.

Unlatches meaning with examples

• With a click of the rusty metal, he unlatches the gate, its hinges groaning in protest after years of disuse. Sunlight flooded the long-abandoned garden, beckoning him to enter after so many years away. He carefully stepped through, imagining the years of tending that the garden had once enjoyed. The path offered memories of his grandmother and childhood.
• Sarah nervously unlatches the file cabinet, her hands trembling as she opens the drawer containing the long-sealed secrets of her family. The confidential documents reveal a past she never knew existed. This action felt significant and daunting, releasing the answers that had been hidden. She slowly takes a breath, steeling herself to confront the history contained within the pages.
• The therapist gently encouraged her to unlatches the painful memories of the incident. Years of therapy had led up to this moment. As she spoke, the walls surrounding the buried emotions gradually crumbled. The process released a torrent of pent-up feelings, and the flood gate started to open. The relief was apparent after she shared with the group.
• He unlatches the clasp of the old wooden chest, filled with letters from his deceased wife. The scent of her perfume, though faint, still lingered in the air. As he reads the faded words, he feels her presence, a connection he could only have with the letters that would always allow her to speak to him. The contents offer him a sense of connection.