undone

Everyday

1. Undone means not fastened or tied: an undone shoelace, button or zip. tree →
2. Undone means not finished or not done: work left undone. tree →
3. In old stories, «undone» means ruined or defeated. tree →
4. Something that cannot be undone cannot be changed back to how it was. tree →

In the lessons

In safety and everyday life, children are told to tie undone shoelaces so they do not trip. In school, «homework left undone» means not finished. In computing, a change can be undone with the Undo button. Phrases: «come undone», «left undone», «your lace is undone».

Examples

• Your shoelace is undone — tie it before you trip. tree →
• His top button came undone. tree →
• Some jobs were left undone. tree →
• The knot came undone in the wind. tree →
• I clicked undo, and the change was undone. tree →
• Her zip was undone. tree →
• What is done cannot be undone. tree →

Note

Past participle of «undo»: «I undid it; it is undone». Not to be confused with «not done» in the sense of not cooked enough (that is «underdone»). «Come undone» means become unfastened by itself.

In Jewish tradition

In the Torah it means ruined or lost, as when Israel cried they were all undone. The prophets and psalms use it for ruin and grief, and Isaiah also uses "not leave undone" for something God will surely finish. In the primary lessons: In safety and everyday life, children are told to tie undone shoelaces so they do not trip. In school, «homework left undone» means not finished. In computing, a change can be undone with the Undo button. Phrases: «come undone», «left undone», «your lace is undone».

Examples

• And the children of Israel spoke unto Moses, saying: 'Behold, we perish, we are undone, we are all undone. (Torah NUM.17.12, JPS 1917) tree →
• Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh; he hath given his sons as fugitives, and his daughters into captivity, unto Sihon king of the Amorites. (Torah NUM.21.29, JPS 1917) tree →
• My zeal hath undone me, because mine adversaries have forgotten Thy words. (Writings PSA.119.139, JPS 1917) tree →
• These things will I do, and I will not leave them undone. (Prophets ISA.42.16, JPS 1917) tree →
• For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: 'How are we undone! (Prophets JER.9.18, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Past participle of «undo»: «I undid it; it is undone». Not to be confused with «not done» in the sense of not cooked enough (that is «underdone»). «Come undone» means become unfastened by itself.