unstring

Unstring is a verb that primarily describes the act of removing the strings from a stringed instrument, or of loosening or removing the strings on a bow. In instrument maintenance, to unstring a guitar, violin, harp, or lute means to take off all strings, often to repair, restring, or store the instrument with no tension on the neck. In archery, to unstring a bow is to remove the bowstring, a procedure done for storage, transport, or to relieve the limbs of tension.

Etymology and usage: The word is formed from un- plus string, and its earliest attestations in English date from the 17th century. Today the sense remains primarily literal and mechanical. There are occasional literary or figurative uses that describe removing tension or constraint, but such uses are uncommon in everyday prose.

See also: related terms include restring, stringing, and unstrung, the latter serving as an adjective to describe an instrument or bow that lacks strings.

Examples: A luthier will unstring the guitar before repairing the neck. Archers may unstring their bow at the end of the day to prevent warping and to store it safely.