To undo or untangle something twisted or knotted, or to solve a mystery or complicated problem.
From 'un-' (reverse) plus 'ravel' (to tangle or twist). The word 'ravel' comes from Dutch 'ravelen,' and the 'un-' prefix flipped its meaning around.
Shakespeare actually used 'unravel' to describe untangling emotional confusion, not just physical knots—writers loved how the word works for both literal and metaphorical meanings!
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