unstrung
Meaning
emotionally upset or distressed
having the strings loosened or removed (as of a musical instrument)
Structure
Usage
she felt completely unstrung after hearing the shocking news.
the old guitar lay in the corner, unstrung and forgotten.
the constant pressure left him feeling mentally unstrung.
Etymology
The word 'unstrung' is a compound formed within English from the native prefix 'un-' and the past participle 'strung'. The core verb 'string' originates from Old English 'streng', related to the concept of a cord or line, and by extension, to the act of fitting something with such a cord, as on a bow or musical instrument. The prefix 'un-' applied to the participle creates a sense of reversal, literally meaning 'not strung' or 'having had the stringing undone'. This literal sense evolved metaphorically to describe a person whose nerves or composure have come undone, as if the tension has been released from their emotional strings.
Analysis
un- (old english, a prefix meaning 'not' or 'reverse of an action'); strung (old english, past participle of 'string', from the root meaning 'to bind or fit with a cord').