unwind the stack

unwind the stack
 vi.

   1. [techspeak] During the execution of a procedural language, one is
   said to unwind the stack from a called procedure up to a caller when
   one discards the stack frame and any number of frames above it,
   popping back up to the level of the given caller. In C this is done
   with longjmp/setjmp, in LISP or C++ with throw/catch. See also {smash
   the stack}.

   2. People can unwind the stack as well, by quickly dealing with a
   bunch of problems: "Oh heck, let's do lunch. Just a second while I
   unwind my stack."
    

unwind the stack

   During the execution of a {procedural} language, one is said
   to "unwind the stack" from a called {procedure} up to a caller
   when one discards the {stack frame} and any number of frames
   above it, {pop}ping back up to the level of the given caller.
   In {C} this is done with "{longjmp}"/"{setjmp}", in {Lisp}
   with "{throw}/{catch}".  See also {smash the stack}.

   [{Jargon File}]