strip_binder : term option -> term -> term list * term
STRUCTURE
Term
SYNOPSIS
Break apart consecutive binders.
DESCRIPTION
An application strip_binder (SOME c) (c(\v1. ... (c(\vn.M))...)) returns ([v1,...,vn],M). The constant c should represent a term binding operation.

An application strip_binder NONE (\v1...vn. M) returns ([v1,...,vn],M).

FAILURE
Never fails.
EXAMPLE
strip_abs could be defined as follows. 
   - val strip_abs = strip_binder NONE;
   > val strip_abs = fn : term -> term list * term

   - strip_abs (Term `\x y z. x /\ y ==> z`);
   > val it = ([`x`, `y`, `z`], `x /\ y ==> z`) : term list * term
Defining strip_forall is similar. 
   strip_binder (SOME boolSyntax.universal)

COMMENTS
Terms with many consecutive binders should be taken apart using strip_binder and its instantiations strip_abs, strip_forall, and strip_exists. In the current implementation of HOL, iterating dest_abs, dest_forall, or dest_exists is far slower for terms with many consecutive binders.
SEEALSO
list_mk_binder, strip_abs, strip_forall, strip_exists
HOL  Kananaskis-14