a. [f. WORTH sb. + -LESS.]
1. Of things, etc.: Destitute of (material) worth; having no intrinsic value.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., V. iii. 117. Me thinkes I do digresse too much, Cyting my worthlesse praise. Ibid. (1591), Two Gent., IV. ii. 6. But Siluia is … too holy, To be corrupted with my worthlesse guifts.
1664. Dryden, Rival Ladies, Ep. Ded. My Lord, this worthless Present was design’d you, long before it was a Play.
1693. Prior, To Hon. C. Montague, vii. Scorning at Night the worthless Prey, We find the Labour gave the Joy.
1726. Pope, Odyss., XVIII. 435. A worthless triumph o’er a worthless foe!
1784. Cowper, Epist. J. Hill, 18. Can gold grow worthless that has stood the touch?
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xxiii. Why should I occasion more bloodshed than has already taken place on so worthless an account?
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vii. II. 208. The indulgence … was clogged by conditions which made it almost worthless.
1885. Manch. Exam., 11 Nov., 3/1. The book seems to us about as worthless as a book can be without being morally offensive.
2. Of persons: Lacking worth or merit; destitute of moral character; contemptible, despicable.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., V. v. 53. So worthlesse Pezants bargaine for their Wiues, As Market men for Oxen, Sheepe, or Horse.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Maid’s Trag., II. Asp. … Perhaps he found me worthless.
1619. J. Taylor (Water P.), Kicksey Winsey, B 5 b. Seuenthly, and last’s a worthy worthlesse crew, Such as heau’n hates.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1020. The Timnian bride Had not so soon preferr’d Thy Paranymph, worthless to thee compar’d.
1713. Addison, Cato, IV. ii. Am I then doom’d to fall By a boy’s hand?… and for a worthless woman?
1771. Franklin, Autobiog., Wks. 1840, I. 68. He was a worthless fellow, though an excellent workman.
1852. Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xxix. 275. They get lazy … and take to drinking, and go all down to be mean, worthless fellows.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xx. IV. 384. A worthless adventurer, whose only recommendation was that he was a Papist.
1881. Miss Braddon, Asphodel, III. 300. I am very sorry that an honest man … should have been fooled by a worthless girl.
absol. a. 1768. Secker, Serm. (1770), III. 192. If it brings the Worthless and the Wicked into Credit and Familiarity with their Betters.
1890. W. James, Princ. Psychol., I. 552. The mode of genesis of the worthy and the worthless seems the same.
† 3. Unworthy (in various senses) of something, or of a person. Obs.
1592. Greene, Philomela, Wks. (Grosart), XI. 176. But now thou art valued worthlesse of all thy former honours.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., V. i. 61. A peeuish School-boy, worthles of such Honor.
1602. Chettle, Hoffman, IV. (1631), H 2. The worthy Dutchesse, worthles of this death, Was murder’d.
1639. G. Daniel, Ecclus. xxi. 79. But the wise Man will scorne soe poore An Act, soe worthles of him.
Hence Worthlessly adv.
1847. C. Brontë, Jane Eyre, xxxii. Miss Oliver … was … exacting, but not worthlessly selfish.
1883. Whitelaw, Sophocles, Ajax, 1162. Me too it shames to hear Words of a babbler, prating worthlessly.
