Un- prefix¹

expressing negation, representing OE. un-, = OFris. un-, on-, oen- (WFris. ûn-, on-, EFris. ûn-, NFris. ün-), MDu. (and Du.) on-, OS. (MLG., LG.), OHG. (MLG., G.), and Goth. un-, ON. ú-, ó- (Icel. ó-, Sw. o-, Norw. and Da. u-), corresponding to OIr. in-, an-, L. in- (im-, il-, ir-, i-), Gr. ἀν-, ἀ-, Arm. an-, Skr. an-, a-, Indo-Eur. *[char.], an ablaut-variant of ne not: see NE adv. The prefix has been very extensively employed in English, as in the other Germanic languages, and is now the one which can be used with the greatest freedom in new formations.

  2.  In OE. the number of recorded forms in un- is very large, the prefix being freely applied with a purely negative force to several parts of speech, which may be classified as follows: (a) simple adjectives, as unbeald, unblíðe, unbrád, unclǽne, uncúp, undéop, etc., derivative adjs., as unbealoful, unblódiʓ, ungyltiʓ, unmeahtiʓ, unclǽnlic, uncúðlic, uncynlic, etc., and composite forms, as uncampróf, undéopþancol, unfæstrǽd, etc.; (b) simple adverbs, as unéaðe, unefne, unfæʓere, unfeorr, etc., and derivative forms, as unclǽnlíce, uncúðlíce, unéaðelíce, unfæstlíce, etc.; (c) past participles of strong and weak verbs, as unbeden, unbegunnen, unboren, undrifen, unʓeboden, unʓecnáwen, etc., unbyrʓed, undǽled, unʓedered, unclǽnsod, unʓeendod, unʓehálʓod, unboht, etc.; (d) present participles, as unberende, unbirnende, uncwaciende, uncweðende, unfélende, etc.; (e) simple nouns, as unár, unbealu, uncyst, unfriþ, unlaʓu, unþanc, etc., and derivative forms, as unclǽnness, unfæʓerness, uncáfscipe, unwísdóm, etc. A prominent feature of the OE. examples is the prevalence of long derivative or compound formations, usually based upon, or corresponding to, Latin formations with in-, im-, il-, as unaberenudlic intolerable, unaberendlíce intolerably, unbegrípendlic incomprehensible, unbescéawodlíce inconsiderately, unforhæfedness incontinence. The greater number of such forms were no doubt artificial, and had little or no currency in ordinary language. In a small number of nouns un- appears with a pejorative in place of a negative sense, as unǽt excessive eating, uncoðu an evil disease, uncræft an evil art, and similarly undǽd, undóm, unlaʓu, unrǽd, unsíþ, untíma, unweder. Altogether the number of un- words recorded in OE. is about 1250, of which barely an eighth part survived beyond the OE. period.

  3.  The disappearance of so many of the OE. formations left early ME. with a very limited supply of un- words, even when new (or apparently new) examples are added to those inherited from the older language. A fair proportion even of this reduced stock proved unable to survive for more than half a century, and had passed out of use by 1250. A few of these, especially such as obviously had some general currency, are entered in their alphabetical places, but the greater number are given here (together with a few of somewhat later date) as properly belonging to the older period and having no direct influence upon the later development of the prefix. Most of these are composed of purely native elements, but a few show the beginnings of Scandinavian and French influence, as ungrith, unhaȝerliȝ, unskatheful; unbispused, uncoverlich.

  In ME. transcripts of OE. homilies a few additional words are found, as unafillendlich, unascegliche, uniredliche, unisewenlich, untodele(n)dlich, unȝearu.

  unagi·n a. [cf. AGIN v.], without beginning; unane·mned ppl. a. [OE. ánemnan to declare], unnamed, indescribable; unaw·ned ppl. a. [f. AWN v.²], unmanifested, undeclared; unaȝe·ten ppl. a. [f. ANGET v.], unperceived; unba·leful a. [OE. unbealoful], harmless; unba·rmed ppl. a. [f. BARM v.], unleavened; unbibu·ried ppl. a. [OE. unbebyriʓed], unburied; unbihe·ve sb. [cf. next] = unbihoof; unbihe·ve a. [OE. unbehéfe], disadvantageous, unprofitable; unbihoo·f, -ho·fthe [BEHOOF, BIHOFTHE], disadvantage, detriment; unbise·(h)iness [f. pa. pple. of BESEE v.], inattention, carelessness; unbiso·rȝeliche adv. [OE. unbesorh not cared for], roughly; unbispu·sed ppl. a. [after OE. unbeweddoa], unmarried; unbiwe·ne a. [cf. OE. unwéne], unexpected; unbo·ned ppl. a. [f. BOON v.], unentreated; unbo·telich a. [f. BOOT sb.¹], irremediable; unco·verlich a. [f. COVER v.² 2], irrecoverable; uncu·nne [cf. OE. uncynn a.], improper conduct; uncu·nneliche v. [f. OE. cynn KIN¹], to denaturalize; uncu·nness [f. OE. cunnan to know], ignorance; uncu·ððe [OE. uncyððu], a strange land; undea·ðlich a. [OE. undéaþlic], immortal; undea·ðlichness [OE. undéaþlicnes], immortality; undeaþshi·ldiȝness [f. OE. déaþscyldiʓ], exemption from death; unde·rf, a. [f. DERF a.], irresolute, weak; undrei·nt p.p. [f. DRENCH v.], undrowned; undri·nkled p.p. [f. DRENKLE v.], = prec.; une·ndliche adv. [cf. ON. úendiliʓa], infinitely; unfa·kon a. [OE. unfácne], guileless, innocent; unfew· a. [ON. úfár], many; unforgo·lden p.p. [OE. unforgolden], unrequited; unforgu·lt ppl. a. [f. FORGUILT v.], not affected with guilt; unfra·me [cf. ON. úframi backwardness], disadvantage, loss; unfre·me [OE. unfremu], = prec.; unfri·th [OE. unfriþ, ON. úfriðr], dissension, strife; unfu·lhtned [f. FULHTNE v.], unbaptized; unfullma·king [cf. fullmake v., and OE. unfulfremming], imperfection; unȝeri·m a. [OE. unʓerím sb.], numberless; unghe·re adv. [OE. unʓéara], soon, quickly; ungre·te [cf. OE. grýto], want of size, smallness; ungri·th [f. GRITH sb.], insecurity, hurt; unha·ȝherliȝ adv. [see HAGHER a., and cf. ON. úhagliga], unskillfully, awkwardly; unhe·rsumness (OE. unhíersumnes], disobedience; unhu·htlic a. [f. OE. hyhtlic HIGHTLY a.], unpleasant; unicu·nde a. [OE. unʓecynde], not native, foreign; unifei·e a. [OE. unʓeféʓe], = next; unifo·h, -ivo·h, a. [OE. unʓefóʓ], immense; adv. extremely; uniho·ded ppl. a. [OE. unʓehádod], not ordained; unili·mp [OE. unʓelimp], misfortune, mishap; unilo·ȝe p.p. [f. ME. iloʓe, p.p. of LIE v.²], without falsehood; unima·ke [OE. unʓemaca], a non-equal, a superior; unimea·ð adv., = unmeðe (see below); unique·me a. [OE. unʓecwéme], unpleasant, inconvenient; uniri·ht [f. OE. ʓeriht], injustice, wrong; uniri·med ppl. a. [OE. unʓerímed], unnumbered; uniru·de a. [OE. unʓerýde], = UNRIDE a.; unisa·ht ppl. a. [see SAUGHT v.], unreconciled; unise·le sb. [cf. SELE sb.], unhappiness, misery; unise·le a. [f. ISELE a.], = next; unise·li a. [OE. unʓeséliʓ: cf. ISELI a.], unhappy, wretched; unise·liche adv. [OE. unʓesǽllíc], unhappily, wretchedly; unise·lth [OE. unʓesǽlþ: cf. ISELTH], unhappiness, misfortune; unisi·bbe [cf. OE. unsib and ʓesib a.], dissension, strife; uniso·me a. [OE. unʓesóm: cf. ISOM(E a.], at variance; unisu·nde [cf. ISUNDE], unsoundness, injury; unitha·rf [cf. THARF sb.], evil, mischief; unive·le a., = UNFELE a.; uniwea·ld [OE. unʓeweald: cf. IWALD sb.], lack of control; uniwe·lde a. [OE. unʓewielde], unwieldy; uniwi·dere [OE. unʓewidere], bad weather; uniwi·ll [cf. IWILL], unwillingness; uniwi·ne, = UNWINE (an enemy); uniwra·st a., UNWRAST a.; uniwre·nch, = UNWRENCH sb.; unla·ȝeliche, -like adv. [f. LAWLY adv.], unlawfully; unle·f a. [OE. unʓeléaf], unbelieving; unle·flich a. [OE. unʓeléaflic], incredible; unle·pped ppl. a. [f. lep LAP v.], uncovered; unli·f a., unleavened; unli·mp, = unilimp; unli·ȝel a. [f. LIE v.²], truthful; unlo·thness [cf. LOATHNESS 1], harmlessness, innocence; unlu·de [f. LUDE¹], an unpleasant noise; unlu·ved ppl. a. [OE. unlýfed, -líefed], unallowed, illicit; unmea·ðeliche adv. [OE. unmǽðlíce], immoderately; unme·ðe adv., = prec.; unme·ðlich a. [OE. unmǽðlic], immoderate, excessive; unme·ðship [cf. prec.], impatience; unmi·ðe [f. MITHE v.], open speech; unmu·ndlunge adv. [OE. unmyndlinga], unexpectedly; unne·d, -ne·t p.p. [OE. unʓeníedd], unconstrained; unneo·d [f. NEED sb.], disadvantage, loss; unneo·melich a. [f. NIM v.], untakable; unre·cheleas a. [see 5 a], reckless, careless; unro·less a. [see 5 a], restless; unseȝ·endlic a. [cf. OE. unásecgendlic], unspeakable; unseȝ·endlike adv. [cf. OE. unásecgendlice], unspeakably; unse·ȝenlic, -se·helich a. [OE. unʓeseʓenlic], invisible; unse·ȝenlike adv. [cf. OE. unʓesewenlíce], invisibly; unsha·thiȝ a. [OE. unsceaþþiʓ], harmless, innocent; unsha·thiȝness [OE. unsceaþþiʓnes], innocence; unshri·vel a. [f. SHRIVE v.], neglectful of confession; unsi·bbe, = unisibbe; unsi·the [OE. unsíþ], mishap, misfortune; unska·theful a. [cf. OE. unsceaþful], harmless; unsme·the a. [OE. unsméðe], unsmooth; unsta·thelfest a. [OE. unstaðolfæst], unsteadfast; unstreo·ned p.p. [f. STRENE v.], unbegot; unta·lelich a. [f. TALE sb.], indescribable; untheo·de [f. THEDE], strangers; untho·lelich a. [f. THOLE v.], unendurable; unthrow·lich a. [cf. OE. unþrówiʓendlic], incapable of suffering; unthu·ldeliche adv. [cf. OE. unþyldlicnes], with lack of endurance; unti·ming [f. TIMING vbl. sb. 1], mishap, ill fortune; untobri·tned ppl. a. [f. TO-BRITTEN v.], undivided; untode·led ppl. a. [OE. untódǽled], = prec.; untode·linde ppl. a. [cf. prec.], indivisible; untrow·ness [cf. OE. untréow, -tréowþ], unfaithfulness, breach of trust; untu·deri a. [cf. OE. untydrende], barren; untu·htle [see TUHTLE] a bad habit or custom; untwe·med ppl. a. [f. TWEME v.], undivided; unvo·nded ppl. a. [cf. OE. unʓefandod], untried; unwa·ker a. [f. WAKER a.], unwatchful; unwa·ldes adv. [OE. unʓewealdes], unintentionally; unwea·wed ppl. a., ? uncovered; unwe·nd p.p. [f. WEND v.], unturned; unweo·te [OE. unwita], an ignorant person; unweo·teness, = unwiteness; unwharfed p.p. [f. WHARF v.], unturned, unaltered; unwha·te [f. WHATE sb.], misfortune; unwi·lle a. [cf. UNWILL sb.], unwilling; unwi·sdomness [f. UNWISDOM], folly; unwi·teness [cf. unweote above], ignorance; unwi·tless a. [see 5 a], senseless, insensible; unwi·tship [cf. WITSHIP], folly, unzy·ginde ppl. a. [cf. OE. unásecgende], indescribable.

a. 1225.  Juliana, 3 (Bodl. MS.). An godd *unagin, euch godes ful.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 43. Innan þan ilke sea weren *unaneomned deor.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 2003. Forr þatt itt shollde *unnawwnedd ben & all unncuþ & dærne. Ibid., 7227, 7381.

c. 1205.  Lay., 25797. Ȝir þu hine ifindest … and þu al *un-aȝeten [c. 1275 on-aȝete] aȝein miht iwende.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 49. Duue ne harmeð none fuȝele … and ðus kið þat hie is admod & *unbaleful.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 1591. Forr þerrflinng bræd iss clene bræd, Forr þatt itt iss *unnberrmedd.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 2243. He het … bihefden ham … & leauen hare bodies *unbiburiet alle, fode to wilde deor.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 121. Ure drihten … seh þat alle hie turnden fro him hem seluen to *unbihefe. Ibid., 7. Do þat ure sowle & ure lichame be biheue, & forlaten al þat hem beð *unbiheue.

a. 1240.  Sawles Warde, in O. E. Hom., I. 265. Nes na lessere mi tale þen wes murhðes sondes ne unbihefre to ow.

c. 1205.  Lay., 8576. Forð ferde þe king … to his muchelen *vnbihoue [c. 1275 unbiofþe].

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 344. [The sin] of keorfunge, oðer of hurtunge, þuruh *unbiseinesse [v.r. -sehenesse].

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 43. Herefter iseh paul hwer .iii. deoflen ledden an meiden swiðe *unbisorȝeliche.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 13. Þat man þe spuse haueð,… & þo þe beð *unbispused.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 3777. Alle he sunken ðe erðe wið-in,… Swilc endesið *vn-bi-wen hauen.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 17081. Forrþi toc Crist forrþrihht anan Unnbedenn & *unnbonedd Allræresst towarrd Nicodem.

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 17. Flih alle thinges, & forhuh ȝeorne þat tus *unbotelich lure of mahe arisen. Ibid., 27. Wið swuch *uncouerlich lure as meidenhades menske is.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 11. After clepenge, & ascinge, & *uncunne, & warienge,… & fele swilche deueles craftes.

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 35. Þis is sunne, & ec *uncunnelicheð þe.

c. 1250.  Hymn, in Trin. Coll. Hom., App. 258. Vre neode wel þu wost, & ure *unkunnesse in þine hond is michte mest; louerd þu vs blesce.

1357.  Lay Folks Catech. (L.), 390. For non schuld excuse hym of vnkunnys for to cun hem.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 140. Uor heo is her in *uncuððe, iput in one prisune.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 133. Adam … was *undeaðlich forte he sinede.

a. 1225.  Leg Kath., 2292. Þet þing þet schal arisen … of deað to lif undeðlich.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 33. Ðe [deflen] bireueden him alle his riche weden þat waren unerned giue, & *undeðlicnesse, & loðlesnesse.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 17571. Sawle iss ec wurrþlike shridd … Wiþþ *unndæþshildiȝnesse.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1174. Ah al þe weane … wente upon þe unstrencðe of þet *underue flesch, þet he neodeles nom.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 141. Þe see … adreinte pharao and al his ferede mid him, swa þet nes þere nefre an bileued *un-dreint.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 3280. Of hem alle bi-leaf non fot *Vn-drincled in ðat salte spot.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 398. Neschal neuer heorte þenchen swuch seluhðe, þet ich nulle ȝiuen more uor þine luue, vnimeteliche and *vnendliche more.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 4149. Forr Crist iss strang & stedefasst & findiȝ & *unnfakenn. Ibid., 13327. Ibid., 159. Oþre *unnfæwe shulenn ec Full glade & bliþe wurrþenn. Ibid., 792. Oþre menn unnfæwe.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 41. Ne scule ȝe neure god don *unforgolden.

a. 1200.  Moral Ode, 59 (Lamb. MS.). Ne scal nan ufel bon unbocht ne nan god unforȝolden [v.rr. -ȝolde, -gulde].

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 231. Þes heouenliche lauerd luueð treowe bileaue & nowðer blod ne ban of *unforgult ahte.

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 43. And te oðre þat halden ham vnforgult & cleane, beon ase sikere.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1566. Riȝt is his name hoten iacob, to min *un-frame. Ibid., 3037. Knowen sal ben, ðe to un-frame, In euerilc lond min miȝte name.

a. 1200.  Moral Ode, 226 (Lambeth MS.). Ich … wille … Warni hom wið hore *unfrome [v.r. unfreme] ȝif ho me wulleð lusten.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 195. Ðe man noteð wel his ȝiepshipe þe birgeð him seluen wið his aȝene soule unfreme, & erneð after his soule freme.

c. 1205.  Lay., 2557. Membriz hefde inomen þat grið, ah sone he makede *unfrið. Ibid., 19404. Octa heold muche vnfrið, & Lot faht him ofte wið.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 16895. Þatt lede þatt primmseȝȝnedd iss & iss ȝet all *unnfullhtnedd.

a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter cxxxviii. 15. Þine eghen segh *unfulmaking mine.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 18993. Forr mikell follc & *unnȝerim Iss ȝet to daȝȝ onn erþe.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 3047. O morgen,… ðhunder, and hail, and leuenes fir, Cam wel *vnghere.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 752 (Jesus Coll. MS.). Hwy atwitestu me myne vnstrengþe & myne *vngrete & myn vnlengþe?

c. 1200.  Ormin, 16280. Forr hefiȝ & forr sware *unngriþþ Þatt hæþenn follc þær wrohhte. Ibid., 425. Forr swa we don *unnhaȝherrliȝ Whattse we don to gode. Ibid., 4277. Þatt dæþess wunde, Þatt Adam haffde ȝifenn uss Þurrh hiss *unnherrsummnesse. Ibid., 13425.

c. 1205.  Lay., 5101. Nis hit noht *un-huhtlic incker moder inc hateð. Ibid., 18429. Swa we scullen of londe driuen *vnicunde [c. 1275 onicunde]. Ibid., 5573. Ferde he hauede inoh muchel and *vnifeie. Ibid., 8674. Of þon folke he sloh muchel & *unifoh [c. 1275 onifoh]. Ibid., 23518. Ibid., 17883. Þe leome þe toward France droh, he wes briht *vnifoh.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 1178 (Jesus Coll. MS.). Ertu ihoded oþer þu cursest *vnihoded?

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 177. Ðe water stremes on-heueden up here undes, þat is þat folc þe sore bimurneð, & swiðe bimeneð swich *unilimp.

a. 1250.  Prov. Ælfred, 148, in O. E. Misc., 110. Strong … hit is to swynke a-yeyn vnylimpe.

c. 1380.  Sir Ferumb., 511. Ȝunder at my sadel boȝe hongeþ o botel, Ful of baume *oun-y-loȝe ys he euery del.

c. 1205.  Lay., 17961. Biuoren þa steorre wes þæ drake elcches wurmes *vnimake [c. 1275 onimake]. Ibid., 19125.

a. 1225.  Juliana, 5 (Bodl. MS.). Wið *unimeað muchel hird & wið heh duheðe.

a. 1250.  Prov. Ælfred, 444, in O. E. Misc., 128. Þanne deþ hit sone þat þe biþ *vnyqueme.

c. 1205.  Lay., 10281. In his herede he makede grið, & lette awæi þat *vniriht. Ibid., 433. Þa lette he riden *vnirimed folc.

a. 1240.  Sawles Warde, in O. E. Hom., I. 253. [To] þolien & a-beoren hare *unirude duntes.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 39. Þu scalt sahtnien þa þe beoð *unisahte mid alle þine mahte.

c. 1205.  Lay., 21788. Þa Scottes weoren to-deled mid muclen *vniselen ȝeond þa monie munten. Ibid., 26446. Þe cniht was *unisele.

a. 1250.  Moral Ode, 101, in E. E. P. (1862), 28. Niere no man elles dieð ne sic, ne non vn-ysele [v.r. vnsele].

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 31. He his *uniseli ȝif him is lað to donne þis.

c. 1205.  Lay., 4014. Þe uniselie moder mid sexe hine to-snæde.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 68. Sum uniseli … haueð ischriuen hire al to wundre.

c. 1205.  Lay., 7022. Seoððen wes his sune king þe *vniseliche [c. 1275 onselliche] luuede.

a. 1200.  Moral Ode, 198. Þurh him deð com in þis middenerd and oðer *uniselðe [v.r. unisalðe, vnyselyhþe].

c. 1205.  Lay., 2545. Bi-tweonen heom aræs … sleȝht & muchel seorwa, al for heora uniselde. Ibid., 9845. Betere weore sæhte Þene swulc *vnisibbe [c. 1275 onsibbe].

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 1522 (Cott. MS.). For hit itit ofte & ilome, þat wif & were beoþ *unisome.

c. 1205.  Lay., 18452. Hco droȝen heore þermes mid muchele *vnisunde.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 65. Pes cucurrit ad malum, fot ȝide to *uniðor[f].

c. 1205.  Lay., 21744. Þat is a seolcuð mere … mid fiscen & mid feoȝelen, mid *uniuele þingen.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 63. Þat we hauen agilt … oðer þurh nuteluste, oðer þurh *uniweald,… oðer recheluste.

c. 1205.  Lay., 5901. Fifti hundred cnihtes, mid alle heore wepnen, þe weoren *vniwælde; Þa oðere weoren swifte, heore wepnen weoren lihte.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 115. Þene bið his erd ihened,… ȝe on hungre, ȝe on cwalme, ȝe on *uniwidere. Ibid., 69. Halde we us from *uniwil, & habben feir lete & ec skil.

c. 1205.  Lay., 14466. Ȝif þu wult þe awraken … & don þine *vniwinen [c. 1275 onwines] wa. Ibid., 29609. Heom sceomeden wel sære þat þat *vniwraste moncun heom iscend hafden.

c. 1250.  Death, 94, in O. E. Misc., 174. For þine fule sunnen & for þin *uniwrenche [v.r. vny-].

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 115. Wa þere þeode … þer þa aldormen etað on erne marȝen *u[n]laȝeliche.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 15867. All alls he draf … Ut off hiss Faderr temmple Þatt follc þatt he þærinne sahh Unnlaȝhelike himm ledenn.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 125. For þu art *unlef mine worde, þu shalt beo dumb forte þat child beo boren. Ibid. And for þese þre þing [he] let hit *unleflich, & ne lefde hit noht, þat þe engel him seide.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 345. Þet alle ower leasunges beoð unlefliche.

a. 1225.  *Unlepped [see unweawed below].

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 3153. Heued and fet, and in-rew meten, lesen fro ðe bones and eten, Wið wriðel and *vn-lif bread.

c. 1200.  Tri. Coll. Hom., 61. Oðer þurh roberie, oðer þurh unrihte dom,… oðer þurh oðer *unlimp. Ibid., 195.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 274. Al þis unlimp is icumen þuruh þe ȝetewardes slepe.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 131. *Un-liȝel man selde liȝeð, & soð-saȝel man seið ofte soð.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 97. Hco deð þere monnan heortan … þet heo beoð liðe þurh un-cladnesse [read *unlaðnesse].

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 340. Edmodnesse, & abstinence, kulure unloðnesse, & oðer swuch uertuz.

a. 1275.  Prov. Ælfred, 689, in O. E. Misc., 138. He wole maken fule luden; he wole grennen, cocken, & chiden, & hewere [= ever] faren mid *vnluden.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 71. Ȝif hit was don on untime, oðer on *unluuede stede, oðer mid unluued lete, oðer on unluued wise.

a. 1200.  St. Marher., 15. Lutle ich mei makien to muchelin *unmeaðeliche, ȝef me hut ant heleð hit.

a. 1225.  Juliana, 4 (Royal MS.). Wið *unmeð muchel hird & unduhti duheðe.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 233. And so hit *unmeðluker is, wrinnen aȝean þe uestluker. Ibid., 122. Auh nu is muche wunder of ure muchele *unmeðschipe. Understondeð þis word.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 3973. Quuað ðis asse ðus wið *vn-miðe, ‘Qui betes ðu me ðis ðridde siðe?’

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 280. Mid þen ilke turn he mei hine *unmunlunge aworpen.

a. 1240.  Sawles Warde, in O. E. Hom., I. 249. Hire wune is to cumen bi stale ferliche & unmundlunge hwen me least weneð.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 11457. To don summ hæfedd sinne, All hise þannkess, all *unnnedd.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 340. Vor þe eorðe al unnet … bringeð forð misliche flures.

c. 1205.  Lay., 308. Þe fader heo bi-eode to his aȝre *unneode [c. 1275 on-neode]. Ibid., 8741. To þes kinges unneoden.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1180. Ne mahte me nowðer godd,… ne halden ne neomen ȝet, for godd is *unneomelich.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 388. Heo underueng al ase on *unrecheleas þing.

c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 35. Þat *unroles uuel, þat pine upo pine, þat wondrende ȝeomerunge.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 2823. Þin scollþe iss all *unnseȝȝenndlic. Ibid., 11177. O Godess name, þatt iss an Unnseȝȝenndliȝ Primmnesse. Ibid., 1760. *Unnseȝȝenndlike mare inoh Þann aniȝ wihht maȝȝ þennkenn. Ibid., 17296. Forr gast iss all *unnseȝhennlic Biforenn flæshlic eȝhe. Ibid., 19465.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 254. Alre þinge schuppent, þet is godd unsehelich. Ibid., 904.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 17241. Þær iss þa þatt illke mann *Unnsehennlike wharrfedd Fra flæsh till gast. Ibid., 19720. Ibid., 2889. I þatt tatt he ne wollde nohht *Unnshaþiȝ wimmann wreȝhenn. Ibid., 15946. Þatt shep iss all unnshaþiȝ der. Ibid., 1171. Ȝiff þatt tu follȝhesst soþ meocleȝȝc & soþ *unnshaþiȝnesse. Ibid., 14473.

1340.  Ayenb., 32. Huanne he is sleuuol,… *onssriuel, uoryetinde, slak, and fallinde.

a. 1250.  Owl & Night., 1164 (Coll. MS.). Þu ne singst neuer one siþe Þat hit nis for sum *unsiþe.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 1176. Forr shep iss all *unnskaþefull & stille der & liþe. Ibid., 7915. Ibid., 9209. Whærse iss all *unnsmeþe get Þurrh bannkess & þurrh græfess.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 151. Þe twafalde Mon is *unstaþelfest on alle his weies.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 208. Vnstaðeluest bileaue aȝean holi lore, nis hit of prude?

c. 1205.  Lay., 18882. For ȝet he beoð *unstreoned þa sturieð al þa þeoden.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 144. Þe *untaleliche pinen þet no tunge ne mei tellen. Ibid., 410. Þeo blisse … is untalelich to alle worldliche tungen.

a. 1240.  Sawles Warde, in O. E. Hom., I. 251. Hell is … ful of sorhe untalelich, for ne mei na muð … rikenin hit ne tellen.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 312. *Unðeode ledden uorð þis child in his warde.

a. 1240.  Sawles Warde, in O. E. Hom., I. 251. Helle is … ful of stench *unþolelich.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1155. Godd, þe is *unþrowlich, þrowede, oðer þolede pine oðer passiun, o þe deore rode. Ibid., 161. Heo … ifont ter swiðe feole … þeotinde *unþuldeliche wið reowfule reames.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1180. On dreme him cam tiding for-quat He ðrowede and ðolede *un-timing ðat.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 11179. Faderr, & Sune, & Haliȝ Gast, An Godd all *unntobrittnedd. Ibid., 11518. An Godd all *unntodæledd. Ibid., 18512. I Godess herrte … All hal & unntodæledd.

1340.  Ayenb., 266. Ich yzeȝ þe ilke onspekynde an *on-todelinde mageste of þe holy trinyte be-gynnynge ne ende ne heþ.

a. 1200.  Moral Ode, 265. Þer inne boð … þa þe *untrownesse duden þon þe ho sculden bon holde.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 964. Siðen bi-fel ðat sarrai, for ȝhe was longe *untuderi, Ȝhe bilagte abre maiden agar.

c. 1205.  Lay., 24655. Elche *untuhtle heo talden vmwurðe.

a. 1225.  Juliana, 54 (Royal MS.). Nawt þreo godes, ah is an euer ihwer *untwemet [Bodl. MS. untweamet].

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 232. Hwat wot, he seið, Salomon, þe þet is *unuonded? Ibid., 272. Hwon Recabes sunen … ivindeð so *unwaker & so nesche ȝeteward.

c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 23. Hit nis nan wunder þah mon sunegie oðer hwile *unwaldes.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 424. No mon ne i-seo ham *unweawed [v.r. unlepped] ne open heaued.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 163. Ac seðen hie henen wenden, atlai þat lond *unwend, & bicam waste.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 8. Ȝif eni *unweote acseð ou of hwat ordre ȝe beon.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 1054. Unweoten, þe weneð þet hit beo swa as hit on ehe bereð ham.

a. 1240.  Sawles Warde, in O. E. Hom., I. 255. Þurh *unweotenesse ne mei ha nawt sunegin.

c. 1200.  Ormin, 18794. I Godess herrte,… Þat aȝȝ iss all *unnwharrfedd. Ibid., 18822.

a. 1150.  Owl & Night, 1148 (Cott. MS.). Al þat þu singst raþe oþer late Hit is euer of manne *unwate [v.r. vnhwate]. Ibid., 1267.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 238. Þeo uihteð treouliche þet … wiðsiggeð þe graunt þerof mid *unwille heorte.

c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 39. Ðe unwreste herde sit on *unwisdomnesse, for he ne can is orf ȝemen.

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 278. Sunne & ignorance, þet is, unwisdom & *unwitenesse.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 245. He ȝelt þe wurðmunt to witlese [R. *unwitlese, B. unwitelese] þing.

a. 1240.  Wohunge, in O. E. Hom., I. 275. For sunne & *unwitschipe, ne hafdes tu nowðer.

1340.  Ayenb., 268. Hy byeþ glede of god *onzyginde, hy byeþ glede of zuo moche of hare oȝene holynesse.

  4.  When the words included in the previous section are eliminated, the early ME. instances of the prefix resolve themselves into the following classes: (a) survivals of OE. forms, chiefly adjectives, as unclene, uncouth, unfele, unfere, unhole, unmilde, unorne, unsely, and nouns, as unhele, unlaȝe, unmiȝt, unrede, unriȝt, unsele, unthank, unclenenes, unwisdom, and a few past participles, as unbegun, unborn, unboȝt, unheled, unwemmed, unwounded; (b) new formations from native elements, as unbuȝsom, uncomely, unhende, unsiker, untidy adjs., unhope, unstrength, unwinne sbs., unbeten, undone, unshriven, undemed, unsouȝt pa. pples.; (c) adoptions of Scandinavian forms, or new formations on Scandinavian bascs, as unmeek, unnait, unsauȝt, unsleȝe adjs.; unhap, unsauȝt, unskill sbs., unbigged pa. pple.; (d) new formations on French bases, as ungracious, unsavoury, untrussed.

  Down to 1300 these additions were comparatively few, and barely compensated for the disuse of obsolescent forms. About that date a southern writer like Robert of Gloucester uses only a small number of un- words, and most of these belong to the traditional stock. On the other hand, the northern Cursor Mundi has a rich variety of both old and new forms, and indicates clearly the beginning of a fresh period of development. The features that are most notable in this are the following: (a) the increased proportion of past pples. in comparison with adjs. and nouns; (b) the reappearance of pres. pples. (as undeiand, unfeland, unseand), which are wanting in earlier ME. texts; (c) the increase in the French element, as uncertain, undevote, undispensed, unfelun, unfruitand, unlele, unleute, unmesure, unpais, unponist, unpurvaid, unquit, unresun, unresunable, unvised, unwily. With this revival of the past and pres. pples., and the introduction of -able, the way was opened for some of the commonest uses of un- in the later language. The tendency thus indicated is clearly marked before the middle of the 14th century; Dan Michel uses pres. pples., as onconnynde, onspekynde, onwytynde, while Hampole has unconable, uncurable, unsufferable, and even unfillable, unstirrable. Before 1400 the period of free employment of the prefix had fully begun, as shown by the number of new formations appearing in the works of Chaucer, Wyclif, Trevisa, and others.

  b.  As in OE., the usual force of un- in ME. is purely negative. The pejorative sense, however, survived in a few words, as unrede, unsithe, unthew, unwether, unwine, unwrench, and appears also in unlede, unlude, unthede, unwiȝt; in unbeast it is employed with a French base.

  c.  The usual form of the prefix in ME. is un-. but on- appears in some English texts (as the later version of Layamon, the Ayenbite, and the Promp. Parv.), and is common in older Scottish, esp. in the 16th century; this form is still current in midland and south-western dialects and in Scotland. In Sir Ferumbras (c. 1380) the form oun- is employed, and a pronunciation corresponding to this (un-) is still heard in Aberdeenshire. In detached use (see 5 d) the form (ōn), sometimes written ohn, is also employed in the same locality.

  5.  Some peculiarities in the use of un-, arising in the ME. period but surviving beyond it, require special notice.

  a.  It is sometimes redundantly prefixed to adjs. ending in -less. Early instances are unrecheleas reckless, unroless restless, unwitles insensible (see 3 above), and ungiltles guiltless (Sir Tristr., 2144). The type, however, chiefly belongs to the later 16th and the 17th centuries; among the instances from that period are unboundless, uncomfortless, undauntless, uneffectless, unfathomless, unhelpless, unmatchless, unmerciless, unnumberless, unrecomptless, unremorseless, unrespectless, unshameless, unshapeless, untimeless; as late as 1786 unquestionless is found, and unrestless exists in modern dialect.

  b.  From the 14th century onwards there was considerable variation, when the base was of Latin origin, between the Latin in-, im-, etc., and the native un-. Early examples of forms with un-, which either then or a little later have variants with in-, im-, are unability, uncorrigible, uncorrupt, uncurable, undign, undiscreet, unmeasurable, unmovable, unnumerable, unperfect, unperfection, unportable, unpossible. Similar formations continued to multiply during the following centuries, so that a large proportion of the words beginning with il-, im-, in-, ir- had corresponding forms in un-, as unadequate, unadvertence, unarticulate, unartificial, unattentive, unaudible, unauspicious, uncapable, etc. The culminating period of the double forms lies in the 17th century; since that time the tendency has been to differentiate, and to discard one or other of the doublets, the forms with in-, etc., being very commonly preferred when the whole word has a distinctively Latin character, as inadequate, inadvertence, inarticulate, etc. Even with such forms there is no absolute rule, and doublets are still namerous, as in- or un-advisable, in- or unalienable, etc. (See IN-².)

  By inadvertence, or simple errors in printing, un- or vn- sometimes appears in works of the 16–17th cent. for im- in-, or em-, en-, as vncoraged encouraged, unlarge enlarge, unployed employed, unpoysonynge empoisoning, unflam’d inflamed, unpostumed imposthumed.

  c.  When two or more negative terms occurred in the same clause and were coupled by and or or, the prefix was sometimes employed only with the first. The following are examples of this practice, which is especially common in Scottish of the 16th century.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 129. To kepe hym self vnblekkid or defoulid fro þis world.

c. 1450.  J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 944. Lett neuer wollyn cloth … passe a seuenyght to be vnbrosshen & shakyn.

a. 1500.  in Ratis Raving, 3. The synis that he has done wnconfessyt of or rapentyt.

1506.  in Charters, &c., Edinb. (1871), 189. Throw selling of clayth … vnsene or customit be yow.

1565.  Rec. Earld. Orkney, 274. Upcoackit, compellit, or seducit be ony way.

1603.  Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 83. The insolent souldiers … nothing dedicated to the seruice of God, left vnpolluted and defaced. Ibid., 91. Which companies … came neere vnto the towne vnseene or discouered.

1707.  Mortimer, Husb., 608. Eggs, unbroken or crack’d.

  d.  When un- is prefixed to present or past participles, these are rarely employed in a true participial function, but become adjectival in character. Examples of the present participle, however, occasionally occur with a following object, or with a prepositional construction; and in Scottish use, from at least the 15th century, un- in such cases has acquired the sense of ‘without.’ More rarely, in the older language, it has the same sense with passive participles. Both constructions are still retained in north-eastern Scottish dialect, with the prefix in the form on or ohn, frequently written separate from the participle. (The spelling ohn is due to, or has led to, a false association with G. ohne without) Examples of these uses are the following:—

  (a)  1456.  Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 155. All that I may gett apon him, unslaand him. Ibid., 163. How may than a man do till othir sik dissait, ungrevand God?

1573.  Reg. Privy Council Scot., II. 215. [To] gif to thame … gude entreatment … unrasand the present pryces in ony thing.

a. 1578.  Lindesay (Pitscottie), Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.), II. 122. Sa mony as the bot wald hauld on drowning thame sellffis.

1583.  Reg. Privy Council Scot., IV. 279. Thay depairtit furth agane…, undoing ony violent deid.

1621.  Lady M. Wroth, Urania, 103. Vnknowne, and vndiscouering your selfe to any, you come among vs.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., I. 7. The harmlesse innocent, vnexpecting euill, may suddenly bee surprised.

1786.  Burns, Ep. Young Friend, viii. Resolutely keep its laws, Uncaring consequences.

1795.  Mrs. M. Robinson, Angelina, I. 176. I could perceive him … leaning pensively on his hand, and for whole hours unvarying his attitude.

1816.  Byron, Ch. Har., III. xlvii. As stands a lofty mind, Worn, but unstooping to the baser crowd.

1845.  Bailey, Festus (ed. 2), 375. Earth … basks in her own free light Unfed, unaided, unrequiring aught.

1885.  A. O. Legge, Unpop. King, II. 295. To mount a ladder … untouching the rounds with their feet.

  (b)  1456.  Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 185. Be qubat resoune than suld he consent … till his awin scathe…, unmaid sekir to be amendit?

1597.  Trials for Witchcraft, in Spalding Club Misc. (1841), I. 91. To ryss airlie befoir the sone, on betechit hir self to God, and on spokin.

1871.  W. Alexander, Johnny Gibb, xlii. I’m nae responsible to gae afore Sir Simon onhed my papers upo’ me.

1879.  G. Macdonald, Sir Gibbie, xxii. Wad ye hae a fellow-cratur live to a’ eternity ohn been ashamed o’ sic a thing’s that?

  6.  During the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries the use of un- steadily increased, a large number of words being thus formed which have permanently established themselves in the language, besides many more which occur only incidentally or rarely. The freedom with which the prefix could be used in new formations appears clearly in the dictionaries of Florio and Cotgrave, who constantly employ it in rendering Italian and French negative terms in in-, etc. As the use of un- or in- (see 5 b) was still largely a matter of choice, and many of the older formations were still current, the vocabulary of the 17th century exhibits many types in common use that are now rare or obsolete, and in general is extremely rich in words beginning with un-. During the 18th century many of the older forms disappeared, and new formations became more limited in number and variety, but the sense of freedom in the use of the prefix when desired is clearly shown by a large number of the examples given by Ash in his dictionary in 1775. These were obviously manufactured for the purpose, and when added to the genuine words which he has included, make up a total of about 5,000 entries. In this way Ash frequently anticipates the actual introduction of new formations. In the 19th century the use of the prefix became still more common, it being freely applied to almost any adjectival or participial form, until its employment has become almost unrestricted, within certain limits indicated below. On this account it is impossible to make a complete enumeration even of forms which have actually been used, still less of those which may be created at any time.

  b.  The form of the prefix indicates that it was originally unstressed (although in OE. poetry it may have stress and carry the alliterative letter), and normally it still bears this relationship to the main part of the word. There is, however, considerable tendency to give stress to it in rare or casual formations, and whenever the negation or contrast that it implies is at all emphatic. In such cases the compound may either have two equal stresses, or the prefix may have the stronger stress; the latter degree of emphasis is usually indicated by underlining or italicizing, and the use of the hyphen; e.g., ‘he is distinctly un-literary.’

  c.  The following sections illustrate the usual types of current formations, with illustrations drawn from unimportant modern examples, which might be indefinitely increased. All older examples in actual use, and all words important either in themselves or on account of their source, are given in their alphabetical place in the main series. As a large number of these are purely negative and self-explanatory, the place of a definition is supplied by a reference to the section of this article under which the precise type of formation is explained and illustrated.

  The entries in Ash (see above) have been regarded as worthy of note only when they anticipate the appearance of a word in actual use. In these cases a reference to Ash is given within parentheses.

  A purely artificial formation (suggested by Euphuistic diction) is un-to-be-imitated (Scott, Monast., xx).

  7.  Un- is freely prefixed to adjectives of all kinds, except where a Latin form in in-, etc., has definitely established itself in common use. Both forms, however, may co-exist, and in some cases a new formation with un- has been introduced when that with in- has acquired a connotation which it is desirable to avoid. The form with un- is then purely negative, while the other may have almost a positive sense, e.g., un-moral in contrast with immoral. (When the form with un- has similarly acquired a positive implication, the simple negative or neutral sense is expressed by the use of NON- or NOT-.) There is also considerable restriction in the use of un- with short simple adjectives of native origin, the negative of these being naturally supplied by another simple word of an opposite signification. There is thus little or no tendency now to employ such forms as unbroad, undeep, unwide, unbold, unglad, ungood, unstrong, unwhole, unfew, etc., which freely occur in the older language. On the other hand, derivative forms in -al, -ant, -ar, -ary, -ent, -ful, -ic, -ical, -ile, -ish, -ive, -ly, -ory, -ous, -y, etc., are too numerous to be completely recorded. The general character of the less usual or permanent of these and other adjectival forms is illustrated by the following examples, which are restricted to such as are recorded before 1890, and could be indefinitely increased by the addition of later or less noteworthy material.

  In dictionaries of various dates many formations are given of which no real instance has been found. Levins (1570), has unhateful, unprecious. Florio (1598 and 1611) renders equivalent Italian words in in- by such forms as unavailful, unbrittle, uncontinuall, uncoy, unempty, unfrail, unnice, unoffensible, unopen, unplenteous, unshrill, unvalorous. Ash (1775), gives unalphabetical, unattendant, incohesive, uncompatible, uncompressible, uncompulsive, etc. (about 80 in all). Later dictionaries (Webster, Worcester, etc.), with or without indication of source, have the entries unabundant, unbiographical, uncogent, uncollectible, undeceptive, undeliberative, etc.

1888.  Pall Mall G., 6 Oct., 6/1. That *unacoustic chamber in the Town Hall.

1883.  Contemp. Rev., June, 815. The Scotch are … the most *unæsthetical.

1842.  De Morgan, Diff. & Int. Calculus, 3. I should not care if anyone thought this Treatise *unalgebraical.

1862.  Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., XIII. i. (1872), V. 6. *Unanarchic, disciplined at all points.

1867.  Macm. Mag., Feb., 355/1. These found it consistent with their *unarduous duties to hold livings at a distance.

1880.  Warren, Book-plates, viii. 95. The only *unarmorial book-plates.

1877.  ‘H. A. Page,’ De Quincey, I. viii. 151. Certain solitary *unassimilative elements in Wordsworth’s character.

1881.  Athenæum, 2 April, 461/3. The *un-Attic character of the diction of the tragic poets.

1841.  Bosanquet, Rights Poor Vind., 298. The sweeping and cleansing of the Augean Church, from motives the most wholly *unaugean.

1846.  Mrs. Gore, Eng. Char. (1852), 132. Certain fools cavil at Lady Consol’s box at the Opera as *un-bankerish and prodigal.

1804.  Coleridge, in Mem. Coleorton (1887), I. 56. The effect of my own *unbellerophontic countenance.

1861.  W. Barnes, in Macm. Mag., June, 128. Where … a man’s arms are so short or *unbendsome.

1883.  Q. Rev., Jan., 188. His picturesque, naïve, and *unbitter narrative.

1833.  Fraser’s Mag., VIII. 433. She is a very nice, *unbluestockingish, well-dressed … young lady.

1833.  Moore, Mem. (1854), VI. 343. Considering all the *un-Brahminical things he has done.

1825.  Jamieson, *Onbraw,… Ugly, not handsome;… Unbecoming.

1846.  Mrs. Gore, Eng. Char. (1852), 91. He should look well-fed and *uncareworn.

1826.  J. Gilchrist, Lecture, 43. Too theoretic … for plain, *uncollegian understandings.

1883.  Sir H. Oakeley, Bible Psalter, Pref. p. v. That the extensive compass of many of them renders their melodies *uncongregational.

a. 1831.  Bentham, Univ. Gram., Wks. 1843, VIII. 357/2. Interjections may be termed the *unconstructural parts of speech.

1863.  Life in South, II. 196. The British Consul … was deeper than ever in the pressure of *unconsular business.

1866.  N. & Q., 22 Sept., 221. A slim middle-aged man, in quaint *uncontemporary habiliments.

1851.  H. D. Wolff, Madrilenia (1853), 51. That timid and *uncontemptuous smile so much their characteristic.

1835–6.  Todd’s Cycl. Anat., I. 253/2. An *uncontractile ligamentous capsule.

1887.  D. C. Murray, Old Blazer’s Hero, x. With an eminently *unconversational aspect.

1881.  Blackw. Mag., March, 369. A ripe scholar of old-fashioned and *uncrotchety beliefs.

1817.  H. T. Colebrooke, Algebra, etc. 12. The first [digit] is a cube’s place; and the two next *uncubic.

1800.  Coleridge, Unpubl. Lett. to Estlin (1884), 78. How I did think of your Sunday suppers, their light *uncumbrous simplicity.

1812.  W. Tennant, Anster F., IV. lxxiv. No man *undeaf could stockishly refrain.

1813.  Examiner, 12 April, 228/2. Questions … of that innoxious and *undeceptious cast.

1802–12.  Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), II. 643. Evidence being subservient to justice no otherwise than in so far as it is *undeceptitious.

1881.  Athenæum, 16 July, 86/3. An inappropriate, *undecorative stamp on the cover.

1862.  T. W. Higginson, Army Life (1870), 34. I am equable and *undepressible.

1870.  Sat. Rev., 5 Feb., 194/2. The *undestructive revolution which his theory … was certain to bring about.

1879.  S. C. Bartlett, Egypt to Pal., xvii. 367. Various indications,… some of which are too general, or too *undeterminal, to aid in solving the question.

1847.  H. Bushnell, Chr. Nurt., iii. (1861), 283. This unetherial and *undiffusive kind of bliss.

1844.  B. Jowett, in Life Dean Lake (1901), 166. The old Bishop, like Lee, is very *undonnish.

1872.  Howells, Wedding Journ. (1892), 101. I speak of the *undressful sex alone.

1845.  Mrs. Carlyle, in Froude, Lett. & Mem. (1883), I. 338. ‘I find your toast *unegoist,’ said he.

1858.  Wilkinson, in Rawlinson, Herodotus, II. cxi. II. 182, note. The story about the women is equally *un-Egyptian.

1878.  J. Payn, By Proxy, x. His system of morality … is singularly deficient and *unelemental.

1856.  Olmsted, Slave States, 120. In the words of a certain *un-eminent Southern divine.

1814.  Ann. Reg., Chron., 284. He had demanded the place of marshal of the admiralty, not an *unemolumentary place.

c. 1813.  Epitaph Gen. Fitzpatrick (Jod.). Through life he walk’d *unemulous of Fame.

1885.  Stevenson, Prince Otto, III. iv. I had no merit but a love, slavish and *unerect.

1828.  E. Irving, Last Days, 102. The word in our text is ‘not eucharistical or *uneucharistical.’

1818.  Bentham, Ch. Eng., Introd. 18. The one short and *unexcludible prayer excepted.

1827.  Moore, Hist. Irel., I. i. 5. The yet *unexcursive Greeks.

1802–12.  Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), IV. 599. The limited and *unextensible quantity of time allowed.

1862.  Bagehot, Lit. Stud. (1879), I. 236. The whole tide of abstract discussion is quite *unfemale.

1873.  Mrs. H. Wood, Master of Greylands, i. Enough to give an *unfinancial man the night-mare.

1816.  Coleridge, Lay Serm. (Bohn), 329. The *unfoodful trees in the shadowy world of Maro.

1889.  Skrine, Mem. Thring, 251. The subtle, tender, yielding, *unforceful growth of tree and herb.

1871.  Palgrave, Lyr. Poems, 78. Sigh not, if the smiling band Their *unforethoughtful brightness keep.

1840.  Carlyle, Heroes, vi. (1904), 209. The King coming to them in the rugged *unformulistic state shall be no King.

1870.  Standard, 14 Dec. Till there is not a battered and *unfoul place left.

1879.  F. W. Robinson, Bridge of Glass, I. i. When the victim is reticent and *unfretful.

1881.  A. Knox, New Playgr., xiii. 315. These *unfrisky matrons were certainly safe.

1875.  Blake, Zool., 26. Two principal toes, with two *unfunctional and rudimentary ones.

1856.  Gosse, Tenby, v. 49. To be easily procured by the most *ungeological virtuosi.

1810.  S. Green, Reformist, I. 206. The *ungothic, and more modern, ménage of their master’s sons.

1866.  Howells, Venet. Life, v. 67. A certain gliding, *ungradual locomotion, altogether spectral.

1856.  J. A. Symonds, Lett., in Life (1895), I. iii. 81. I pick up a good many words and phrases in an easy and *ungrammary way.

1856.  Kane, Arct. Expl., II. i. 23. A manner so *ungrandisonian that I leave a special description … to my note-book.

1844.  Tupper, Heart, ii. 15. Notwithstanding all these *unheroinals, no one … could look upon Maria without pleasure.

1864.  Grosart, Lambs all Safe (1865), 96. My answer here is again *unhesitant and direct.

1840.  C. O. Müller’s Hist. Lit. Greece, vi. § 4. 68. Yet the fundamental ideas of the Cypria are so *un-Homeric.

1849.  Herschel, Ess. (1857), 626. Some *unhygrometric, non-metallic substance.

1886.  H. Sweet, in Academy, 6 Feb., 94. In spite of the *unimpartial and personal tone of his remarks.

1810.  Bentham, Packing (1821), 265. Its only cognoscible, determinate and *unimpostrous state.

1887.  Athenæum, 8 Jan., 57/2. A series of accurate, but singularly *unincisive lectures.

1839.  [Mrs. Maitland], Lett. fr. Madras (1843), 275. The tracts which come from England are altogether *un-Indian, and unfit to translate.

1831.  Edin. Rev., LIII. 390. Not allowed to slumber in the quiescence of an *uninfringible monopoly.

1883.  Mrs. Oliphant, Sheridan, v. 170. Genial, not *uninnocent amusement.

1879.  Expositor, IX. 116. Modern editors have … treated the poem as *unintensive.

1894.  Law Notes, XIII. 227/1. These remarks are uncalled for and very *‘unjudgely.’

1762.  H. Walpole, Lett. to Lady Hervey, 1 Oct. You are one of those *un-Lacedæmonian mothers.

1855.  Pusey, Doctr. Real Presence, i. (1869), 101. An *un-Lutheran tone of teaching.

1880.  S. Lanier, Poems (1884), 110. Bring large Lucretius, with *unmaniac mind.

1802–12.  Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), I. 159. That self-criminative consciousness … which distinguishes it from *unmendacious falsehood.

1852.  Meanderings Mem., I. 15. A thing *unmental, mannerless and crude.

1849.  E. W. Benson, in Life (1899), I. iv. 80. The *unmilitant part of the Church.

1839.  J. Sterling, Ess., etc. (1848), I. 310. Compare … a missionary Swartz with an *un-missionary Lord Clive or Hyder Ali.

1847.  Ld. Cockburn, Jrnl. (1874), II. 172. A mendicant peer is very *unmonarchical.

1874.  Hazlitt, Mary & C. Lamb, 15. The sentence seemed *un-motto-ish.

a. 1851.  Moir, Poems (1852), II. 130. Before her stood the household wheel *unmurmurous, and the thread Still in her fingers lay.

1861.  [Mrs. A. J. Penny], Romance Dull Life, xl. 295. Nothing short of clairvoyance can instruct an *unnervous nature, blessed with social effrontery, in the secret and manifold woes of a poor ‘sensitive.’

1818.  J. Brown, Psyche, 137. In honesty, the *unnew notion Of giving Psyche loco-motion, Is traceable to merry Prior.

1880.  Freeman, in Contemp. Rev., June, 971. The present *unnormal state of Thessaly, and … the causes which made it unnormal.

1887.  Saintsbury, Hist. Elizab. Lit. (1894), 366. His stepmother appears to have been most *unnovercal.

1850.  S. Dobell, Roman, vii. The *unoblivious sun hath paused not once; Our time is far spent.

a. 1861.  Clough, Poems, etc. (1869), I. 333. Have we anything that will … be as bright and *un-obsolete a hundred and fifty years hence?

1862.  Mrs. H. Wood, Mrs. Hallib. (1864), III. xxiv. 461. Honey Fair used to be an unsightly and *unodoriferous place.

1885.  Pall Mall G., 30 June, 5/2. The popular, terse, and *unornate style.

1826.  G. S. Faber, Diffic. Romanism (1853), p. lxii. An *unpaginal reference to a pamphlet which he had published.

1860.  Poynting, Glimpses Heaven, Introd. p. xxi. The conception of God here presented is intensely *unpantheistic.

1844.  J. T. Hewlett, Parsons & W., xix. Added to all these *unpapaverous influences.

1854.  Ferrier, Inst. Metaph., 444. A clear, detached,… genuine, or *unparasitical Being.

1868.  Dickens, Lett., 23 Jan. A clever, *unparsonic, and straightforward man.

1876.  Bernstein, Five Senses, 282. Noise is produced by irregular, *unperiodical movements of those bodies which convey sound.

1871.  Earle, Philol. Eng. Tongue, 385. It would be *unphilological to let them be absorbed into any class of words whatever.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. p. xxi. Respecting the *un-Platonic character of the Laws.

1882.  Morris, in Mackail, Life (1899), II. 74. The surroundings of life are so stern and *unplayful.

1868.  H. Bushnell, Serm. Living Subj., 17. She is a person too *unpositive … to be affirmatively capable of anything.

1871.  Sat. Rev., 4 Feb., 137/1. Prim English matrons, and Yankee girls of a very *unprim type indeed.

1882.  Athenæum, 11 Nov., 631/3. A family hitherto remarkable for its *unproliferous nature.

1858.  H. Bushnell, Nat. & Supernatural, iii. (1864), 66. The immense array of mythologic and formally *unrational religions.

1864.  Grosart, Lambs all Safe (1865), 83. Wishing to be as brief, and … *unrepetitive as possible.

1881.  H. James, Portr. Lady, lv. Whose footfall, on the *unresonant turf,… she had not heard.

1858.  H. Bushnell, New Life (1860), 229. The respectable sin … shades into the *unrespectable.

1888.  Bryce, Amer. Commw., II. II. xlii. 121. The criticisms of a very *unreticent press. Ibid., III. IV. lxxx. 55. Religion apart, they are an *unreverential people. I do not mean irreverent.

1864.  Spencer, Illustr. Progr., 437. Out amid the fields, a formal house … strikes us as *unrural.

1879.  C. Geikie, Eng. Reform., xxiv. 428. [The Prayer Book] was made more thoroughly *unsacramentarian than it has ever been since.

1886.  Athenæum, 23 Oct., 528/2. The *unsacrificial nature of Buddhist worship.

1835.  Chamb. Jrnl., 25 July, 205. Now how little chance is there of all these being effected *unsanguineously.

1842.  G. S. Faber, Prov. Lett. (1844), II. 119. The cheap penalty of his *unschismatical independence.

1883.  Athenæum, 27 Jan., 128/2. Some of his sculptures are very effective, but *unsculptural.

1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. III. iii. Marat … is heard to articulate these most *unsenatorial ejaculations.

1886.  H. Tennyson, Jack & Bean Stalk, 11. Oh! what a cramp’d-up, small, *unsesquipedalian object!

1865.  Cornh. Mag., March, 299. His kindly, unpretentious, but not *unshrewd, talk.

1865.  D. W. Thompson, Odds & Ends, iii. 26. In our ordinary *unsilentious services.

1880.  A. Raleigh, Way to the City, 266. To be unworldly is to be unsordid, *unslippery, unselfish.

1887.  E. Johnson, Antiqua Mater, 251. Your *unslothful love unto the glory of God.

1797.  Monthly Mag., III. 516. The cause … of unwearied power, and of *unsluggish energy. Ibid. (1821), LI. 12. The Romans appear to have had a strange propensity to the harsh and *unsonorous letters j and s.

1871.  Morris, in Mackail, Life (1899), I. 237. Things pushing up through the clean *unsooty soil.

1862.  T. W. Higginson, Army Life (1870), 9. Something so *un-Southern, the camp of a regiment or black slaves.

1808.  Wilford, Sacr. Isles, in Asiat. Res., VIII. 247. The first impression, originating from no *unspecious reasons.

1674.  N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 129. So the seeds … when sown become barren or *unsproutful.

1881.  Dowden, in Academy, 8 Jan., 21. An *unstrenuous mood of lingering delight.

a. 1861.  D. Gray, Poet. Wks. (1874), 48. The *unsubvertive temple of the soul!

1865.  Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., XVIII. v. Next evening … Prince of Prussia strikes his tents again; rolls-off in very *unsuccinct condition.

1830.  Disraeli, in Monypenny, Life (1910), I. ix. 161. The dry, round, *unsugary fig is a great whetter.

1873.  Miss Broughton, Nancy, III. 11. He shall see how patient I am! how *unsulky!

1878.  H. G. Guinness, Approaching End of Age (1881), 129. The Apocalypse … translated into *unsymbolic language.

1809.  Med. Jrnl., XXI. 207. Judgment weaker; memory *untenacious.

1880.  Goldw. Smith, in Atlantic Monthly, No. 268. 210. *Untheistic science can take cognizance of nothing but facts.

1858.  E. W. L. Davies, Algiers, i. 5 The *untidal character of the sea.

1674.  N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 40. ’Tis hoped we may have leave to settle Gods whole Everlastingness, as *untimesom.

1815.  Mar. Edgeworth, Patronage, xxviii. The language of fine feeling is absolutely untranslateable, *untransfusible.

1867.  H. Bushnell, Mor. Uses Dark Th., 202. This most *untropical institution we call home.

1811.  Spencer, Poems, 65. Love’s yet *untruant pinions.

1824.  in Spirit Pub. Jrnls. (1825), 303. Milton,… in a very *un-uxorious spirit, calls a wife—‘A thorn intestine,… A cleaving mischief.’

1858.  G. H. Lewes, Sea-Side Stud., 223. He is, with all his learning, quite as *unveridical as Giulia Grisi.

1859.  Hamley, in Shand, Life (1895), I. vi. 127. At present I am a kind of clean and *unverminous lazzarone.

1866.  Blackmore, Cradock Nowell, xxiv. To tell the plain, *unvinous truth.

1869.  Ruskin, Q. of Air (1874), 168. The swallow, in that noisy, but modestly upside-down Babel of hers under the eaves, with its *unvolcanic slime of mortar.

1668.  Wilkins, Real Char., III. vii. 341. A person insolutive … is a Bankrupt; *Vnwalkative, is a Cripple.

1889.  Stevenson, Master Ballantrae, ix. About the top of it ran considerable bulwarks, which made the ship *unweatherly.

1882.  Macm. Mag., XLVI. 213/1. His method of describing its inhabitants is … *un-Wordsworthian.

  b.  The use of un- with adjs. in -able, beginning in the 14th cent. (see 4 above), soon became common, and gave rise to a large number of formations in the 16th and subsequent centuries. In the modern period the examples become too numerous for illustration; in addition to those entered as main words, those given below (all earlier than 1890) will serve as specimens of the freedom with which new formations are created. These are sometimes due to an antithesis of the form ‘not only … but,’ as ‘not only unpainted but unpaintable.’ The unusual types uncome-at-able (1694–), unget-at-able (1862–) are later in date than the corresponding positive terms; for illustrations of similar forms see (b).

  Cotgrave (1611), has unaboardable, unaccompanable, unaccostable, uncorruptable, undisplayable, unendable, unexceedable, unexpressable, unexterminable, etc. Florio (1611), has unaccommodable, uncolourable, uncompassionable, unsuccourable, untrafficable, unwadable, and Hexham (1648), unbesteadable, unbindable, unlabourable. Ash (1775), introduces about twenty-five new forms, as unadmittable, unappropriable, uncreditable, unexhalable, unexterminable. An extreme instance is un-in-one-breath-utterable (B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., I. v.).

1831.  Blackw. Mag., XXX. 105. His picture swam in lustre *unbedimmable by the mist of years.

1834.  Tait’s Mag., I. 439/2. The mighty treasures laid up unbonded and *unbondable within the teeming womb of Nature.

1887.  Pall Mall G., 15 Oct., 4/1. Land in London is almost *unbuyable.

1832.  Chalmers, Pol. Econ., vi. 206. Food, speaking generally, is far more bulky and *uncarriageable than workmanship.

1884.  Sat. Rev., 29 Nov., 16. They [groups of boroughs] are almost *uncaucusable.

1866.  Ruskin, Crown Wild Olive (1873), 60. They are as the *uncharmable serpent.

1881.  R. G. White, England, 363. A dismal, cheerless, *uncheerable dankness.

1817.  W. Kitchener, Apicius Rediv. (1822), 77. Till they are trapped to buy some *unchewable old poultry.

1884.  Punch, 30 Aug., 101/1. He is such an obstinately *uncoaxable man.

1861.  Van Eyrie, Negroes, 100. The negress … with her short, stiff, *uncombable fleece of seeming wool.

1802–12.  Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), III. 564. An uncompleted and perhaps *uncompletable sentence. Ibid., V. 290. A suit … carried on upon unpremeditatable, *unconcertable, cross-examined evidence.

1840.  Alison, Hist. Eur. (1859), VIII. 670. *Unconfrontable excitement among the people.

1873.  Contemp. Rev., XXII. 835. The desperate determination to conserve the *unconservable.

1865.  D. W. Thompson, Odds & Ends, iii. 5. We are *uncontentable hangerels.

1845.  Stocqueler, Handbk. Brit. India (1854), 114. The grounding of the adventurer in this description of *unconveyable knowledge.

1884.  Pop. Sci. Monthly, April, 774. These volatile oils, when heated,… are *uncookable.

1875.  Helps, Soc. Pressure, ii. 24. It is almost *undealable with.

1878.  Abney, Photogr., xxxiv. 274. The image becomes *undevelopable.

1811.  Miss L. M. Hawkins, C’tess & Gertr., 364. By the natural and *undiscardable stratagem of her nature.

1834.  Blackw. Mag., XXXV. 419. Sheer, downright,… and *undislodgeable obstinacy.

1884.  Goldw. Smith, in Contemp. Rev., April, 527. The ruler is an *undomicilable alien.

1864.  F. W. Robinson, Mattie, I. 141. The driest, hardest, and most *undrawable of cigars.

1884.  E. Abbott, Flatland, 86. Remaining henceforth thy docile pupil, thy *unemancipable slave.

1876.  M. Collins, From Midn. to Midn., II. ii. 250. I have had … the most labyrinthine and unentangleable nightmares.

1879.  H. W. Warren, Recr. Astron., xii. 261. But nature sustained by *unexpendable forces must abide.

1831.  J. Wilson, Unimore, I. 85. Th’ *uneyeable sun flames up the heavens.

1668.  Wilkins, Real Char., III. vii. 341. A person insolutive,… Unwalkative,… Non-surrective,… *Unfattable.

1884.  J. Payn, Lit. Recol., 14. Vivian had reached the rather *unfloggable age of seventeen.

a. 1860.  J. Younger, Autobiog. (1881), 206. This became an *ungratifiable passion.

1835.  T. B. Thorpe, in Griswold, Prose Writers Amer. (1851), 549/2. That bar [= bear] was an *unhuntable bar, and died when his time come.

1875.  Poste, Gaius (ed. 2), I. Introd. 14. That is involuntary (*unimputable) which is caused by external compulsion or by ignorance.

1880.  R. G. White, Every-Day Eng., 143. The peculiar indescribable and *unindicable French sound.

1843.  Lane, Select. fr. Kur-án (1879), Introd. p. xii. A vast desert plateau, blank, inhospitable, to all but Arabs *unindwellable.

1813.  Lady Lyttelton, Corr. (1912), vii. 174. Men and women always in two distant and *unjoinable squadrons at the end of the room.

1802–12.  Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), II. 176. The testimony of expatriate and *unjusticiable witnesses.

1847.  Burton, Ld. Lovat, iii. 72. That *unlearnable self-estimate which insensibly exacts obedience.

1831.  Blackw. Mag., XXX. 507. The Reformers owe us an *unliquidateable debt of gratitude.

1810.  Bentham, Packing (1821), 137. To persevere in defeating the express words as well as *unmisconceivable intention, of a law. Ibid. (1831), Corr., Wks. 1843, XI. 70. My advice to jurymen is plain and *unmisunderstandable.

1885.  R. Bridges, Nero, I. IV. iii. 1933. Out of thy cold *unmotionable ashes.

1829.  S. Martin, in J. Duns, Mem., iii. 36. He complains of being … *unmouldable … and difficult to impress.

1805.  Saunders, Min. Waters, 493. A dry *unperspirable state of the skin.

1888.  Lane-Poole, Stratford de Redcliffe, I. 365. Some described him as ‘the most *unpumpable of men.’

1838.  Tupper, Proverb. Philos. (1852), 415. Life is a constant force, spirit an *unquietable impetus.

1870.  Miss Broughton, Red as a Rose (1878), 127. Most energetic, most *unrebuffable.

1883.  Harper’s Mag., Feb., 347/2. [There are] such a variety of legends that they are quite *unrecountable.

1851.  W. H. Goold, in Owen’s Wks., IX. 461, note. The *unreiterable sacraments, to which ordination … belongs.

1884.  Century Mag., XXIX. 81. An *unrestrictable commercial access to the markets and workshops of Europe.

1884.  Church Bells, 21 June, 682/2. The bells of this church have been *unringable for some time.

1862.  Jrnl. Roy. Dubl. Soc., 347. Rough vascular tissue, which is probably *unrollable spiral fibres.

1861.  Thoreau, Lett. (1865), 205. Excuse these pencil marks, but my inkstand is *unscrewable.

1881.  Nature, XXIII. 585. To show the hypothesis to be *unstateable.

1883.  Pall Mall G., Suppl. 2 June. Unsinkable boats,… *unstaveable life-boats.

a. 1843.  Southey, Comm.-pl. Bk. (1851), IV. 429. Toads … so tough as to be almost *unstoneable.

1886.  Earl Lytton, Lett. (1906), II. xxi. 307. Churchill’s ‘Tory Democracy’ they find still more *unswallowable.

1850.  H. Bushnell, God in Christ, 311. We must bring this astounding *untheorizable fact into theory.

1883.  Harper’s Mag., July, 177/1. Students and amateurs … labouring with *untranscribable details.

1877.  E. G. Squier, Peru (1878), 348. Some of these [causeways] are now so ruined as to be *untransitable.

1833.  Blackw. Mag., XXXIII. 125. The *untroubleable regions of the skies.

1834.  Tait’s Mag., I. 39/2. Those … vehicles, that once rolled in slow and *unupsettable solemnity along.

1879.  Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 46/1. These slabs must be *unwarpable.

1886.  American, XII. 164. Railroad property … spread over an unmanageable and *unwatchable area.

1845.  O. Brownson, Wks., 188. V. 358. A firm, unwavering and *unwaverable conviction.

1845.  Stocqueler, Handbk. Brit. India (1854), 103. Thus they become … worn … into such *unwhetstonable bluntness.

  (b)  c. 1850.  ‘Dow Jr.,’ in Jerdan, Yankee Hum. (1853), 89. Ovid, whose veracity is *uncomoverable, and can’t be disputed.

1844.  J. T. Hewlett, Parsons & W., xi. *Un-do-without-able, which I think is a much more applicable word than indispensable.

1888.  G. Grossmith, Society Clown, iv. A … bottle of *‘undryupable ink.’

1873.  Miss Braddon, Str. & Pilgr., I. ix. Miss Disney is really the most ‘un-get-on-able-with girl.’

1840.  J. T. Hewlett, P. Priggins, i. Weather hot—blow-flies *un-keep-off-able.

1840.  De Quincey, Style, Wks. 1859, XI. 244. Alcibiades … was too unsteady and … ‘unrelyable’: or, perhaps, in more correct English, too *‘unrelyuponable.’

1862.  H. Marryat, Year in Sweden, I. 407. In the earlier period of Scandinavian history, serpents and dragons were looked upon as *untalkaboutable subjects.

a. 1864.  Hawthorne, Dr. Grimshawe, xxii. (1891), 301. The record … of a foot stamped down there in guilt and agony, and oozing out with *unwipeupable blood.

  c.  The use of un- with adjectives in -like is found from at least the close of the 16th cent., when ungentlemanlike appears. Others occur in the following century, as unbodylike, ungodlike, unwarlike. The free use of such forms, however, is characteristic of the 19th century, and especially of the latter part of it. The following are examples of casual formations earlier than 1890.

1886.  Pall Mall G., 1 Nov., 13. So contemptible, detestable, and *un-actor-like a proceeding.

1674.  N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 88. Their *unbodylike way of being somewhere.

1845.  Fitzball, Maritana, II. i. 18. Your costume is somewhat *unbridegroom-like.

1847.  L. Hunt, Men, Women, & B., I. 74. The hand [of the monkey] … mortifies one: it looks so very *unbrute-like.

1854.  Grace Greenwood, Haps & Mishaps, 14. He met my advances in a most gracious and *un-Bumble-like manner.

1841.  J. T. Hewlett, Parish Clerk, II. 37. He … killed it afterwards in a most *unbutcherlike way.

1865.  Visct. Milton & W. B. Cheadle, N.-W. Passage by Land, viii. (1867), 112. Feeling very dismal and *un-Christmaslike.

1850.  Marg. Fuller, Wom. 19th C. (1862), 190. Gazing up at the clouds in a most *uncitizen-like fashion.

1838.  Jas. Grant, Sk. Lond., 160. Whose manner … is the most *undeliberative-like that the human mind could fancy.

1856.  Lever, Martins of Cro’ M., 249. Suffering a ‘sea change’ … as *unearthlike as well may be imagined.

1807.  in Spirit Pub. Jrnls., XI. 352. Your scandalous and *un-Englishmanlike behaviour.

1823.  Blackw. Mag., XIV. 563. An excessive dread of being caught in the *unfreeman-like sin of blushing.

1826.  Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. II. (1863), 451. Her manners were quite as *ungipsy-like as her apparel.

1823.  in Spirit Pub. Jrnls., 151. The professor thought this conduct extremely rude and *ungoldsmithlike.

1868.  Lanier, Jacquerie, I. 24. The pack … took revenge as bloody as a man’s, *Unhoundlike, sudden.

1884.  Century Mag., XXVII. 678. The rows of unhomelike and even *unhouselike dwelling-places.

1851.  Mayne Reid, Scald Hunt., xxi. This was said in well-accentuated and most *un-Indian-like English.

1822.  Mrs. Shelley, in Mem. (1859), 215. Pardon me that I still write in this incoherent and *unletterlike manner.

1841.  Thackeray, Men & Coats, Wks. 1900, XIII. 610. An affair of brocade that has always struck me as absurd and *un-Macbethlike.

1860.  Tristram, Gt. Sahara, vi. 93. The strange and most *unmoslem-like ceremony of sacrificing a goat.

1803.  Edin. Rev., II. 427. And it would have been highly *unneighbour-like to have neglected them.

1879.  Dowden, Southey, v. 117. Southey had a most *unprophet-like craving for the creature comforts of beef and bread.

1851.  G. H. Kingsley, Sp. & Trav. (1900), 452. In a most *unsalmon-like manner.

1846.  Mrs. Gore, Eng. Char. (1852), 155. Thrusting his paraphernalia into a drawer, with a most *unsecretary-like blush.

1802.  Mrs. E. Parsons, Myst. Visit, II. 257. The *unsex-like wickedness of Mrs. Hood.

1805.  Edin. Rev., V. 399. The … *unsquire-like employment of writing, printing and publishing.

1878.  A. H. Markham, Gt. Frozen Sea, xvi. 229. Conducting itself in a very erratic and *unstarlike manner.

1880.  Cassell’s Mag., June, 440. Another *unsummer-like fashion is asserting itself this year.

1885.  Gladstone, in Morley Life (1905), II. VIII. x. 426. It is so *unsundaylike and unrestful.

1825.  J. Wilson, Noct. Ambr., Wks. 1855, I. 2. So bright wavering and *unsurelike was the haill living world.

1828.  Lancet, 19 Jan., 592/1. The unfeeling, *unsurgeon-like conduct of Mr. Heyderman.

1877.  S. Cox, Salv. Mundi, Preface, p. x. It is surely an undignified and *unteacherlike procedure.

a. 1849.  Poe, Poems (1859), 66. *Unthought-like thoughts that are the souls of thought.

1869.  H. Bushnell, Wom. S., i. 13. What could be more *un-university-like?

1855.  Smedley, Occult Sciences, 150. Its water … extinguished torches…, but it possessed also the most *unwaterlike power of relighting them.

1797.  Mrs. M. Robinson, Walsingham, III. 41. The *unzephyrlike hand of the angry Lady Fusby forcibly held me.

  8.  The prefixing of un- to past participles, common in OE. and revived in ME., was subsequently extended until it became the commonest of all uses of the prefix. The following varieties may be distinguished in the usual formations:

  a.  Simple past pples. in -ed. These form an inexhaustible class, largely represented among the main words, and including many more similar to those in the following list.

  A few casual forms are employed by Florio (1611), as uncomparted, unnotted, and various others by Hexham (1648), as unbalsamed, unbedabbled, unblued, uncalumniated, unchested, etc. Ash (1775), carries this type of formation to great lengths, and enters about 800 words, which are either not recorded, or are of rare occurrence, in actual use, as unabetted, unaccited, unacquitted, unadjudged, unallured, unamplified, unappraised, etc.

  As subdivisions of this type, forms in -ated and -ized may be specially noted on account of their frequency. These are also largely represented in Ash’s dictionary, which contains about 150 unused or rare forms in -ated, as unaccumulated, uncamphorated, uncircumstantiated, etc., and a score or so in -ized, as unapostrophized, unaromatized, uncantonized, etc.

  On the double meaning of forms like undressed, unhoused, unsheathed, etc., see UN-² 8.

  (a.)  1846.  Worcester (citing Haslam), *Unbandaged.

1884.  Pall Mall G., 15 Jan., 6/2. Who seldom see even an *unbesmutted blade of grass.

1827.  Pollok, Course T., VIII. 91. No king, no subject was; unscutcheoned all,… uncoroneted, *unbestarred.

1846.  Worcester (citing Scott), *Unboasted.

1883.  Athenæum, 11 Aug., 182/3. It is a question … what power of resistance a solid *‘unburrowed’ soil might have offered.

1846.  Worcester (citing West. Rev.), *Uncountervailed.

1893.  G. Allen, Scallywag, I. 206. Quite *undiscomposed by this … most startling announcement.

1878.  Abney, Photogr., 117. The *unemulsified collodion for the wet process.

1883.  Encycl. Brit., XVI. 653/2. Others … discharge their eggs *unenclosed in capsules freely into the sea-water.

1865.  Earle, Sax. Chron., Introd. p. iv. Their *unfagged memory was richly stored with the events of their own day.

1872.  W. R. Greg, Enigmas of Life, vii. 260. Naked truth, *unfilmed eyes, will do all that the most righteous vengeance could desire.

1887.  Encycl. Brit., XXII. 386. The ‘jerk’ or *unflated aspirate.

1887.  Pall Mall G., 8 Aug., 12/1. They wanted the line between the *unflogged class … and the flogged masses to remain.

1873.  H. A. Wise, Seven Decades Union, 282. As large a solid piece of it as was left *unfrasseled by the concussions.

1871.  Noyes, Hymns Mod. Man, 39. Perfection *unfreckled by flaws.

1883.  Gresley, Gloss. Coal-M., 268. *Unholed, boardgates or other headings which are not driven through or thirled into the adjoining roadway.

1870.  E. Peacock, Ralf Skirl., I. 106. Because some … kitchen-girl has left the cow *unhoppled.

1881.  Romanes, in Nature, XXIV. 185. Sources of intermediate or *uninferred knowledge.

1844.  A. Mallalieu, Buenos Ayres, etc., 62. The untamed *unlassoed steed.

1833.  Pall Mall G., 28 Dec., 5/1. Dr. Schliemann recognized … in the objects of gold the *unlooted ‘treasure of Priam.’

1844.  Ayrshire Wreath, 190. Egbert *unlured by vow or gift Gaid furth withouten fear.

1844.  Friedländer, trans. F. Bremer’s Neighbours, II. 201. I was half fearful after this of expressing my yet *unmooted fears in reference to himself.

1884.  Pall Mall G., 29 Aug., 2/1. Not only did they receive their rations in full, but also their pay *unmulcted.

1875.  Rolleston, Addr. Dept. Anthrop. Brit. Assoc., 7. The possession of an *unoverwhelmed numerical representation.

1875.  Whyte-Melville, Katerfelto, xi. Excuse my freedom in an *unpatched pair of breeches.

1884.  Bourke, Snake Dance Moquis, vii. 68. The stones were uncut or *unpecked.

1886.  Pall Mall G., 9 Dec., 3/2. The unregenerate and, as yet, *unpermeated Tory.

1887.  Q. Rev., Oct., 537. *Unprenticed and ingenuous new voters.

1882.  Garden, 14 Jan., 24/2. The chief danger with *unputtied glass is found when fierce wind-storms prevail.

1864.  Realm, 18 May, 5. Formless clothes whose folds, *unretrenched by artifice, follow nature’s laws.

1838.  Penny Cycl., X. 378/1. The sides of their ditches being *unreveted.

1884.  Gentl. Mag., Feb., 125. He fell at the head of his own *unrevolted regiment.

1879.  Lanier, Poems, To B. Taylor, 23. Not [to] drudge *unriched.

1881.  R. G. White, Eng., 371. Sheridan … leaves this trait of speech *unridiculed.

1885.  Warren & Cleverly, Wand. Beetle, 52. The Gunner saw no fun in leaving stunning things *unsketched.

1892.  J. Murdoch, Fred Wilson’s Fate, 80. His successor’s linen was not always clean, and his record out of office not by any means *unsmudged.

1884.  Spectator, 4 Oct., 1326/1. She has left some wood *unstacked at home.

1876.  Brickwood, Boat-Racing, 63. Rowing with *unstraightened arms, or slackened muscles.

1888.  Doughty, Arabia Deserta, I. 31. The unwilling contribution of the few *unsubmitted Idumean villages.

1863.  Dicey, Federal St., I. 27. Wherever there is a free and *unsubventioned press, you may be sure [etc.].

1830.  Mackintosh, Progr. Eth. Philos., Wks. 1846, I. 128. That Dr. Adam Smith’s ethical speculations are not so *unsuggested as they are beautiful.

1880.  McCarthy, Own Times, III. 208. So long as the Bill of 1832 remained *unsupplemented.

1788.  T. Munro, etc., Olla Podrida, 25. Of difficulties *unsurmounted.

1876.  Stone, in Jrnl. R. Geog. Soc., XLVI. 58. The bodies of the men are often *untattooed.

1868.  Visct. Strangford, Select. (1869), II. 104. They would not have let the triumph pass untold and *untelegraphed.

1883.  Athenæum, 8 Sept., 300/2. Untrodden districts—… *untoured, unspoiled.

1887.  Spectator, 20 Aug., 1111. What is the Channel, so long as it remains *untunnelled.

1843.  Tizard, Brewing, 444. New or *unvatted porter.

1871.  Athenæum, 3 June, 679. Let them be *unvaunted and unpublished.

1867.  Routledge’s Ev. Boy’s Ann., Aug., 471. In the *unvivified condition it absolutely becomes a poison instead of a vivifier.

  (b)  1884.  American, VIII. 236. The oddest theory … with which *unconjugated individuals ever comforted themselves.

1886.  C. Scott, Sheep-Farming, 208. Cotton cake, *undecorticated.

1886.  B. Harte, Snow-bound, 18. The remaining and *undenominated passenger turned to Hale.

1884.  Spectator, No. 2914. 587/1. Mr. Besant’s bowdlerised presentment cannot but tempt to the perusal of the *undepurated loot.

1882.  Pall Mall G., 8 April, 3. The universal *undigitated stocking need not fear its rival.

1846.  Worcester (citing Fleming), *Undisintegrated.

1887.  Pall Mall G., 5 Nov., 7/1. With *unexpropriated landlords … some sort of arrangement will be come to.

1881.  Standard, 7 April, 7/4. There are numerous dead and wounded still *unextricated from the ruins.

1885.  Athenæum, 12 Dec., 772/3. The medium … is *ungranulated ether.

1889.  Geddes & Thomson, Evol. Sex, 78. The liberation of *unindividuated sex elements.

1881.  Nation (N.Y.), XXXII. 426. A manuscript *unmanipulated by them would be of priceless value.

1881.  Le Conte, Light, 172. Now a rectangular cross-image, if *unrotated, would project as the crosses in the corners.

1887.  Cook, Sievers’ O. E. Gram., 168. The middle vowel has again forced an entrance from the *unsyncopated forms.

  (c)  1886.  Pall Mall G., 1 Oct., 4/1. A father of limited means and *uncapitalized income.

1885.  Seth, Scott. Philos., iv. 136. To this *uncategorised perception … Kant allows a wide range.

1852.  Meanderings of Mem., I. 76. Hope, *uncelestialized by heathen hand.

1860.  W. C. Lake, in Life (1901), 199. Liddell, whom I found quite different and *undonicised (by the side of Whewell at least).

1855.  Milman, Lat. Chr., XIV. vi. (1864), IX. 218. Toulouse owns only her own *unidealised unromanticised Counts.

1885.  Athenæum, 20 June, 788/1. The author’s liberal use of *unitalicized … French words.

a. 1861.  Cunningham, Hist. Theol. (1864), II. xxiv. 325. The sounder or *unsocinianized Arminians.

1830.  Lamb, Lett., 24 May. I … know no more of stave and crochet Than did the *Un-Spaniardised Peruvians.

1864.  Sat. Rev., 3 Dec. A mere *unspurgeonized profane grocer.

1885.  Pall Mall G., 23 Jan., 5/1. *Unsubventionized English steamers.

1858.  Brownson’s Q. Rev., April, 198. Salvation lies in the supernatural order, and is not secured in the *unsupernaturalized by the simple negative merit of not sinning.

1844.  Draper, in Philos. Mag., July, 2. The *untithonized chlorine shows no disposition to unite with its hydrogen.

1844.  Noad, Electricity (ed. 2), 267. If even the smallest quantity of liquid remains in the capsule, *unvaporized.

  b.  Past pples. with other endings, from strong or weak verbs. These form a much smaller class, but include a considerable number in common use, as unbegun, unblown, unborn, unbought, etc. A few are found with -ate for -ated, as unevaporate, -exaggerate, but these and others not permanently established in the language are of rare occurrence.

  Examples in Ash are unbeset, uncast, uniterwoven, unshotten, unshown, unslung, etc.

  c.  Participial formations with un- frequently have a suffixed adverb or preposition (usually with a hyphen when the formation is used attributively). An early example of this is unborne-away (Caxton, 1483); others make their appearance in the 16th and 17th centuries, as uncalled-for, uncared-for, unheard-of, unlooked-for, unthought-of, etc. A number of these have become permanent and are in general use; the following are examples of more casual formations.

1884.  H. Spencer, in Contemp. Mag., 613. Exceptional communities unaggressive and from special causes *unaggressed upon.

1858.  Froude, Hist. Eng., IV. 496. Unvouched for, *unalluded to by any contemporary authority as yet discovered.

1887.  Daily News, 3 Nov., 2/5. You have … allowed your conduct to remain unexplained and *unapologised for.

1855.  Browning, Bp. Blougram’s Apol., 894. Not simply unbutted at, *unbickered with.

1847.  Medwin, Shelley, I. 105. This startling and *unborne-out proposition.

1873.  Waterford, in Hare, Two Noble Lives (1893), III. 325. [For my dance] I expect so many very young and pretty girls—the *un-come-out Durhams and Tankervilles.

1860.  E. Venables, Isle of Wight, 332. Many a lovely nook … *unencroached upon as yet by gentility.

1836.  R. M. M’Cheyne, in Mem. (1872), 296. It had left some footpath *unglared across.

1832.  Tennyson, Sonn., Alexander, 12. High things were spoken there, *unhanded down.

1863.  Grosart, Small Sins (ed. 2), 79. I do not say that his prayer will go unheard, much less *unhearkened to.

1839.  Burgon, Life & Times Gresham, I. ii. 57. His administration … was very nearly *uninterfered with.

1830.  J. G. Strutt, Sylva Brit., 11. The extent to which the oak will throw its broad arms … when *unintruded upon.

1648.  Hexham, II. Een Onbeslapen dochter, a maide *Vnlien with, or a Virgine.

1828.  Craven Gloss., *Unmelled-on, not meddled with.

1849.  Mill, Ess. (1859), II. 335. Justice … demand[s] that these unmerited attacks should not remain *unprotested against.

1871.  Macduff, Mem. Patmos, vii. 90. As they sob their tale of *unresponded-to anguish.

1849.  M. Arnold, Fragm. ‘Antigone,’ i. [He] makes his own welfare his *unswerv’d-from law.

a. 1674.  Clarendon, Hist. Reb., XVI. § 17. After he had lived some years in Paris *untaken notice of, indeed unknown.

  d.  A type of formation which is not very frequent is that in which the participle is preceded by a noun, usually with instrumental sense, as in the following examples.

1595.  Polimanteia (1881), 36. For not … aged censoring Cato might challenge greater priuiledge of trueth, then your free toongd and *vn-aw-bound skill.

1765.  [E. Thompson], Meretriciad, 26. She never vended goods *unduty paid.

1829.  Bentham, Justice & Cod. Petit., 104. Because by the judges, *unfee-fed as they would be, nothing would be to be got by it.

1895.  L. A. Tollemache, B. Jowett, 135. The barren laurels of an *un-heaven-rewarded martyrdom.

1659.  Fuller, App. Inj. Innoc., II. 68. That single and signal instance of that *Unparliament-impowred Convocation.

1598.  Barret, Theor. Warres, 5. The *vnsouldier-learned, to the vnlettered souldier may be paralleld as the Phisition Theorike to the grosse practitioner.

1605.  Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iii. IV. Captains, 1022.

1872.  Rutley, Study Rocks, xiv. 300. Consisting partly of angular and comparatively *unwater-worn, materials.

  9.  Adjectival forms in -ed, from substantives, of the type unbearded, unbodied, unfeathered, etc. These are anticipated in OE. by such rare formations as unʓefeþered, unʓewintred, unwǽded, but otherwise belong to the 16th and subsequent centuries. The usual sense is ‘not provided or furnished with,’ but sometimes ‘not affected by,’ ‘not treated with,’ etc.; in the latter case the use is not clearly distinguishable from the purely participial.

  Ash gives such instances as unaproned, unbrooched, unbuskined, unchevroned, uncliented, uncodded, etc.

1881.  J. M. Brown, Student Life, 13. The *unancestored genius.

1873.  Daily News, 22 Aug. The barbarous exposure of them, *unblanketed in piquet line.

1846.  Worcester (citing Ed. Rev.), *Unbuoyed..., not buoyed.

1892.  Stevenson, Across the Plains, 13. A butler perhaps rides as high over the *unbutlered.

1882.  Encycl. Brit., XIV. 862/2. The *uncathedralled paganisms of American scenery and life.

1864.  Sala, in Daily Tel., 25 Feb. I wonder whether the *unchattelled farmer will keep his oath.

1885.  Jrnl. Science, July, 389. The sewage of an *unclosetted town.

1877.  Blackmore, Cripps (1887), 240. His simple, unpractised, and *uncored heart.

1886.  Pall Mall G., 3 Aug., 6/2. A supplementary *uncostumed choir … supported the singing.

1873.  ‘Susan Coolidge,’ What Katy did at Sch., xi. 183. As she looked up at the *uncottoned space at the top of the window.

1860.  All Year Round, No. 47. 493. with paint washed off and *undiamonded hair.

1887.  D. A. Low, Machine Drawing, Pref. p. iii. An *undimensioned scale drawing.

1883.  19th Cent., May, 858. *Unfountained from above, the higher moral virtues would decay for lack of a meaning.

1864.  Eliz. Murray, Ella Norman, II. 270. That on the left was a treeless, *ungrassed elevation.

1887.  Rider Haggard, Jess, xiv. You must either knock under … or trek on into the *unhostelled wilderness.

1860.  All Year Round, No. 41. 344. A draught of pure *unincensed air from the open window.

1878.  B. Taylor, Deukalion, II. v. 90. Druid oaks *Univied, stretch their stubborn arms abroad.

1880.  Miss Bird, Japan, I. p. xxii. An *unmatted floor.

1821.  Examiner, 5 Aug., 482/1. The unbeneficed and *unparked.

1844.  Poe, Mesmeric Rev., Wks. 1864, I. 113. Until we arrive at a matter *unparticled—without particles.

1888.  Rutley, Rock-Forming Min., 142. A band of unstriated or *unpegged crystal.

1874.  J. Addis, Eliz. Echoes (1879), 110. Defiant Chestnuts prick the air, *Unpennon’d battle-spears arraying.

1861.  Times, 25 Feb., 8/5. The banks of our river *unquayed.

1863.  Not an Angel, II. 260. The *unrailwayed inhabitants of that neighbourhood.

1836.  F. Mahony, Rel. Father Prout (1859), 394. As for your critic,… We *unrancoured hope to see him.

a. 1871.  De Morgan, Budget Parad. (1872), 75. The following, of which I have an *unreferenced note.

1887.  Meredith, Poet. Wks. (1912), 332. Idly the flax wheel spun *unridered.

1877.  Blackmore, Erema, xi. The riders struck the savage, *unrowelled spur into them.

1822.  Wilkins, Body & Soul, I. 123. The picturesque appearance of the *unsabled mourners.

1852.  Meanderings of Mem., I. 5. Worn As weary nakedness, *unshooned, unshorn.

1854.  Hooker, Himal. Jrnls., I. xi. 252. The ridge was *unsnowed a little way down the east flank.

1880.  ‘Mark Twain,’ Tramp Abroad, I. 144. The only ‘distinguished dead’ who went down to the grave *unsonnetted.

1831.  Scott, Jrnl., 26 Nov. I got home about mid-night; but remain unpoetised and *unspeeched.

1648.  Hexham, II. Ongespitst, Vnpointed, or *Vnspired.

1866.  in Cassell’s Techn. Educ. (1879), IV. 108/2. The fold-yards are also kept *unspouted.

1823.  E. Moor, Suffolk Words, 23. Where words occur, not readily understood by the *Unsuffolked reader, he is to take them as Suffolcisms.

1872.  G. B. Cheever, Lect. Pilgr. Progr., xiv. 345. What we know of the … state of *untabernacled souls is but little.

1890.  ‘R. Boldrewood,’ Col. Reformer (1891), 244. The serene *untempested heavens of the isles of the blest.

1860.  O. W. Holmes, Elsie V., xiv. There are states of mind … which remain not only unworded, but *unthoughted.

1867.  H. Conybeare, in Fortn. Rev., Nov., 514. There is a breadth of effect in the … *untraceried windows.

1888.  Yeats, Wand. Oisin, Poems (1908), 259.

1866.  Crichton, Rambles Orcades, 34. Over country ‘unrailway-ed’ and *‘unvilla-ed.’

  b.  Instances in which the noun is preceded by a qualifying word are not numerous, and such formations are usually individual or casual.

[1650.  Trapp, Comm. Lev. xxi. 18. Lest his Ministerie bee sleighted for … unheavenlie mindedness.]

1870.  Routledge’s Ev. Boy’s Ann., May, Suppl. 3/1. Plain white unwatermarked paper.

1872.  Ruskin, Fors Clav., xix. 6. My notion of … charity is, by no means … the giving to unable-bodied paupers.

  10.  The use of un- with present participles, revived about 1300 (see 4 above), subsequently became common, and has given rise to a large number of permanent words, such as unbecoming, unbending, unchanging, undoubting, etc. (On the participial use of such forms see 5 d.) Examples of casual formations are given below.

  Others occurring in Ash’s dictionary are unbeguiling, unbiasing, unblinding, unbuilding, unenticing, unflowing, etc.

1883.  R. Bridges, Prometh., 79. Hope … to cheer with visions fair Their *unamending pains.

1844.  Wardlaw, Prov., xxxix. (1869), II. 44. Doctrines of this easy *unannoying description.

1873.  Ruskin, Fors Clav., xxx. 2. He showed his wisdom in pleasant and *unappalling ways.

1845.  R. W. Hamilton, Pop. Educ., iii. (ed. 2), 40. Agriculture,… in the ordinary processes of its labour,… has been simple and *unarousing.

1876.  Mrs. Whitney, Sights & Ins., II. xxxviii. 673. There had been two wonderful tides, that which carried them forth, all uncertain, *unbelonging, separate.

1870.  G. T. Dodds, in Bonar, Life, ii. (1884), 70. Our study will be comparatively useless and *unbenefiting.

1885.  Pall Mall G., 6 Feb., 6/1. A safe and *unblundering guide through the mazes.

1862.  Furnivall, Handlyng Synne, Pref. p. ix. Ready to turn to account, though in an *unboring way, every opportunity.

1873.  C. E. Norton, Lett. (1913), I. viii. 471. Carlyle seemed a little weary, perhaps weakened by the mild *unbracing weather.

1837.  Whittock, Bk. Trades (1842), 358. None of these ends can be accomplished … unless this be done in a neat *‘unbungling’ manner.

1886.  Academy, 14 Aug., 109/1. The Gaelic tribes of Ireland—that ‘heap of *uncementing sand.’

1884.  Harper’s Mag., April, 659/2. Da Porta’s … *uncommenting way of telling the story.

1857.  Ld. Granville, in Life (1905), I. x. 260. I encourage the correspondence by commonplace *uncommitting acknowledgements.

1784.  R. Bage, Barham Downs, I. 101. *Unconcatenating blockhead!

1885.  Ruskin, Præterita, I. x. 307. Most [forces] act irregularly, or else at *uncorresponding periods.

1858.  Faber, Spir. Confer., 136. Of all saving things, fear … is … the most *undeluding.

1823.  D. McNicoll, Wks. (1837), 118. *Undemurring confidence.

1856.  Ruskin, Mod. Paint., IV. v. 20. To burn *undisdaining upon the reeds of the river.

1865.  Grosart, Mem. H. Palmer, 38. His was the omnipotence of the light,… silent *undisplaying might.

1805.  Med. Jrnl., XIV. 495. A simple *unembarrassing method of stopping the screw from being relaxed.

1883.  Athenæum, 15 Dec., 774/3. The stories are as *unfascinating as they can be made.

1887.  J. Hutchison, Lect. Phil., xvii. 187. The *unfaultfinding complacency with which he contemplated one of his later works.

1865.  Mrs. Carlyle, Lett. (1883), III. 263. She is so kind and *unfussing.

c. 1860.  Faber, Hymn, Sacr. Heart, iii. In that *ungrowing vision nothing deepens, nothing brightens.

1876.  Meredith, Beauch. Career, II. iv. 64. The *unlettering elusive moon.

1887.  Morris, Odyss., XII. 325. But *unlulling blew the south-wind.

1881.  R. G. White, Eng., 74. This *unmarring modesty of outward show.

1867.  J. Thomson, Vane’s Story, etc. (1881), 113. Their eyes … flashed … like swift swords That leapt *unparrying to each other’s heart.

1873.  Miss Broughton, Nancy, II. 216. I pass and re-pass the cold River Gods of the *unplaying fountain.

1862.  Mrs. Crosland, Mrs. Blake, II. 131. Men … profess … a certain horror of an *‘unpraying’ woman.

1822–7.  Good, Study Med. (1829), III. 18. In a pure and healthy, or *unpredisposing atmosphere.

1866.  J. G. Murphy, Comm., Exodus xxi. 14. The milder sentence of the *unpremeditating manslayer.

1866.  S. B. James, Duty & Doctr. (1871), 290. Eternity hastens on, and so many are unprepared, are *unpreparing, to meet it.

1864.  Realm, 24 Feb., 2. *Unpresaging of the complaints which will ere long issue from the offices.

1867.  H. Bushnell, Mor. Uses Dark Things, 195. Tropical consciences, which are out-door, self-indulgent, *unpronouncing consciences.

1862.  R. H. Patterson, Ess. Hist. & Art, 403. Secluded in position and *unproselytising in spirit.

1885.  Athenæum, 24 Oct., 533. His life was an *unprotesting protest against convention.

1821.  Cobbett, Rur. Rides (1885), I. 38. It is no very *unprovoking reflection.

c. 1800.  Macneill, To Eliza, 43. Plaguing her plain, *unpuffing spouse, About his former oaths and vows.

1882.  H. S. Holland, Logic & Life (1885), 24. These impulses cannot be altogether blind and *unpurposing.

1881.  Ruskin, Bible Amiens, iv. § 10. On the *unquaking and fruitful earth.

a. 1859.  De Quincey, Posth. Wks. (1891), I. 220. To explain the true character of note-writing—how compressed and *unrambling and direct it ought to be.

1878.  S. Cox, Salv. Mundi, vii. (ed. 3), 145. Doomed to an endless and *unredeeming torment.

1880.  S. Lanier, Sunrise, Poems (1884), 8. The wave-serrate sea-rim sinks unjarring, *unreeling.

1874.  L. Tollemache, in Fortn. Rev., Feb., 229. We are … led to describe the poet … as an *unreforming optimist.

1869.  Mrs. H. Wood, Roland Yorke, III. 173. To submit to it in *unrefuting tameness.

1854.  Faber, Growth in Holiness, xiii. 223. Go walk by the shore of that *unresounding sea.

1858.  J. Robertson, Poems, 78. As light is mixed in the *unretreating air.

1864.  A. de Vere, in Reader, 30 April, 545/1. We part … With *unreverting faces, not ingrate.

1868.  Pusey, Serm. Pharisaism, 11. Monuments … scarce held in being by our *unsacrificing gifts.

1845.  Florist’s Jrnl. (1846), VI. 177. An upright *unscrambling habit, and very blunt leaflets.

1888.  Meredith, Poems (1898), II. 143. I saw, *unsighting: her heart I saw.

1880.  A. Raleigh, Way to City (1881), 282. His goodness is a full and *unslacking stream.

1674.  N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 47. All tastless, nothing relishing: all *unsmelling, nothing scented.

1873.  Pater, Stud. Hist. Renaiss., 74. This last passion would be the most *unsoftening … of all.

1848.  Buckley, Iliad, 193. Both heard an *unsoothing reply.

1883.  R. Bridges, Prometh., 395. To sow thy seed Year after year in this *unsprouting soil.

1815.  Chalmers, Lett., in Life (1851), II. 25. The more *unstaggering your faith is … the more is God well pleased with it.

1834.  De Quincey, Autob. Sk., Wks. 1853, I. 211. We were detained a few days in those *unsteaming times by foul winds.

1863.  W. Lancaster, Præterita, 43. I lean on this *unstumbling oracle, And nourish hope.

1844.  G. S. Faber, Eight Dissert. (1845), II. 127. An *unsystematising perusal of the prophecy itself.

1885.  Irish Monthly, Nov., 598. The white monotony of *unthawing snow.

1858.  H. Bushnell, Serm. New Life, 100. More ambitious and more *untransforming to the people.

1865.  Pall Mall G., 29 Sept., 10/1. Novel sensations wherewith to enliven the *untravelling reader.

1888.  A. S. Wilson, Lyric Hopeless Love, 162. Nor vow … nor sacred rite The *ununiting can unite.

1880.  W. Watson, Prince’s Quest, etc. (1892), 94. So forward piloted…, she held her way *Unveering.

1878.  Jessie Fothergill, First Violin, VI. iv. To finger, or blow into, or beat the dumb, *unvibrating things.

1878.  B. Taylor, Deukalion, I. iv. 34. Gray sedges wave *Unwhispering ever, o’er the slimy flats.

1887.  Morris, Odyss., X. 282. Whither away … dost thou wander,… *Unwotting of the country?

  11.  In OE. adverbial formations in -líce formed a large portion of the words in un-. Very few of these survived in ME., but additions were gradually made which maintained the existence of the type (ending in -liche in southern dialects and -ly in the northern). Subsequently the use of un- with -ly again became common, independent of the form of the central element, which may be an adjective, present or past pple., etc. There are, however, two ways in which such formations may arise. Either the suffix -ly is added to a form already beginning with un-, or un- is prefixed to an adverb already formed with -ly. In most cases the difference in sense is slight or immaterial, but at times the distinction becomes important. If unprofessionally is formed from unprofessional it means ‘at variance with, contrary to, professional rules or etiquette,’ if from professionally it means ‘not in a professional manner or capacity.’

  The following are miscellaneous examples of recent formations.

  A few others occur in early dictionaries, as unaccessively, inbewailably, unfalsely, unrecoverably.

1887.  H. S. Holland, Creed & Char., 126. So He pityingly, *unangrily pronounced.

1842.  Murray’s Hand-bk. N. Italy, 21/2. The Cardinal … had most *uncardinally directed the painter [etc.].

1869.  W. G. Ward, Ess. (1884), II. 243. These *uncatholicly educated Catholics who are the Church’s most dangerous enemies.

1824.  J. Gilchrist, Etym. Interpr., 150. Many verbs … are employed both causatively and *uncausatively.

1816.  Bentham, Chrestom., Wks. 1843, VIII. 38. The short time necessary … would not be *unchrestomathically employed.

1871.  Tyndall, Fragm. Sci. (1879), II. viii. 130. If you wish to speak to me, plainly, honestly, and *undisputatiously.

1830.  W. Taylor, Hist. Surv. Germ. Poetry, II. 369. The very words, which twice before They said by heart so *unerroneously.

1887.  Pall Mall G., 18 Oct., 1/1. That her eyes are set not *ungreedily upon Morocco is notorious to every one.

1838.  Tait’s Mag., V. 279. She told her weeping tale … so mildly, and so *unhatingly towards the prisoners.

1783.  Satanical Remembrancer, 16. Our Irish Native Van Sighè, vulgarly and *unhibernically called Banshee.

1842.  Pusey, Crisis Eng. Ch., 9. It may be, that we may all together learn humility, and none … think *unhumbly of them.

1885.  Stevenson, in Contemp. Rev., April, 555. The groups which … break up the verse for utterance, fall *uniambically.

1884.  W. M. Baker, in Harper’s Mag., March, 561/2. No woman could have done more, and so naturally and *unintrusively.

1884.  A. C. Bickley, Geo. Fox, vii. 96. Lambert defended himself not altogether *unjesuitically.

1737.  Gentl. Mag., VII. 13/2. *Unliterally and ungramatically.

1833–40.  J. H. Newman, Ch. of Fathers, 264. Olybrius, our virgin’s father, who … was *unmaturely carried off.

1873.  B. Gregory, Holy Catholic Ch., xv. 162. What boots it that the chain of bishops has become … inextricably entangled and *unmendably snapped?

1838.  R. Bagot, Let., in Liddon, Life Pusey (1893), II. xxi. 57. Feeling sure that you will not think that I ever … acted *unopenly towards you.

1887.  J. A. Wylie, Hist. Scott. Nation, II. xxii. 279. Heads so *unorthodoxically shorn.

1862.  S. Lucas, Secularia, 327. He received an ostensible letter of recall, and with it a private letter apprising him that *‘unostensibly his proceedings were approved of.’

1824.  Westm. Rev., Jan., 143. Who had unprofessionally and *unpecuniarily burthened his memory with the dull details.

1875.  Howells, Foregone Concl., xv. 259. Some … harmless thing that she had *unpurposely bruised.

1889.  Saltus, Truth about T. Varick, 165. The … most *unrebuffably good-natured scoundrel that he had ever encountered.

1882.  W. R. Greg, Misc. Ess., ii. 31. As briefly and *unrhetorically as possible.

1859.  Boyd, Recreat. Country Parson (1862), 36. The massive foolscap … over which the pen so pleasantly and *unscratchingly glides.

1834.  New Monthly Mag., XLII. 53. *Unsilenceably resounded in his ears the mandate.

a. 1864.  Hawthorne, Amer. Note-bks. (1883), 352. Last night was the most uncomfortably and *unsleepably sultry that we have experienced.

1855.  Lynch, Rivulet, LXXVII. ii. *Unvauntingly, yet with defiance, One man the world may meet.

1852.  Smedley, L. Arundel, xliii. 331. His … tail, which was crumpled up *un-wag-ably in the corner.

  b.  Un- is seldom prefixed to simple adverbs. Even in OE. such formations are rare, though a few do occur, as unéaðe, unefne, unfæʓere, unfeorr, unseldan, unsófte. ME. retained most of these, but the number has at no time been greatly added to, and the later tendency is to discard such forms altogether.

  12.  The OE. use of un- with substantives (see 2 e above) survived very fully in ME., not only by the retention of old forms but by the introduction of many new, which continue to multiply in the later periods of the language. From the beginning the nouns have been almost entirely restricted to those of an abstract nature, so that forms with suffixes are numerous. In OE. and ME. the commonest of these is -ness (occasionally -dom and -ship); subsequently -ation, -ity, and -ment are frequent, as in the following selection of miscellaneous examples.

  Florio (1611), has a certain number of casual formations, as unacknowledgement, unartness, unbrittleness, undwellingness, uneloquence, unfrailness, etc. Ash gives unadequateness, uncommensurability, -ableness, unfrugalness, unliableness, unorganicalness, and various others.

1883.  A. Stewart, Nether Lochaber, l. 316. The *unabidingness … of all sublunary things.

1887.  Athenæum, 6 Aug., 177/2. Some decidedly clever … observations upon the *unactuality of old art.

1853.  Miss E. S. Sheppard, Ch. Auchester, II. 211. Here I suddenly arrested myself, for my *unaddress stared me in the face.

1884.  N. & Q., 6 Sept., 189. The Church only crossed the Jordan, and that on dry land and in the purest *unalarm.

a. 1866.  J. Grote, Exam. Utilit. Philos. (1870), 324. The *unassociativeness of different races of man.

1864.  Lowell, Fireside Trav., 263. The picturesque vivacity and ever-renewing *unassuetude of the whole scene.

1884.  Athenæum, 23 Aug., 238. The onesidedness and *unbalancement of our best efforts.

1868.  Ruskin, Time & Tide (1872), 31. I must get back to the evil light, and *uncalm, of the places I was taking you through.

1844.  Kinglake, Eöthen (1845), 324. *Unchangefulness in the midst of change.

1862.  F. Hall, Hindu Philos. Syst., 143. Atheism, injury to others, *uncompassion, falsehood, and so forth.

1873.  Mrs. Whitney, Other Girls, xxx. *Unconsent to the divine impulse comes of incongruity.

1862.  Spencer, First Princ. (1870), 281. That increase of internal motion involves a progressing *unconsolidation.

1868.  W. R. Greg, Lit. & Soc. Judgm., 390. A match for bureaucratic immovability and (to coin a word) *unconvinceability.

1882.  Ch. Times, XX. 938. All that the State can aim at is *un-crime, whereas the work of the Church is to inculcate virtue.

1865.  W. Kay, Crisis Hupfeldiana, 23. The à priori criticism, the *uncriticism, which is … chiefly intent on proving ‘two main conclusions.’

1858.  Sir C. Napier, in Times, 24 Nov., 9/5. This country must not be left in a state of *undefence.

1893.  Goldw. Smith, in Contemp. Rev., Dec., 800. There is also *undesign,… there is waste, there is failure.

1853.  Herschel, Fam. Lect. Sci., vi. § 42 (1873), 258. The three primary colours,… each in its highest degree of purity and *undilution.

1886.  Pall Mall G., 12 July, 10/1. Full of calmness, and courage, and quiet *undismay.

1866.  Carlyle, Remin. (1881), II. 21. My feeling with him was that of *unembarrassment.

1882.  Century Mag., XXIV. 44. I had no power to return to my original *unembodiment.

1868.  Dilke, Greater Brit., I. I. vi. 70. A fog of *unenterprise hung over the land.

1877.  M. Collins, Sweet & Twenty, I. xi. The *unfragrance of money adheres to him.

1889.  Pall Mall G., 25 March, 2/3. The palpable *unfrankness of the addendum.

1886.  Encycl. Brit., XX. 610/1. A more curious instance of *ungreediness for pelf than earlier cases which we have cited.

1852.  De Morgan, in Graves, Life Sir W. R. Hamilton (1889), III. 418. A unanimous *uninfallibility would be just as drowsy a dormitory as an infallible Church.

1796.  W. H. Marshall, W. England, II. 16. The roads, their *unlevelness apart, are among the best in the kingdom.

1843.  Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl., VI. 40/1. A property almost peculiar to wrought iron, namely its all but *unmeltableness.

1847.  H. Bushnell, Chr. Nurt., iii. (1861), 65. The ostrich is nature’s type of all *unmotherhood.

1879.  G. Macdonald, Sir Gibbie, xii. The earthly hitherto—the final obstacle of *unobstancy.

1862.  Mrs. H. Wood, Mrs. Hallib., II. xv. 225. Cyril was looking on…. His *unoccupation caught the Quaker’s eye.

1884.  Harper’s Mag., June, 73/2. The most … commendable feature of the charity is its privacy and *unostentation.

1877.  Blackmore, Cripps, II. ii. 23. Every single fall or rise of nature’s work … led her into various veins of inductive *unphilosophy.

1866.  Pall Mall G., 12 May, 12. Gaze down into the future upon the hateful Land of *Unpromise.

1802–12.  Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), II. 140. The publicity or *unpublicity of the process.

1883.  E. Clodd, in Knowlege, 15 June, 352/2. The *unrelation between religion and formulated theology.

1873.  Mrs. Whitney, Other Girls, xxviii. The old story of worry, discontent, *unreliance, disruption.

1868.  Edin. Rev., April, 435. Making due allowance … for a considerable amount of *unrepresentation on the part of our manufacturers.

1853.  Faber, All for Jesus, 163. Anything like *unrespectability has been so completely avoided.

1825.  Hogg, Queen Hynde, 104. To veil *unsanctitude within.

1865.  W. G. Palgrave, Arabia, II. 230. An event followed by much confusion, shouting, and awkward *unseamanship.

c. 1843.  Carlyle, Hist. Sk. Jas. I. & Chas. I. (1898), 269. The English noses in their shapes and *unshapes.

1872.  H. Bushnell, Serm. Living Subj., 335. What kind of *unsociety we suffer when we have about us only persons very unequal.

1881.  G. S. Hall, German Cult., 230. The very possibility of *unspaciality or punctuality.

1878.  J. W. Reynolds, Supernat. in Nat. (1883), 109. Making stuff pass from a no sort of *unstickingness into some sort of holding-togetherness.

1872.  Howells, Wedding Journ. (1892), 296. The young girls … had the true touch of provincial *unstylishness.

1802–12.  Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), I. 293. Suggestedness and *unsuggestedness.

1846.  G. S. Faber, Lett. Tractar. Secess., 271. To flounder in all the comfortless *untenacity of an ever-shifting quicksand.

1886.  W. J. Amherst, Hist. Cath. Emanc., I. 271. Ireland’s *ununanimity—if I may coin an expression—is England’s opportunity.

1864.  Ruskin, in Daily Tel., 28 Oct. Intrinsic value or goodness in some things, and … intrinsic *unvalue or badness in other things.

  b.  The prefixing of un- to nouns used attributively is rare and usually not intended seriously.

1673.  Penn, The Chr. a Quaker, i. Wks. (1726), 523. The Unchange-Gospel-Rule to Believers.

1771.  Lady Mary Coke, Jrnl., 13 Aug. The reason of the discontent of the unquality Ladys is that they were laugh’d at by the great Ladys.

1823.  Byron, Age of Bronze, xiv. Alas, the country! how shall tongue or pen Bewail her now uncountry gentlemen?

1852.  S. R. Maitland, Eight Ess., 236. It was a whim of the artist to sketch his subject in that occasional, uncompany costume.

1880.  Spectator, 3 Jan., 9/2. Single women, widows, and unbusiness men, are those on whom the blow chiefly fell.

  Other examples are uncurrency-style (1852), undining-room (1845), unhousehold-name (1894), unsociety-people (1898).

  13.  In OE. there are a few instances of un- with verbal substantives in -ung, as unbletsung, -brosnung, unmeltung, etc. None of these survive in ME., and new forms in -ing are rare; untiming occurs c. 1250, uncunning c. 1300, unknowing, unpunishing c. 1340. In the later language the usage also remains rare, and in nearly all verbal sbs. the prefix un- is UN-²; a few exceptions are recorded here.

1538.  Elyot, Insolentia,… vnhauntinge of a place.

1598.  Florio, Insepoltura, the vnburying of one. Ibid., Ingenerabilita, vnbegetting, ingenerabilitie.

1611.  Florio, Inconuiuenza, an vomoouing or not twinkling of the wies.

1853.  R. S. Surtees, Sponge’s Sp. Tour, iii. His sellings and his returning, his lettings and his unlettings.

1886.  Linskill, Haven under Hill, lxii. The great beauty which had been to Ermengarde Salvain as a hurt and an unblessing.

1887.  Daily Tel., 20 Dec. (Cassell’s). Why was this unowning of the plays necessary?

  14.  In OE. the use of un- with verbs is limited to formations from negative adjectives, as unclǽnsian, unrótsian, untrumian from unclǽne, unrót, untrum. (More commonly ʓe- is prefixed, as in ʓeunclǽnsian, ʓeunrétan, etc.) This type barely survived in ME., but un- began to be sparingly prefixed to ordinary verbs, as untrowen (a. 1200) to disbelieve, untrusten (a. 1225) to distrust, unbetide not to happen, unbe not to be, and similar formations are fairly common in the 16th and 17th centuries, as unbecome, unbefit, unbelieve, unbeseem, uncomprehend, unconcern, etc. Many of these are obviously suggested by the participial adjectives (unbecoming, etc.), which are quite regular in formation (see 10 above). The type is now rare, but occasional examples occur.

  a. 1175.  Twelfth Cent. Hom., 118. Swa mucele swiðor him biteriæð & unswetiæþ alle þas eorðlice þing.

c. 1205.  Lay., 11547. Vnhæle & ælde hæueð þene king vnbalded [c. 1275 onbalded]. Ibid., 15037. Þa þat folc was icumen, þa was þe king swiðe untrumed [c. 1275 ontromed].

a. 1300.  Maximian, 65 (MS. Digby 86). Forþi min herte koldeþ And mi bodi ounbeldeþ.

  1843.  E. Jones, Poems, Sens. & Event, 71. But the world unrecognized his visions of goodness.

1884.  Lord R. Churchill, in Pall Mall G., 11 Aug., 10/1. This measure … which, instead of improving the representation of the people, would only fatally unrepresent the people.

1902.  St. James’s Gaz., 31 Dec., 12/2. On the ground that the state of trade absolutely unwarrants it.

  15.  By confusion of thought, un- is sometimes used redundantly, especially in the 16th and 17th centuries, where a positive term is really intended. For examples see undated (1637), indifference (1654), undifferency (1583).