ppl. a. [UN-1 8.]
† 1. Of persons: Not personally known (to one). Obs. (Cf. 4.)
1529. More, Suppl. Souls, Wks. 288/1. Your humble & vnacquaynted, and half forgotten supplyantes.
1586. J. Hooker, Hist. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 155/2. He was more like a father than a freend, and more like a freend than an vnacquainted countriman.
1607. Dekker & Webster, Northw. Hoe, I. i. Being a Londoner though altogether vnacquainted, I haue requested his company at supper.
† 2. Of things: Unknown, unfamiliar, strange, unusual. Obs. (Common c. 1560–1640.)
1551. T. Wilson, Logike, Ep. to King, A iv. I haue … enterprised to ioyne an acquaintance betwiene Logique, and my countrymen, from the whiche they haue bene hetherto barred, by tongues vnacquaynted.
1565. Jewel, Reply Harding (1611), 53. Certainly this phrase was so farre vnacquainted and vnknowen in that World, that the very Originals of these Decrees haue it not.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades (1592), 467. The name of merites is an vnacquainted terme, not vsed in the scriptures.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., X. 458. I was confident to dye a fearefull and vnacquainted death.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 126. Although the other punishments are more severe, yet this being more new and unacquainted, I cannot pass it by.
† b. Const. to. Obs. rare.
1572. Buchanan, Detection Marie Q. of Scottes, H ij b. The kinde of disease, strange, vnknawin to the pepill, vnacquainted to phisitiones.
1598. Yong, Diana, 452. Marcelius, Diana, and Ismenia, were lodged in two chambers in the Palace,… lodgings vnacquainted to simple Shepherds.
3. Of persons (rarely of things): Having no acquaintance with (= knowledge of) something.
(a) 1563. Golding, Cæsar, III. (1565), 70 b. Conueying thyther by water wold be very combersome, bycause the Romanes were vnacquainted wyth those countryes.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. § 143. Sir Dudley Carleton … was unacquainted with the Government, Laws, and Customs of his own Country.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. ii. Wks. 1874, I. 36. There may be some impossibilities in the nature of things, which we are unacquainted with.
1771. Junius Lett., lviii. (1788), 312. I profess to be unacquainted with his private character.
1815. Scott, Guy M., liv. Hazlewood, unacquainted with their plan of assault, was a moment later.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. ix. 269. To those unacquainted with the fact of their motion,… the assertion that a glacier moves must appear … startling and incredible.
(b) 1605. Verstegan, Dec. Intell., i. (1628), 1. The Irish language … is … vtterly vnacquainted with the names of England and of Englishmen.
1615. Sandys, Trav., IV. 254. A bay … vnacquainted with tempests.
1646. P. Bulkeley, Gospel Covt., IV. 303. Faith being … yet unacquainted with the Lords dealing with his people.
1860. Adler, Prov. Poet., 351. This poetry was unacquainted with the dramatic form.
† b. Const. in, of, or to. Obs.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia (1622), 360. So that poor Apollo was faine to leade a very miserable life, vnacquainted to worke, and never vsed to begge.
1704. Swift, T. Tub, Ded. Being very unacquainted in the style and form of dedications.
1787. Charlotte Smith, Romance Real Life, I. 290. A species of torture, but of the nature of which we are happily unacquainted in this country.
1805. trans. Lafontaine’s Hermann & Emilia, IV. 181. She is unacquainted of this circumstance, and she must remain in ignorance of it.
c. Without const.: Inexperienced; ignorant. Also with that and clause.
In quot. 1791 = in ignorance.
1581. Allen, Apol., 121. Death and dungeons be not so terrible things to Christes souldiars, as they seeme to the vnacquainted.
1581. Studley, Medea, A v. Not any guilt thou shalt with unacquainted hand assay.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., X. 426. I thinke it best to show the vnacquainted Reader, a reasonable satisfaction for [etc.].
1663. Boyle, Usef. Exp. Nat. Philos., I. i. 3. The surprizing spectacle of so many and various Objects, as presented themselves to her unacquainted Sight.
1791. J. Learmont, Poems, 15. Tho’ unacquaintit she has wooet Wi’ ane that is his fae.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, IV. v. Is she unacquainted that a little knowledge of books and languages is what alone I have been taught?
4. Of persons: Not having acquaintance, not being on terms of personal knowledge, with another. Also without const.: Not mutually acquainted.
1633. Massinger, Guardian, V. iv. You know the proscribed Severino,—he not unacquainted, but familiar, with The most of you.
1657. Reeve, God’s Plea, 263. The Omniscient God is not unacquainted with them that are most dear to him, his Elect.
1766. Goldsm., Vicar W., xxviii. Sir,… you are unacquainted with the man that oppresses us.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xx. Were my mother to see you … I am sure she would approve; but you are unacquainted personally.
1892. H. Lane, Differ. Rheum. Dis. (ed. 2), Pref. The exceeding kindness … with which friends, as well as critics, with whom I was personally unacquainted, received my first literary venture.
