v. Obs. [UN-2 4.]
1. trans. To disembowel (a person or animal); to eviscerate, exenterate.
1552. Huloet, Vnbowell, exentero.
1591. R. W[ilmot], Tancred & Gism., Argt. Afterward … he commanded the Earle to be attached, imprisoned, strangled, vnbowelled.
1606. S. Gardiner, Bk. Angling, 123. The hand of this cunning worke-man vnbowelleth him.
1651. Howell, Venice, 84. After the Duke is dead, he is unbowell’d, his body embalm’d.
a. 1691. Boyle, Hist. Air (1692), 182. This prepared, they first unbowelled the corps.
fig. 1592. Nashe, Four Lett. Confut., Wks. (Grosart), II. 198. Before I vnbowell the leane Carcase of thy book any further.
1654. Cokaine, Dianea, IV. 336. All Vices are Vices; but Cruelty holds the preheminence. It spoiles, unbowels, unsoules the World.
1713. C’tess Winchelsea, Misc. Poems, 389. Would you then have me live, when thus unbowell’d, Without the Charms of my Aristor’s presence?
b. refl. (a) To exhaust oneself; to expend one’s strength or means; (b) to unbosom oneself.
(a) 1647. A. Ross, Mystag. Poet., i. (1675), 30. Covetous men are like spiders, they unbowel, that is they consume and spend themselves with care and toyl to catch a fly.
1650. Howell, Giraffi’s Rev. Naples, I. 27. With such cries … they did unbowell themselves to provide furniture for the War.
(b) 1650. H. Brooke, Conserv. Health, 205. Thus … did this famous Deviner unbowel himself and thereby … made some amends for his former impostures.
1655. Sanderson, Serm. (1681), II. Pref. Since I had thus adventured to unbowel my self.
2. fig. To empty of contents; to open up; to make hollow. Also in fig. context.
1597. J. King, On Jonas (1618), 78. They ransack all the corners of the shippe, vnbowell her inmost cells, throwe out commodities.
1610. Histrio-m., III. 62. Then stooping suiters … May groaning come, unbowelling the bagges Of their rich burthens in your wide-mouth’d deskes.
1646. Gataker, Mistake Removed, To Rdr. 2. Partly to unbowel and lay open some part of that unsound stuff that lies closely couched in this covert vault.
a. 1785. Glover, Athenaid, XXVII. A native arch … Expands before an excavation deep, Unbowelling the hill.
b. To open up or disclose by investigation or exposition. (Common in 17th c.)
1606. J. King, Serm., Sept. 15. The whole book of God must be vnbowelled, and all the wit of man ransackt, to finde out a stile honorable enough for their new erected presbytery.
1659. E. Hopton, Encomium, in T. Barker, Art of Angling (ed. 2). Thou hast unbowell’d Dame Natures part In a Vade mecum.
1693. Norris, Pract. Disc. (1698), IV. 178. When this Great Thought comes to be open’d and unbowell’d, to be unravell’d and laid bare.
c. To display or reveal.
1650. Baxter, Saints’ R., I. vii. 91. When we shall feed at Josephs own house,… when he shall fully unbowel his love unto us, and take us to dwell in Goshen by him.
Hence † Unbowelling vbl. sb. Obs.
a. 1639. Spottiswoode, Hist. Ch. Scot. (1655), VI. xiii. 306. Whether they perceived any sign of poyson at his unbowelling.
a. 1653. Binning, Serm. (1845), 340. The not unbowelling of our hidden affections.
1694. Westmacott, Script. Herb., 41. The embalmer … then salted, without any Incision or unbowelling, the whole body with Sal Nitri.
