[OE. unclǽnnes, f. unclǽne UNCLEAN a. Cf. CLEANNESS.]

1

  1.  The quality or state of being morally or spiritually unclean; moral impurity; an instance of this.

2

c. 897.  K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xiii. 75. Se reccere sceal bion simle clæne on his ʓeðohte, ðætte nan unclænnes hine ne besmite.

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c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxiii. 25. ʓe synt innan fulle reaflaces and unclænnysse.

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a. 1100.  in Napier, O. E. Glosses, I. 4225. Lascivæ obscenitatis, wrænre unclænnysse.

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c. 1200.  Ormin, 2168. Swa summ þatt laþe maȝȝdenn iss Þat sekeþþ unclænnesse.

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1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 8949. Vor me ne miȝte hire neuere ise vnclannesse [v.r. vnclennysse] do ene.

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1340.  Ayenb., 203. Uoule wordes þet wendeþ to ribaudye and to onclennesse.

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1382.  Wyclif, 2 Pet. ii. 20. Men forsakinge the defoulinges, or vnclennesses, of the world.

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1411–2.  Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 3724. Natheles eschued he þe taast Of vnclennesse, and kepte his body chaast.

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c. 1450.  Capgrave, Life St. Aug., xxiv. 33. Sche defouled neuer hir lippis with no vnclennesse.

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1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 90 b. Scurrilite or spekynge of fylthy wordes, vnclennes, moche speche or many wordes.

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1577.  Holinshed, Chron., II. 340/2. Diuers of those … myghte haply fall into moste horrible vncleannesse.

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1611.  Bible, Ezek. xxxvi. 29. I wil also saue you from all your vncleannesses.

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1643.  Milton, Divorce, 16. Let him not put her away for the meer surmise of Judaicall uncleannes.

15

1714.  Berkeley, Serm., Wks. 1871, IV. 606. Their Sacred Rites were polluted with acts of uncleanness and debauchery.

16

1748.  Smollett, R. Random, vii. There being no scandal equal to that of uncleanness.

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1865.  C. J. Vaughan, Plain Words, iv. (1866), 70. Still is the living fountain open for all sin and all uncleanness.

18

  2.  Physical impurity; filthiness, foulness; squalor.

19

c. 950.  Rit. Eccl. Dunelm. (Surtees), 121. Svæ hvæd in hvsvm … þas yð eft astræʓde beværle vnclænnisse [L. careat immunditia].

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a. 1100.  in Napier, O. E. Glosses, I. 4455. Olidos squalores, fule unclænnessa.

21

1390.  Gower, Conf., III. 100. The Splen doth him to lawhe and pleie, Whan al unclennesse is aweie.

22

1487.  Rolls of Parlt., VI. 391/1. To great hurt and disease of the Kyngs Leige People … goyng … in the said Stretis and Suburbes, and also grete unclenness of the same.

23

1534.  Act 26 Hen. VIII., c. 8. Vacant groundes … replenisshed with muche vncleanes & filth to the great annusance of the said inhabitantes.

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1598.  Grenewey, Tacitus, Ann., XII. xi. (1622), 172. The horse-men … were put to fight … by reason of the difficulties and vncleannesse of the place.

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1663.  Cowley, Ess. in Verse & Pr., viii. Yet the very sight of Uncleanness is loathsome to the Cleanly.

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