ppl. a. [UN-1 8.]
1. Of clergy: Not holding a position of dignity; not ranking as a dignitary. ? Obs.
1689. Apol. Fail. Walker’s Acc., 24. All this by the Service … attributed to one of their undignify’d Clergy.
1776. Entick, London, I. 95. A great number of the undignified clergy.
1833. Alison, Hist. Eur., I. iii. 125. The great body of the undignified ecclesiastics.
2. Not dignified by or with something; undistinguished.
1716. Swift, Further Acc. F. Curll, Wks. 1755, III. I. 154. An undignified scribler of a sheet and half.
1744. J. Harris, Coll. Voy & Trav., I. Ded. I have also chosen the greatest … Body of Men undignified with Titles.
1779–81. Johnson, L. P., Prior, Wks. III. 134. Through the reigns of William and Anne no prosperous event passed undignified by poetry.
a. 1821. [see UNBENEFITED].
3. Lacking in dignity of manner, etc.
1782. V. Knox, Ess., i. (1819), I. 18. The undignified vivacity of nations which have been taught by their philosophy to degrade human nature.
1836. Hor. Smith, Tin Trump., I. 14. Deep and genuine emotion … is never undignified, never ungraceful.
1880. McCarthy, Own Times, xli. III. 233. He sometimes ran the risk of seeming undignified.
Hence Undignifiedly adv.
1856. Faber, Creator & Creature, I. ii. (1858), 70. Facts which Seem so undignifiedly familiar.
1859. F. Francis, Newton Dogvane, xxx. Sneaking,… undignifiedly, out of the gate.
