v. [UN-2 5 and 6.]
1. trans. To dig out of the earth, to exhume; to disclose by the removal of earth.
c. 1450. Mirour Saluacioun (Roxb.), 7. When he his fadirs body efter deth vnherthid.
1626. T. H[awkins], trans. Caussin’s Holy Crt., 67. As Diamonds buryed in a Dunghill, which if once you vn-earth,… will set the sunne before your eyes.
1798. Wordsw., Simon Lee, 75. I chanced to see This old Man doing all he could To unearth the root of an old tree.
a. 1845. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. III. Knight & Lady. His cane,… which he used … when unearthing his worms and his grubs.
1877. Huxley, Physiogr., 209. When the ruins were first unearthed, the upper floor stood much higher.
b. To force out of a hole or burrow.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., I. 48. Hee was jealous, that the Foxe was now vn-earthed.
1730. Thomson, Autumn, 475. The sly destroyer of the flock … from his craggy winding haunts unearth’d.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xii. We will join the rest … and see their luck at unearthing the badger.
1844. H. H. Wilson, Brit. India, III. 39. One man … dug a hole in the ground deep enough to give him shelter,… [but] he was speedily unearthed.
transf. 1841. Lever, C. O’Malley, cxii. Oh, it’s you, is it?—at last! so I’ve unearthed you, have I?
c. To free from, to clear by removal of, earth.
1663. Davenant, Siege of Rhodes, I. 31. Away! unchain the Streets, unearth the Ports! Pull down each barracade!
2. fig. To bring to light; to disclose, reveal, discover, etc. (Freq. from c. 1860.)
1820. Byron, Blues, ii. Scamp. They have merit, I own…. Ink. Then why not unearth it in one of your lectures?
1863. Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., xii. 308. You may trust a woman to unearth a plot.
1883. Stevenson, Silverado Sq., 114. What would I not have given to unearth a letter…?
3. fig. To free from earthly qualities.
1765. J. Brown, Chr. Jrnl., 286. O to be unearthed, unselfed, that I may be like him!
Hence Unearthed ppl. a.1; Unearthing vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1612. Two Noble K., V. i. 58. Thou mighty one,… whose havocke in vaste Feild Vnearthed skulls proclaime.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., III. IV. 21. An unearthed blind mole … Was wandering there.
1876. Fox Bourne, Locke, II. xv. 527. To invent,… with much … material of his own unearthing, the art of logic.
1897. 19th Cent., Aug., 276. I got to regard a resurrection man as … an unearthly because unearthing demon.
