a. [UN-1 7.]
1. Not conducing to ease or comfort; productive of physical discomfort. Also in fig. context. † Occas. const. to (a person).
c. 1290. Beket, 1446, in S. Eng. Leg., I. 148. Swiþe on-aisi [v.r. unese] was is brech a-boute for-to ride.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. clxix. (Bodl. MS.). Whete þat groweth in vnmoderat tyme & vnesy wedre & tyme is vnperfite.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 265. If the skin be newly fretted off by wearing some uneasie shoes.
1660. N. Ingelo, Bentiv. & Ur., II. (1682), 21. Golden fetters are as uneasie as those of Iron.
1713. Guardian, No. 32, ¶ 7. [He] appeared in Cloths, that were so strait and uneasy to him, that he seemed to move with Pain.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. v. 183. The heat in … the tropics must be much more troublesome and uneasy.
1820. Keats, Hyperion, II. 64. Above her, on a crag’s uneasy shelve,… Shadow’d Enceladus.
1860. Hawthorne, Marb. Faun, viii. A minute’s walk will transport the visitor from the small, uneasy lava stones.
† b. Causing mental discomfort or disquietude; unpleasant, disagreeable. Obs. Very common in 18th cent., freq. with to.
1483. Gower’s Conf. (Caxton) v. 459. Wherof it is yt he conceyueth That ylke vnesy [orig. unsely] maladye, The which is cleped jelousye.
1669. Earl Orrery, Parthen. (1676), 790. Till I knew my Fate … I should be in Horrors, whose visible Effects were the least uneasie part of them.
1691. Stillingfleet, Charge, 52. Nothing will be more uneasie to me, than to be forced to make use of any Severity against you.
1744. Johnson, Lett. to J. Levett, 3 Jan. Not to have the satisfaction of waiting upon [you] … will be a great and uneasy disappointment.
1788. Charlotte Smith, Emmeline (1816), IV. 240. The anxiety of Delamere … is uneasy even to me. Ibid. (1798), Yng. Philos., IV. 209. My mother,… I thought, wished … to conceal something from me; that something then must be uneasy.
c. Characterized by absence of ease or comfort; suggesting or manifesting want of ease in body or mind.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VI. clxxii. 167. Alurede, beynge thus ouerset in multytude of enemyes,… ladde an vncertayne lyfe, and vneasy.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. v. 36. Where was a Caue … Deepe, darke, vneasie, dolefull, comfortlesse.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., II. § 55. They … made the residence of any amongst them very uneasy, and very insecure, who were but suspected by them not to wish well to their Proceedings.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 295. His Spear … He walkt with to support uneasie steps Over the burning Marle.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. v. 184. That uneasy and suffocating sensation.
1780. Mirror, No. 88. I soon found my situation at the university a very hard and uneasy one.
1846. Mrs. A. Marsh, Father Darcy, II. iii. 75. He sank into an uneasy slumber.
1893. Tout, Edw. I., 54. The surgeons exchanged uneasy whispers.
† 2. Of persons: Troublesome, annoying, disagreeable, unaccommodating (to others). Obs.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 87. Euere þei beeþ vnesi [L. inquieti] to hir owne neiheboures oþer to strong [= strange] men.
c. 1400. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483), IV. xxxiv. 83. Shirreues shold speke for the peple, so that they be nought mysfaren ne ouercharged with ouer sore seruyce ne by vnesy lordes.
1652. Nicholas Papers (Camden), 291. I am much afraid that Mr. Attorney will be very unquiet with his associates and uneasy to the K[ing] in council.
1678. Dryden, All for Love, II. i. 26. I kept you far from an uneasie Wife.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time, II. xii. (1897), I. 481. He was cynical in the whole administration, and uneasy to the king in every thing.
1737. Whiston, Josephus, Antiq., I. xviii. § 4. Not caring to be uneasy to his son,… he resolved to be silent.
† b. Unfriendly: on bad terms. Obs.–1
1725. P. Walkden, Diary (1866), 15. I … discoursed them concerning the division that is among them, and they both own they had been uneasy, but were now reconciled.
† c. Displeased, dissatisfied. Obs.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time, III. vii. (1900), II. 125. The king was uneasy at this, and sent them several very angry messages. Ibid., xvii. 449. The king seemed to be so uneasy with him, that he was glad to send him away from the court.
d. Uncompromising, rigid.
1819. Byron, Juan, I. lxii. Ladies even of the most uneasy virtue Prefer a spouse whose age is short of thirty.
3. Not easy or simple; difficult, hard, troublesome. Now rare. (Common in 17th c.)
In first quot. = ‘having difficulty.’
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. vi. (Tollem. MS.). The thycker and more trowbled spirite that a man hathe, the uneasyer [L. tanto difficilior] and the feblier of syghte he is. Ibid., VI. xx. (Bodl. MS.). In olde menne abstinence of mete is eth and esy, and in ȝonge menne & children hard and vnesye.
1570. Levins, Manip., 108. Vneasy, difficilis.
1591. Savile, Tac. Hist., I. xxi. 50. By lewdenesse and craft (a matter not vneasy) [he] bare it away from good men.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, I. III. 139. About this time the Spartans beganne to perceive how uneasie a thing it would bee to maintaine the warre against men as good as themselves.
1663. Boyle, Consid. Usef. Nat. Philos., II. (1664), 348. To keep the rectified Spirit … is more uneasie, than any thing but trial would make one think.
a. 1724. in Ramsay’s Tea-t. Misc. (1733), I. 22. If I can but get it [sc. a sword] drawn, Which will be right uneasy.
1851. Helps, Comp. Solit., iii. 37. By a not uneasy diversion of mind, I turned to another branch.
1900–1. in Eng. Dial. Dict.
b. Const. with inf. (active or passive).
(a) a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 241. The kyng of England answered, that the tounes of Flanders were … verie uneasie to bee kepte when they were conquered.
1603. H. Crosse, Vertues Commw. (1878), 45. A way vneasie to be trackt, hard to finde.
1666. Boyle, Orig. Forms & Qual., 268. Much more elaborate, and therefore more uneasie to be restored, then that of many other Concretes.
(b) 1570. Buchanan, Admonitioun, Wks. (S.T.S.), 26. It is not vneasie to persave … that yai meane … ye deid of ye King.
1594. Sylvester, Monodia, 82. Till time … had worne away Her sorrowe’s edge, uneasie to allay.
1621. Quarles, Div. Poems, Esther, Wks. (Grosart), II. 58/2. To him there’s nought vneasie to atchieue.
1690. T. Burnet, Theory Earth, II. 163. It will be very uneasie to give a satisfactory account … of the regeneration.
1819. Scott, Ivanhoe, ii. ‘The road will be uneasy to find,’ answered Gurth.
† c. Of ways, etc.: Difficult to traverse on account of ruggedness, steepness, or other obstacles. Obs.
1550. T. Hoby, Trav. (1902), 46. It is a very uneasie waye by the reason of the great quantitie of great and sharpe stones that are upon yt.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. i. 221. As he strived to gette vp a way which was somewhat rough and vneasie, hee was forced to lay holde vpon a braunch.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, XI. 458. The flood, constrained within a scanty space, Roars horrible along the uneasy race.
1756. Nugent, Gr. Tour, Italy, III. 38. Gentlemen … are in the wrong to choose to travel there in winter, for the ways are uneasy at that time, and dangerous.
† d. Difficult to handle. Obs.–0
1611. Cotgr., Inhabile,… vnweldie, vneasie, vnhandsome.
4. Uncomfortable or disturbed in mind; anxious, apprehensive.
1680. Burnet, Rochester, Pref. A 5 b. He … seemed not uneasie at my frequent Visits.
1693. in Verney Memoirs (1907), II. 486. Nothing but the want of your blessing can make me uneasie, for otherwise I am perfectly happy.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, II. (Globe), 362. The Spaniard … found himself Very uneasy in the Night, and could by no Means get any Sleep.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. ix. 230. We began to be uneasy for her safety.
1782. Miss Burney, Cecilia, V. i. It contributed to render her thoughtful and uneasy.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Ireland, 38. His countenance brightened,… but he still seemed uneasy till he had put one question.
1859. W. Collins, Q. of Hearts, I. 117. I was … as anxious and as uneasy as our guest.
b. Suffering physical discomfort.
1725. N. Robinson, Th. Physick, 276. If he be very restless and uneasy, let the following Prescriptions be exhibited.
c. Of animals: Restless, unsettled.
1855. Poultry Chron., II. 449/2. Should they not be fed at regular intervals, it will tend to make them uneasy and discontented.
1897. ‘Mrs. Rayner,’ Typewriter Girl, xix. Like … restless Spanish sheep in spring, when they herd and leap, uneasy to be driven to their pastures in the mountains.
d. transf. Of things: Moving in a disturbed or unquiet manner.
1816. L. Hunt, Rimini, III. 61. Scattering smiles on this uneasy earth.
c. 1860. H. Stuart, Seaman’s Catech., 62. Weights at the extremities cause a ship to be uneasy in a sea-way.
1894. Crockett, Raiders, 103. The upper arch of the cave is not less than forty feet above the floor of uneasy water.
5. Quasi-adv. Uneasily.
1596. Mascall, Govt. Cattle, 120. Let your axeltrees … fill close the nathes of the wheeles, for when they gaggle or shake, they goe vneasie.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. i. 31. Vneasie lyes the Head, that weares a Crowne.
1684. Contempl. St. Man, II. viii. (1699), 226. You … will perswade your self, that you never laid so uneasie in your whole Life before.
1807. Southey, Espriella’s Lett., I. 176. The farmer told him it was but an uneasy-going beast.
1862. Thackeray, Philip, xxviii. [So] thinks the general, rolling uneasy on the midnight pillow.
