Now only arch. Forms: α. 1–3 uneaðe (3 -æðe), 2–3 uneðe (2 -ieþe), 3 on-, 4 uneþe, 4–6 unethe (4–5 on-), 6 Sc. on-, uneith, 6– uneath. β. 3–5 unneþe (3 -eæþe, -eðe, onneþe), 4–6 (9) unnethe (5 onnethe, unnythe); 3 unneaðe, -eaþe, 4 onn(y)eaþe, 6–7 unneath, 7 unneeth. γ. 4–7 uneth (5–6 oneth), 4 unneþ, 4–7 unneth. (Also 3–7 vn-.) [OE. unéaðe, f. un- UN-1 11 b + éaðe EATH adv.]
1. Not easily; (only) with difficulty; scarcely, hardly.
In very common use from c. 1300 to c. 1600. Usually denoting limitation of the power to act in the way desired or intended, so that the sense of ‘scarcely’ becomes the prominent one.
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., v. § 3. Uneaþe ic mæʓ forstandan þine acsunga. Ibid., xxxix. § 4. Uneaðe hire cymð æniʓ mon of, ʓif he ærest an cemð.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xix. 23. Fordon wlonc uneaðe vel hefiʓ innʓeongas in ric heofna.
a. 1000. Colloq. Ælfric, in Wr.-Wülcker, 96. Hwylon forlidenesse ic þolie…, uneaþe cwic ætberstende.
a. 1050[?]. O. E. Chron. (MS. C), an. 1040. He … astealde þa swiðe strang ʓyld, þat man hit uneaðe acom.
c. 1205. Lay., 31438. Mucchel del heo sloȝen of þan mon-weorede, and þe king Penda uneðe gon anwende.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1605. Þu me hauest sore igremed … Þat ic may vnneþe speke.
13[?]. Sir Beues (A.), 884. So mani arwes to him þai sende, Unneþe a miȝte him self defende.
c. 1369. Chaucer, Dethe Blaunche, 712. As I yow telle Vnnethe myght y lenger duelle.
1382. Pol. Poems (Rolls), I. 267. Unnethe may prestes seculers Gete any service for thes frers.
c. 1440. Generydes, 977. So sorowfull he was That he onnethe myght speke to the kyng. Ibid., 4946. [He] was … sore for-bled that vnnethe myght he stonde.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1906), 9. Making suche noise that unnethe thei might haue herde the thundre.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 338 b. Whiche did asmuche benefite to the commenweale, as uneth any penne maye wryte.
1578. Lyte, Dodoens, V. lxxiv. 641. The blades are cut almost euery day harde by the grounde,… and therefore it can vnethe or scarsely growe vp.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 90. Thyme seed lyeth so close, that unneth or hardly it can be found.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, I. § 70. 117. There was so grievous a mortality of people, as the quicke might unneath burie the dead.
a. 1656. Ussher, Ann. (1658), 395. His army grew so loaden with the spoile … that they were unneeth able to march above five mile a day.
1739. G. West, Abuse Trav., xliii. A small river, that full slow did glide, As it uneath mote find its watry path For stones and rubbish.
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, VI. xxix. The standers-by might hear uneath, Footstep, or voice,… Through all the lengthen’d row.
1834. Hare, Guesses (1848), 346. Man’s hard, clencht mouth, whence words uneath do slip.
b. Scarcely, hardly, barely (in respect of extent, amount, degree, etc.).
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 33. Þeues … wundeden him swiðe sore, and forleten him unneðe liues.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 1421. After him was gayus [emperor] vif ȝer vnneþe.
c. 1300. Seyn Julian (Ashm. MS.), 178. Þat led þat bolynde was, vnneþe it þoȝte hire warm.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Anel. & Arc., 135. On him is al hir thought, Þat wele vnneþe of mete tooke she keepe.
1399. Gower, Conf., I. 364. The remenant of folk aboute Unethe stonden eny doute To werre ech other and to slee.
c. 1430. Two Cookery-bks., 44. Put hem in a panne…, & vnneþe ony grece in þe panne.
1484. Caxton, Fables of Alfonce, i. I haue lyued lenger than thy self haste & vnnethe I haue gete half a frend.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 296. Uneth any tree [is] more goodly to beholde afarre of then the cypres tree.
1596. Fitz-Geffrey, Sir F. Drake (1881), 58. Honour enmoves her to attempt the flight, And wave her feathers (unneath taught to flie).
1606. N. Baxter, Sidney’s Ourania, D ij. Ignorant, lewde, Uneth with one drop of Nectar bedewde.
† c. With accompanying negative. Obs.
13[?]. Guy Warw. (A.), 254. He no dar his loue keþe, No sen hir wel vnneþe.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 100. Al my breste bolleþ for bitter of my galle; May no suger so swete aswagen hit vnneþe.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1919), xxii. 128. Fissches … casten hem self to the see banke of þat yle, so gret plentee … þat noman may vnnethe see but fissch.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. 3392. Wel onethe he ne myȝt endure Hym to dismembre.
1477. Paston Lett., III. 175. The causey … is so over flowyn that ther is no man that may onethe passe it.
1559. Primer, in Priv. Prayers (1851), 90. I dare not unneth make my prayers unto thee, for thou art angry with me.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, V. xxxiv. And further ads,… That none offence could greater be vneath, And yet the place the fault did aggrauate.
† d. ellipt. with but. (Cf. BUT conj. 7.) Obs.
1601. Weever, Mirr. Mart., C 2 b. A vile contagious mist which can vnneath But pestilence or worse diseases breede.
† e. erron. Almost. Obs. rare.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. xi. 4. A roaring hideous sound That … seemd vneath to shake the stedfast ground.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, IV. lix. Thus causelesse hatred, endlesse is vneath.
† 2. a. Reluctantly, unwillingly. Obs.
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., II. ii. 100. Þa ʓeðafodan þæt uneaðe þa his ʓesacan.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxxiii. 11. Ic bidde þe, þæt þu onfo þissa laca…. Þa underfeng he hiʓ uneaðe.
a. 1200. Moral Ode, 189. We ȝeueð uneðe [v.r. uneaðe] for his luue a stuche of ure brede.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xxxiii. 11. Vnneth, the brother compellynge, takynge [he] seith, Goo we togideres.
† b. In difficult circumstances; in hardship. Obs.
1591. Spenser, F. Q., I. ix. 38. Is then uniust to each his due to giue?… Or let him die at ease, that liueth here vneath?
a. 1592. Greene, Selimus, I. 375. The gray-beard … liu’d at ease, while others liu’d vneath.
† 3. Scarcely, in respect of time; only just. Obs.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxvii. 30. Uneaðe Isaac ʓeendode þas spræce, þa Iacob ut eode.
c. 1205. Lay., 16397. Vn-neæðe [c. 1275 onneþe] wes þis spel isæid to þan ende, Þa iseȝen heo Hængest halden ouer dune.
a. 1225. Leg. Kath., 1993. Þis Wes uneaðe iseid, Þet an engel ne com.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11685. Vnnethe had he said þe sune, Quen þe tre it boghed dune.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xxvii. 30. Vnneth Ysaac had fulfillid the word, and Jacob goon out, Esau com.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 4185. Vnneth his prayer was past, quen purid all þe cloudis.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 1227. Whan kynge Vulfer approched his castell And vnneth was entred into his hall.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & Fly, lxxiv. 83. I was no soner returnd vnneth, Ere I had … iudgement of deth.
