Unfailing

ppl. a. (and adv.). [UN-¹ 10.]

  1.  Not failing or giving way.

a. 1400.  Sir Perc., 1474. Thair scheldis were un-failande.

1648.  Bp. Hall, Serm., Wks. 1808, V. 545. Hereby … are we freed from the sense of the second death and the sting of the first, to the unfailing comfort of our souls.

1653.  Blithe, Eng. Improver Impr., 129. An unfailing Prevention of Crows, Rooks, or Daws from Corn.

1718.  Pope, Iliad, XV. 551. Some god … Has, from my arm unfailing, struck the bow.

1798.  S. & Ht. Lee, Canterb. T., II. 554. May you deserve that love, is the prayer of your unfailing friend.

1827.  Pollok, Course T., X. 2. My God! my Father! my unfailing hope!

  2.  Never giving out or coming to an end; unceasing, constant, continual.

1382.  Wyclif, Ecclus. xxiv. 6. I made in heuenus, that vnfailende liȝt shulde springe.

1435.  Misyn, Fire of Love, 33. Þi swetnes…, þat end art of syghing, of desire begyninge, þe ȝate of ȝernynge vnfaylinge.

c. 1450.  Myrr. our Ladye, 180. But thow in thyne vnfaylynge fayrenesse … shuldest abyde vndepartably in his moste loued loue.

1784.  Cowper, Tiroc., 316. This fond attachment … Maintains its hold with such unfailing sway, We feel it ev’n in age.

1832.  Lytton, Eugene A., I. i. He found a pure and unfailing delight in watching the growth of their young minds.

1855.  [J. R. Leifchild], Cornwall, 127. An unfailing bank of bituminous bullion.

1876.  Bancroft, Hist. U.S., I. x. 29. A country … watered by unfailing rivers.

  3.  Infallible, positive, certain. † Also as adv.

c. 1400.  Sc. Trojan War, II. 273. Quharfor wnfalȝeand ar we Mayd rytht certeyn þat it shall be.

1553.  Wood, trans. Gardner’s True Obed., To Rdr. A ij b. The vndoubted truth of gods vnfailing word.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vii. II. 164. The event of battles, indeed, is not an unfailing test of the abilities of a commander.

1853.  Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxix. (1856), 240. This frost-smoke is an unfailing indication of open water.

1862.  A. Meadows, Man. Midwifery, 76. One almost unfailing test may be here mentioned, namely, chloroform.

  † 4.  As adv. Without fail, unfailingly. Obs.

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., IX. xxi. 2146 (Cott. MS.). Off Marche þe xxv. day, Wnfaillande þat [sc. the Annunciation] sal be ay.

  Hence Unfailingness.

c. 1630.  Sanderson, Serm., II. 307. The stability, unchangeableness, and unfailingness of Gods counsels.

a. 1656.  Bp. Hall, Serm., Wks. 1837, V. 576. We may be so much the more infallibly assured … by how much we do more know his unfailingness, his unchangeableness.