(UN-1 8 b or f. UNGIRD v. Cf. OFris. un-, ongert, MDu. ongegort (Du. -gord), MHG. (and G.) ungegürtet.]
1. Not girded or wearing a girdle; having the girdle or belt undone, slackened, or removed.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 10826. Vn-hosed & bareuot & vngurt al so.
13[?]. Coer de L., 4153. Out com the wardayn Orgayl, And an hundryd knyghtes…, Barefoot, ungyrt, withouten hood.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1943. Bar-fot þou most go, Al open-her, & eke oungerte.
c. 1400. Gamelyn, 215. Barfoot and vngirt Gamelyn In came.
1550. Thomas, Ital. Gram., Discinto, vngyrte.
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentrie, 109. The idle and sluggish person … goeth loose and vngirt.
1604. Littleton’s Tenures, C 2 b. When the Tenaunt shall make Homage to his Lord, he shall be vngirt, and his head vncouered.
a. 1658. Cleveland, Old Gill, vi. She has always the Squirt, She is loose and ungirt.
1700. J. Tyrrell, Hist. Eng., II. 835. Prince Lewis coming Barefoot and Ungirt from his own Pavillion.
a. 1822. Shelley, Fragm. Elegy Death Adonis, 18. Aphrodite … is wandering through the woods, ’Wildered, ungirt, unsandalled.
1850. Rossetti, Blessed Damozel, ii. Her robe, ungirt from clasp to hem.
† b. In proverbial use. Obs.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. v. 18. Fie on the man, that did it first inuent, To shame vs all with this, ‘Vngirt vnblest.’
1635. Quarles, Embl., III. xiii. Am I a fitting Guest … With hands and face unwash’d, ungirt, unblest?
1690. C. Nesse, O. & N. Test., I. 451. Here, if ever, doth that proverb Ungirt, Unblest, hold true.
2. fig. a. Deprived or destitute of something.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 3653. Dignite had ben vnlaced And vngirt of honour, nad vertu be.
b. Not drawn together; left loose or incompact; not braced up for action.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Ep. Ded. What in most English wryters vseth to be loose, and as it were vngyrt, in this Authour is … strongly trussed vp together.
1644. Milton, Divorce (ed. 2), Pref. A 4 b. Let him bethink him withall how he will soder up the shifting flaws of his ungirt permissions.
1670. Devout Commun. (1688), 27. If I go with a loose, ungirt spirit, I cannot instantly entertain my Lord.
1878. Emerson, Sov. Ethics, Wks. (Bohn), III. 381. Our later generation appears ungirt, frivolous, compared with the religions of the … Calvinistic age.
