v. [UN-2 7, 3. Cf. obs. Flem. ontgheven to fail, Du. (zich) ontgeven to yield, desist.]
1. intr. To give way, to relax; to lose tenacity or firmness. Now dial.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 25. Make it in greatter hey-cockes, and to stande so one nyght or more, that it maye vngiue and sweate.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., II. ii. § 40. That Religion which is rather suddenly parched up, then seasonably ripened, doth commonly ungive afterwards.
1670. Evelyn, in Phil. Trans., V. 1063. When the wheels will not turn round because of the clay and over-much moisture, it is a signe, that ’tis not fit for cultivation, until it ungive, and be dry.
c. 1700. in Bell’s Anc. Poems (1857), 19. Who thinks that love doth live In beauty’s tempting show, Shall find his hopes ungive, And melt in reason’s thaw.
1854. Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., 369. Gingerbread losing its crispness, and salt or any other substance relaxing from the humidity of the atmosphere, are said to ungive.
1881–. in Eng. Dial. Dict., s.v. (Lancs., Chesh., Leics., Bedford, Hants).
† 2. trans. To relax; to yield or give up. Obs.
1645. Lightfoot, Comm. Acts, vi. 104. It is a daring that deserves castigation in him,… that hee should … deny the puritie of the Greeke text, before hee will ungive any thing of his owne groundlesse opinion.
1655. Fuller, Hist. Cambr., 118. He was over-frozen, in his Northern Rigour, and could not be thaw’d, to ungive any thing of the rigidnesse of his Discipline.
