a. [UN-1 7 b.]
1. Incapable of being matched or equalled; incomparable, matchless. Also const. by.
In very common use from c. 1590 to c. 1660.
1544. Betham, Precepts War, I. lxxxix. E vj. The renoume of that capitayne … is vnmatcheable.
1587. A. Day, Daphnis & Chloe (1890), 16. Loue, the … Soueraigne of their vnmacheable bewties.
1649. Baxter, Saint’s R., II. v. § 3. 218. Those divine unmatchable Psalms.
1683. Brit. Spec., 277. With unmatchable Valor, and Extraordinary Hazard of his Princely Person.
c. 1799. Villario, III. iii., in New Brit. Theatre, II. 165. It is the mind that is unmatchable By aught on earth.
1856. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., IV. V. xvii. § 51. Of such landscape … he has expressed the power in … a central and unmatchable way.
1881. Tennyson, Cup, I. i. The brows and eyes Of Venus: face and form unmatchable!
b. Incapable of being compared to others.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VI. 45. These Britaines, although … vnmatchable to them in educated ciuility, yet [etc.].
c. To which nothing properly matching can be found. (See MATCH v. 9 b.)
1809. Sir G. Jackson, in Diaries & Lett. (1873), I. 3. A scrap of riband … unmatchable in Bath.
1852. Miss Sewell, Experience of Life, xiv. (1858), 95. I was especially directed to match some unmatchable silk.
2. Incapable of being matched together.
1643. Milton, Divorce, 18. He forbids all unmatchable and unmingling natures to consort. Ibid. (1645), Tetrach., 48. His law tells us he joynes not unmachable things.
Hence Unmatchableness.
1627. Bp. Hall, Epist., IV. ii. 340. In the presumption of his vnmatchablenesse.
1676. Doctrine of Devils, 182. The Unmatchableness of his Antagonist being considered.
