Unmeasured

ppl. a. [UN-¹ 8.]

  1.  Not limited or known by measurement; immense in size, extent, or amount.

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., X. iv. (Bodl. MS.). Fuyre … is icleped vnmesured, for his vertu … encreseþ wiþoute eende.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., II. iii. 33. The stature of a woman … of bignes vnmeasured.

c. 1611.  Chapman, Iliad, II. 78. So from the ships and tents the army’s store Troop’d to these princes … along th’ unmeasur’d shore.

1646.  Crashaw, Sospetto d’Herode, xxii. That the unmeasur’d God so low should sinke, As Pris’ner in a few poore Rags to lye.

1718.  Prior, Solomon, I. 640. This ample azure Sky,… With Stars unnumber’d, and unmeasur’d Light.

1794.  R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., I. 320. Of an unmeasured fluid, we can only reason by conjecture.

1810.  Scott, Lady of Lake, II. xxxi. When … Such startler cast his glance below, And saw unmeasured depth around.

1870.  Morris, Earthly Par., III. IV. 2. Pale stars … make heaven so vast That earth … Seems shrunken ’neath the grey unmeasured height.

  absol.  1844.  Mrs. Browning, Drama of Exile, 1710. As the thunder roars deep in the Unmeasured.

  b.  Of feelings, qualities, etc.

1435.  Misyn, Fire of Love, 6. In þe flaume vnmesurde of lufe.

c. 1450.  Mirour Saluacioun, 3008. Gods vnmesured bountee.

1618.  in Foster, Eng. Factories Ind. (1906), I. 22. I have stroven … with their tricks of unmeasured greatenes.

1692.  Prior, Ode Imit. Hor., iii. Distracted Lewis can descry Only a long unmeasur’d Ruin nigh.

1793.  Smeaton, Edystone L., § 179. The unmeasured violence of the sea.

1856.  Froude, Hist. Eng., I. 116. Wolsey … combined practical sagacity with an unmeasured power of hoping.

1864.  Skeat, Uhland’s Poems, 151. All men are rivals in unmeasured wo.

  2.  Not doled out by measure. rare^–1.

1667.  Milton, P. L., V. 399. Our Nourisher from whom All perfet good unmeasur’d out, descends.

  3.  Not subjected to measure; not composed of measured syllables.

1715.  Pope, Iliad, IV. 298. Unmix’d, unmeasured, are thy goblets crown’d.

1728.  Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Poetry, These, in a Discourse that has no poetical Feet or Measures, do yet … make it a kind of unmeasured Poetry.

1808.  L. Murray, Gram., I. 84. In regard to unmeasured quantities and qualities, the degrees of more and less … may be expressed intelligibly.

a. 1822.  Shelley, Def. Poetry, Essays & Lett. (1840), 9. It is necessary … to determine the distinction between measured and unmeasured language.

1863.  Hawthorne, Our Old Home, II. 175. His delightful prose, his unmeasured poetry.

  4.  Immoderate, unrestrained.

1820.  Hazlitt, Lect. Dram. Lit., 106. His pride and unmeasured pretensions.

1839.  Hallam, Hist. Lit., II. 287. The unmeasured eulogies he bestows upon him.

1884.  Jebb, in Fortn. Rev., 1 April, 434. The habitual use of unmeasured language [in criticism].

  Hence Unmeasuredly adv., -edness.

1435.  Misyn, Fire of Love, 75. No marevayle þof I … vnmesurdnes of þat endles swetnes to ȝow may not opyn.

1602.  Marston, Ant. & Mel., III. Wks. 1856, I. 43. This vengeance … will lengthen out My daies unmeasuredly.

1864.  G. Gilfillan, in Lett. & Jrnls. (1892), 373. I intend considering … the energy—the unmeasuredness—of their life.