v. (UN-2 5. Cf. Du. ontnesten.) Chiefly fig. (In first quot. intr.)
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, IV. 305. O soule, lurkynge in þis wo, vnneste; Fle forth out of myn herte.
c. 1532. Du Wes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 941. To unneste, deniser.
c. 1600. Chalkhill, Thealma & Cl. (1683), 120. Alexis rising, thanks his prudent care And as his father lov’d him; all prepare T’unnest these Pyrates.
1658[?]. J. M., in Cleveland, Wks. (1687), 283. The Presbyterian he did un-nest, With the whole Kennel o’ th’ two-footed Beast.
1679. J. Somerville, Mem. Somerville (1815), I. 222. The queen … encourages the souldiers … to unnest from that hold the ancient enemies of ther countrey.
1790. A. Wilson, To J. Kennedy, Poet. Wks. (1846), 16. As … seeming doubts when told oft take to wing, Permit me here some miseries to unnest, That long have harbour’d in my labouring breast.
1879. H. W. Warren, Recr. Astron., iv. 58. The earth on its softly-spinning axle never jars enough to unnest a bird or wake a child.
Hence Unnested ppl. a.
1860. Patmore, Faithf. for Ever, I. i. No more the unnested blackbird’s shriek Startled the light-leaved wood.
