ppl. a. [UN-1 8, 5 b.]
1. Not furnished, supplied, or equipped (with something): a. Const. of (now rare or Obs.) or with.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cccxxi. 498. The countre was voyde, and vnprouyded of men of warre.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., May, 114. The shepheards God so wel them guided, That of nought they were vnprouided.
1600. Surflet, Countrie Farme, I. xvi. 105. The countrie farme being for the most part vnprouided of the benefits and easements of water.
1673. [R. Leigh], Transp. Reh., 45. It being a thing wholly unlikely that the wise Astragon should be unprovided of such excellent authors.
1720. Swift, Fates of Clergymen, Wks. 1755, II. II. 22. Courts are seldom unprovided of persons under this character.
1735. Berkeley, in Fraser, Life (1871), vii. 241. Those places where they are unprovided with churches.
1785. T. Balguy, Disc., 174. Men, whose understandings are … unprovided of the principles of knowledge.
1844. Kinglake, Eöthen, viii. Assailants … unprovided with regular means of attack.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 102. The actual drone is unprovided by nature with a sting.
b. Without const. Also for (a person, etc.).
(a) a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, II. xii. And whose good haps do leave him unprovided, Condoling cause of friendship he will borrow.
1603. G. Powel, Papist’s Reas. for Toleration, 127. Whereby they haue left the Ministrie so marveilously vnprouided and so beggerly.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., xii. 56. Neither should her Gunroome be vnprouided: not manned like a Merchant-man.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), III. 78. Since you will go, you must not go unprovided.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xxv. We are totally and literally unprovided [sc. with provisions].
1833. Macaulay, Ess., War Succession in Spain, ¶ 12. The arsenals were deserted. The magazines were unprovided.
(b) 1530. Palsgr., 768/2. He shalbe hertely welcome, but I am yet unprovyded for him.
1603. Breton, Mad World, Wks. (Grosart), II. 10/1. He … led me into his house, the doore open, as unfearefull of theeves, as vnprovided for strangers.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 333. As for going by water, that they were unprovided for.
c. Not provided for. (Cf. 4.)
1640. Habington, Edw. IV., 33. The inconvenience of raising a widdow to his bed, who could bring nothing with her but her poverty, and an unprovided issue.
1892. Child, Ballads, IV. 391/2. The bower of an unprovided seamstress.
2. Not in a state of preparation or readiness; unprepared (to resist attack, make reply, etc.).
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. xxxiii. 41/2. So that whan oure enemyes come, let them nat fynde vs vnprouided.
1578. Chr. Prayers, in Priv. Prayers (1851), 447. Take me not unawares and unprovided to thy judgment-seat.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. i. 183. If they dye vnprouided.
1615. Brathwait, Strappado, etc. (1878), 334. Alas, faire queene, why should you thus assault the vnprouided fortresse of mine hart?
1647. Cotterell, Davila’s Hist. France, I. 43. The armed men … appearing on a sudden…, the King being found unprovided, and the Court disarmed.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1756), 140. The unprovided Condition that … the People were in at the first coming of the Calamity.
1805. Southey, Madoc in Azt., II. 231. So saying, I left The astonish’d men, whose unprovided minds Fail’d them.
1819. Shelley, Cenci, III. i. 377. You are unprovided where to fly, How to excuse or to conceal.
3. Against which provision has not (or cannot) be made; unforeseen.
1514. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm. (Percy Soc.), 9. Nought is more noysom … Than sodayne tempeste, and unprovyded colde.
1536. Goodly Primer, Litany, R iv b. Sodeyn & vnprovided dethe.
1627. C. Mageoghagan, trans. Ann. Clommacnois, 75. The Emperor dyed of a sudaine and unprovided death.
1660. Trial Regic., 20. You must give your direct Answer, Guilty, or Not guilty. You cannot say, it is sudden, or unprovided. You spend time in vain.
1739. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., VIII. 263. Her Death,… by the holy life she led, was not unprovided.
1817. F. Lewis, in Parl. Debates, 1361. Very heavy expenses … under the head called ‘unprovided services,’ which ought to comprise nothing except what could not possibly be foreseen.
1841. Alison, Hist. Eur., IX. lxxii. 702. The unprovided expenditure of the year.
4. Not provided for. (Cf. 1 c.)
1575. Gascoigne, Glasse of Govt., II. v. If ever I live to enherit Phylocalus, then Eccho shall not be unprovided for.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. § 5. The necessary Subsistence of the household was unprovided for.
1676. Temple, Lett. to Sir J. Williamson, Wks. 1720, II. 413. They cannot, upon that Pretence, be pressed to Things … wholly unprovided for by the very Letter of the Treaty.
1794. S. Williams, Vermont, 239. Many officers … were then unprovided for.
1839. John Bull, 15 Sept. The income upon which he and the unprovided for members of his family exist.
1897. Outing, XXX. 376/2. Unprovided-for tasks are best decided by drawing lots.
5. Not furnished, supplied, or made ready.
1621. Fletcher, Isl. Princess, I. ad fin. That’s all That’s unprovided,… The rest wee’l councel as we goe.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., I. 21 b. You will have occasion for a great number of things…, and … if but one is unprovided, it may stop or spoil the whole Work.
Hence Unprovidedly adv., -ness.
1567. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 522. He mycht *unproviditlie oppres … that innocent infant.
1652. Urquhart, Jewel, 112. Another young Lady … so unprovidedly was surprised.
a. 1652. Brome, Covent Garden Weeded, II. ii. My unsetlednesse and *unprovidednesse … may well excuse us all.
1861. [Mrs. A. J. Penny], Romance Dull Life, xl. 296. Not only from the sense of present exigency, but from the fear of unprovidedness during her stay in this great house.
