Obs. exc. arch. [OE. unriht (f. un- UN-1 12 + riht RIGHT sb.1), = OFris. on-, unriucht (WFris. on-, ûnrjucht, NFris. ünrocht), MDu. (Du.) onrecht, OS. unreht (MLG., LG. unrecht, LG. -regt), OHG. (MHG.) unreht (G. unrecht), Norw. urett, (M)Da. uret, (M)Sw. orätt.]
1. Wrong, wrong-doing, iniquity.
Beowulf, 1264. Siþðan, goldsele Grendel warode, unriht æfnde.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1100. He on middewardan his unrihte buten behreowsunge … ʓewat.
c. 1205. Lay., 6553. Vnriht him wes leof, and rihtwisnesse him wes lað.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 11513. Com, & amende þyn vnright, Þat þou so slowe ffrolle oure knyght.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 91. Þis is a trewe man, and unriȝt is not in him.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., V. iii. 498. The oon [god] is maker of riȝt and of good thingis, and the other is maker of vnriȝt and of badde thingis.
a. 1547. Surrey, in Early XVI. Cent. Lyrics, xlv. 46. Prowd people that drede no fall, clothed with falshed and vnright.
1578. Proctor, Gorgeous Gallery Inventions, B ij. Well mayst thou wayle thy want of troth; & rue thy great vnright.
1610. H. Broughton, Job xxvii. 4. My lippes shall not speak the vnright.
[1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxiv. 394. It was because they still spake of right that right in the end outlived unright.]
b. In the phr. to do (or work) unright.
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxviii. § 3. Forþamðe ðu ær cwæde ðæt he unriht dyde þæt he lete unwitnod ða yflan.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Deut. xxxi. 29. Þonne ȝe unriht wirceað beforan drihtene.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24158. Ye Iuus,… Vn-reufulli yee wirc vnright. Ibid. (13[?]), 5084 (Gött.). I am a-knau i did vnriht.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 5040. [God] may done non vnright.
1535. Coverdale, Zeph. iii. 5. But the iust Lorde that doth no vnright, was amonge them.
a. 1547. Surrey, in Early XVI. Cent. Lyrics, xlv. 16. All such as wourke vnright.
1607. J. Davies, Summa Totalis, G 2. With neither Will, nor Pow’r to do vnright.
2. Unfairness, injustice (done or suffered).
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxix. § 9. Hwylc unriht mæʓ beon mare þonne ʓeþafiʓe [etc.].
c. 1020. Ags. Laws (Thorpe) I. 388. We nellað ʓeþafian þæt unriht.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 115. He scal wissian mid wisdome his folke and unriht aleggen.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 8625. More vnriȝt þan he dede ne miȝte nomon ise.
c. 1325. Spec. Gy Warw., 613. To suffre wrong and vnriht For þe loue of god almiht.
c. 1400. Beryn, 557. That were grete vnryȝte, To aventur oppon a man þat with hym did nat fiȝte.
1456. Cov. Leet Bk., 290. Boldly to fight, Yf any man of curage wold bid you vnright.
1530. Tindale, Pract. Prelates, A v b. There was neuer creature that sofred so greate vnright so pacyentlye … as he.
1581. A. Hall, Iliad, IX. 162. Suffice it him he hath me wrongde, and that his own vnright Doth hel him like a man forlorne.
b. In phr. to do one unright, or variations of this.
c. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 113. Nis him idon non unriht.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1276. Ðor ben he boðen feren pliȝt, ðat here neiðer sal don oðer un-riȝt.
13[?]. K. Alis., 7491 (Laud MS.). And amendyng I bidde þee to Of vnriȝth þat is me do.
1340. Ayenb., 221. Hi ssolle loki hare bodi þe on to þe oþre … treweliche wyþ-oute do onriȝt þe on to þe oþren.
c. 1402. Lydg., Compl. Bl. Knt., 334. Notwithstonding his manhood … Love unto him did ful greet unright.
1532. Tindale, Expos. Matt. (1550), F vij b. Be patient…, what soeuer vnright be done the.
1599. Daniel, Lett. Octauia to M. Antonius xxii. Is it, that loue doth take no true delight In what it hath,… Which drawes you on to doe vs this vnright?
3. With (also on) unright, wrongfully, unjustly.
Beowulf, 2739. Ic … ne sohte searoniðas, ne me swor fela aða on unriht.
a. 900[?]. K. Ælfred, Laws, § 1. Ne wilna þu þines nehstan ierfes mid unryhte.
c. 1205. Lay., 7374. Þu ahtest me to ȝulden ȝauel of þine londe, And þu hit halst on unriht.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 4040. He nom it verst mid vnriȝt, & broȝte þat lond in wo.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1142. He loses hit ille, As hit were rafte wyth vnryȝt & robbed wyth þewes.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 19012 (Trin.). Þat ihesus … ȝe dude on rode wiþ vnriȝt.
1563. Foxe, A. & M., 564/1. To discerne in what wise ther iudgement passed, whether with right or vnright.
4. An instance of wrong or wrong-doing; a wrong or unjust act.
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xvi. § 4. Betwuh þyllecum unrihtum was him [sc. Nero] … underþeod eall þes middanʓeard.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1086. Maniʓe oðre unriht hi dydan, þe sindon earfeþe to areccenne.
c. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 79. Ða ðat he hadde mid maniȝe unrihtes biȝeten.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11812. Þis herods … vn-rightes biginnes to ripe!
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 1031. Þe Sarasyns … schullaþ abigge þys ounriȝt.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 59. Draw to þe þe good wylles of þy subgitz, and putte away þaire vnryghtys and wronges.
a. 1500[?]. Chester Pl., III. 142. 40 dayes and 40 nightes Rayne shall fall for ther vnrightes.
1528. Lyndesay, Dreme, 262. Partycipant thay wer of thare vnrychtis.
