v. [UN-2 3.]
1. trans. To undo the sewing of (a garment, etc.); to remove the stitches from.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. V. 48. Heo wolde vn-souwen hire smok and setten þer an here.
1382. Wyclif, Lev. xiii. 45. He shal haue his clothis vnsewyd [L. dissuta], the heed nakid, the mouth couered with the cloothe.
1491. Caxton, Vitas Patr. (W. de W., 1495), I. xxxix. 54/1. He commaunded hym to doo thynges agaynst reason, as … to unsowe his gowne, and after to sowe it agayne.
1552. Huloet, Vnsow,… resuo.
1611. Cotgr., Descoudre, to vnsowe, vndoe stitches.
1712. trans. De Marolles’ Mem., 104. A pair of Old-Shooes unsew’d on both Sides.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Marroquin, The Skins … are taken out, drain’d on a Rack, unsewed, the Sumac taken out [etc.].
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, X. x. ¶ 14. I often observed the old man at work upon his pillow, unsewing and sewing it up again.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xxxiv. When she unsewed herself, and let out of her dress all those … valuables which she had secreted in the wadding.
fig. 1340. Ayenb., 184. Salomon þus zayþ: ‘þer no guod red ne ys, þet uolk to-ualþ and is al onzauwed.’
1620. Shelton, Quix., II. lx. 411. Sancho was amazed, and purposed not to vnsow his lips, as long as he was in that company.
1661. Feltham, Resolves, II. xliii. 268. Even in those [friendships] that have been ill contracted, Cato’s advice is good, They are rather to be unsewed then cut.
1853. Reade, Chr. Johnstone, 181. Time was to be given him to unsew a connection which he could not cut asunder.
2. To unwrap, uncover, set free, by the removal of stitches.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 315. Thei founde A bodi ded, which was bewounde In cloth of gold … Unsowed was the bodi sone.
1692. O. Walker, Grk. & Rom. Hist., 270. Bacchus being born in Arabia, or rather unsowed from the Thigh of his Mother Semele.
1740. Richardson, Pamela (1824), I. 113. So I took off my undercoat, and … unsewed them [sc. papers] from it.
Hence Unsewer; Unsewing vbl. sb.
1611. Cotgr., s.vv. Desconseur, Descousure.
