[UN-1 10. CF. OE. unsprecende, OFris. unsprekand, MDu. onsprekende (obs. Du. onsprekend), OHG. unsprëchente (MHG. unsprëchende) in sense 2 (chiefly of children).]
† 1. Unspeakable, ineffable. Obs.–1
1340. Ayenb., 266. Ich yzeȝ þe ilke onspekynde an[d] ontodelinde mageste of þe holy trinyte.
2. Not speaking; unable to speak. Also fig.
1382. Wyclif, Job xxxviii. 9. With clothis of vnspekende childhed. Ibid., Ps. viii. 3. Of the mouth of vnspekende childer … thou performedist preising.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., V. v. 178. His description Prou’d vs vnspeaking sottes.
1796. Eliza Hamilton, Lett. Hindoo Rajah (1811), II. 81. All was placid uniformity, and unspeaking regularity of feature.
1811. Shelley, Mother & Son, iii. The proofs of an unspeaking Sorrow dwelt Within her ghastly hollowness of eye.
