Unsteek

v. Now dial. [UN-² 3.] trans. To undo, unfasten, open. Also fig.

c. 1250.  Hymn, in Trin. Coll. Hom., App. 258. He mai binde & to breke … He mai luke & unsteke michte of al þinge.

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2828. Aaron … can wel speken; ðu salt him meten and vnsteken Him bodeword min.

a. 1300.  in Horstmann, Altengl. Leg. (1875), 26. He gethþ þe Dore to vnsteke.

1390.  Gower, Conf., II. 128. Thus whanne he hath his cofre loken, It schal noght after ben unstoken.

c. 1400.  Laud Troy Bk., 8239. Many a coffre was vnstoken, To drawe out robes that were y-loken.

1855, 1868.  in Yks. glossaries (unsteck).

  b.  In pa. pple. not clearly distinguishable from ‘not closed, left open’ (UN-¹ 8). Cf. UNSTOKEN.

13[?].  Sir Beues (A.), 1663. Þe chaumber dore a fond vnsteke.

c. 1350.  Lybeaus Disc., 1450. At a posterne unsteke Lybeauus gan out-breke.

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, IX. 1655. Gat nane, bot ane, with lyff out off that sted, For that the ȝet so lang wnstekit was.