ppl. a. [UN-1 8.]
† 1. Not attainted. Obs.–1
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., III. vi. 9. And yet within these fiue houres Hastings liu’d, Vntainted, vnexamin’d, free, at libertie.
b. Not dishonored. rare–1.
1627. Drayton, Agincourt, ccxlvi. Now Excester with his vntaynted Reare Came on, which long had labour’d to come in.
2. Not affected by any physical taint.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., xix. Him in thy course vntainted doe allow, For beauties patterne to succeding men.
1651. Vaughan, Benefit by Enemies, Wks. 1914, I. 99. Vultures … flock to them, but passe by the sound and untainted bodies.
1725. Bolingbroke, Lett. to Swift, 24 July. But the attainder is kept … prudently in force, lest … his bad leaven should sour that sweet, untainted mass.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), IV. 127. Her … flesh remained … pure and untainted.
1810. Southey, Kehama, X. iv. The stream … delights to lie … at rest Beneath the untainted sky.
1861. Ld. Lytton & Fane, Tannhäuser, 8. Till came the crack of that tremendous Doom … and on the lurid world Let in effulgence of untainted light.
3. Of qualities, etc.: Unsullied, unblemished, perfectly pure.
1590. Greene, Never too late (1600), 41. Isabel, whose beauty is deuine,… whose constancy vntainted.
1625. B. Jonson, Staple of N., II. iv. A Gentleman … Of an vntainted credit.
1673. Temple, Obs. United Prov., Wks. 1720, I. 53. A Man of … deep Understanding, with untainted Integrity.
1750. Collins, Superstit. Highlands, i. Let us wish him … joy untainted, with his destined bride.
1786. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary, 28 Nov. There was an evidence of her untainted worth in her very countenance.
1809–14. Wordsw., Excurs., VIII. 241. Where is … The character of peace,… And honest dealing, and untainted speech?
1831. Scott, Ct. Rob., x. The knight passed on, not unmoved with wonder, though untainted by fear.
1879. R. K. Douglas, Confucianism, iv. 93. No virtue can remain untainted without learning.
4. Of persons, etc.: Free from moral taint.
c. 1590. Sir T. More, IV. v. 103. Liuing thus vntainted, you are well.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., III. ii. 232. What stronger Brest-plate then a heart vntainted?
1651. W. Durham, Maran-atha (1652), 24. The Judge of Israel … is … untainted in point of Judicature.
1689. D. Granville, Lett. (Surtees), 81. The consideration whereof hath … kept me untainted and unstained.
1709. Addison, Tatler, No. 75, ¶ 9. From such an untainted Couple, we can hope to have our Family rise to its ancient Splendour of Face.
1763. Churchill, Poems, I. 86. I her snares defy, And look on riches with untainted eye.
1814. Byron, Lara, I. xxiii. He will not that untainted line belie.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xvi. Persons … untainted perhaps in morals, and fair in character.
1890. J. Pulsford, Loyalty to Christ, I. 170. Very few ever come forth untainted, from scenes and circumstances of temptation.
b. Const. by, with, or † of.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus i. 6. The goodnes of God in keeping them altogether … vnreprooueable, that is vntainted of greiuous crimes.
1649. Alcoran, p. iv. To keep thy selfe untainted of their follies.
1710. Addison, Spect., No. 9, ¶ 3. This Sir-name of King, which … declared the Owners of it to be altogether untainted with Republican … Principles.
1757. Foote, Author, II. (1777), 10/2. If George remains as untainted by affluence, as he has been untempted by distress.
1802. G. Canning, Poet. Wks. (1827), 36. A statesman … By power uncorrupted, untainted by gold.
1850. Kingsley, A. Locke, ii. He alone was untainted with the sin around him.
Hence Untaintedly adv., Untaintedness.
1611. Cotgr., Pudiquement, chastly, purely, vntaintedly, modestly.
1640. Bp. Hall, Rem. Wks. (1660), 37. The light hath a quality … Of purity and untaintedness in respect of any mixture of corruption.
1686. trans. Chardin’s Trav. Persia, 30. A Person untaintedly faithful to the Grand Vizier.
1817. Chalmers, Astron. Disc., iv. 139. The untaintedness of his glory.
