Obs. [OE. unþanc masc. (f. un- UN-1 12 + þanc THANK sb.), = OFris. unthonk (WFris. ontank, NFris. untoonk), MDu. ondanc (Du. ondank), MLG. undank, OHG. undanch, unthank (MHG. undanc, G. undank) ingratitude, displeasure, etc.; ON. úþökk fem., a reproach, censure, etc. (MSw. othak, Sw. otack, MDa. and Da. utak ingratitude, etc.).]
I. 1. Absence of gratitude or good-will; unfavorable thought or feeling; ill-will, disfavor; displeasure expressed in actions or words.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., IV. x. § 11. Þa wæs Hannibale æfter hiera hæðeniscum ʓewunan þæt and wyrde swiþe lað, & him unþanc sæde þæs andwyrdes.
a. 1000. Sal. & Sat., 98. Ðonne hiene on unðanc … R. ieorrenga ʓeseceð.
c. 1205. Lay., 22370. Mid Arðure he win dronc; Þat him wes mucheles unðonc.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 55. Þenne þrat moste I þole, & vnþonk to mede.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., I. 256. And in travaile aboute þese goodis … stondiþ al þe mede in þis liif, and al unþank of peyne of helle.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 161. Vnthank come on his hand that boond hym so.
1435. Misyn, Fire of Love, 92. Frenschyp … has also a grete likynge with it knytt in qwhilk it adyls no meyde ne vnþanke.
1483. Cath. Angl., 381/2. Vn Thanke, demericio.
1557. Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 203. Vnthanke to our desert be geuen, Which merite not a heauens gift to kepe.
b. In the phrase to have unthank.
c. 1325. in Wright, Pol. Songs (Camden), 327. But unthank have the bishop that lat hit so go.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 183. For þeft, & for þrepyng, vnþonk may mon haue.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 3061. ‘Wel depardieux,’ quaþ þis barouns, ‘ounþank habbe þat spare.’
2. An act or circumstance causing displeasure or annoyance; an offence or injury.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xlix. 379. And ða forðyðe he forwandode ðæt he swa ne dyde, ða aʓeaf he hit [sc. ðæt feoh] to unðances.
c. 1000. Apollonius of Tyre, 26. Cweðe ʓe þæt ic … eow dide æfre æniʓne unþanc?
c. 1050. O. E. Chron. (MS. C), an. 1049. Eac fela oðra unþanca þe he him dyde.
c. 1205. Lay., 11769. Þe eorl Caredoc … ȝet hit mai ilimpe; hit is þe an vnðonke.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 202. Uor lure of eie worldliche þinge, oðer of freond, oðer uor eni unðonc.
13[?]. Guy of Warw., 5311. His brond … brac vnto his hond. ‘Allas,’ quaþ Gij, ‘þis vnþang! Were no may y me nouȝt lang.’
II. In uses denoting disinclination, reluctance, or involuntariness.
3. In genitive, used adverbially, = Unwillingly; compulsorily; against a person’s wish or will; without one’s consent; also, involuntarily.
The genitive is similarly used in OFris., MDu., OHG., etc.
c. 960. Laws Edgar, in Thorpe, Laws, I. 264. Niman [hi] unþances þone teoðan dæl to þam mynstre.
1066[?]. O. E. Chron. (MS. C), an. 1066. Tostiʓ … nam of þam butse karlon sume mid him, sume þances, sume unþances.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 17. Gif þu agultest wið þine efen-nexta unðonkes, bet hit þin þonkes hu se þu miht wið him.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 27192. [It] sceus quat nede Was man at drau him to þis dede,… Quar vnthankes [Fairf. queþer vnþankis] or wit will, And quatkin strengh him draf þer-till.
b. More freq. with poss. adj. (or sb. in poss. case).
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., II. ii. § 1. Hi swaþeah heora unðances mid swicdome hie beʓeaton.
c. 1100. O. E. Chron. (MS. D), an. 905. Þa ʓerad Æþelwold æðeling … þone ham æt Winburnan & æt Tweoxnam þæs cynges unþances.
c. 1200. Ormin, 7194. Miccle bettre iss to þe mann … To don all hiss unnþannkess god Þan ifell hise þannkess.
c. 1205. Lay., 4502. Brennes … hauede heo biwedded, & ihaued heo to bedde, al hire vnðonkes.
a. 1240. Sawles Warde, in O. E. Hom., I. 247. Strengðe stont nest hire, þat ȝef ei wule in, warschipes vn þonkes, warni strengðe fore, þat is hire suster, ant heo hit ut warpe.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 14172. Wyþ hym to fighte leuere he wylde Þan, his vnþankes, to þem ȝelde.
13[?]. Coer de L., 2208. Natheles many he cleaved, And their unthanks ther bylived.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 201. Þis virgyne þus hir vnthankes fyled perceyued þat sho was with chiled.
a. 1470. Harding, Chron., L. iv. Kyng Edward with long shankes Brought it awaye again, the Scottes vnthankes. Ibid., LXVIII. ii. Vpon the north sea bankes, He faught with theim in battaill their vnthankes.
c. Without inflection in absolute use.
a. 1225. Juliana, 36. He schal unþonc in his teð cuðen þe þat tu wilnest. [Cf. TOOTH sb. 5.]
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 47. Þurh þis weorre, he ȝarkeð þe, unþonc hise [v.r. in his] teð, þe blisse … of cristes icorene.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 6093. Walwes þey tok, al his vnthank, & leddym to Atyngal. Ibid. (1338), Chron. (1810), 241. Þe Walsch com þam ageyn, did our men alle arere, Þat turnyng þer vnthank, as heuy was þe charge, Vnder þam alle sank.
4. At one’s unthanks, against one’s will.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 4698. Forþi enhabete ȝe in angwysch at ȝoure vnthankis.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., 424 (Th.). Or he weldene my landes, at myne vn-thankes. By alle þe welthe of this werlde, he salle þame neuer welde.
