Obs. [OE. untíma (UN-1 12, 4 b), = ON. and Icel. útími, ótími (MSw., Norw. dial. otime).]
1. In (earlier on) untime, at an unsuitable, improper, or wrong time. Also in pl.
Cf. ON. í úntíma, MSw. i otima, i otimom, in same sense.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xxi. 153. Swa se læce, ðonne he on untiman lacnað wunde, hio wyrmseð & rotað.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xii. 76. Ælc þæra manna þe yt oððe drincð on untiman on þam halʓan lenctene.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 207. He habbe ofte agilt on golliche dedes, on untime oðer on unluuede stede.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 344. Of vres misseide wiðuten ȝeme of heorte oðer in untime.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 2962. Ȝyf þou þys foly haunte … Yn vntyme,… For soþe þou synnest þer dedly.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. P., ¶ 1051. A man shal nat ete in vntyme, ne sitte the lenger at his table to ete for he fasteth.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 105. To pleyin at þe tablys,… & at swyche oþere vayn pleyis, in vntyme & out of mesure.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, Hawking, c vii b. A lombe that was borne in vntime.
a. 1500. in Ratis Raving, etc., 18. Oft fore thocht of his riches he walkis in wntymis.
b. Untimes (gen. sing.), untimely, untimeous.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 27799. O suernes cums … Vntimes spech or to be still.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IX. 1630. This hour … thow mycht haiff beyn away; Wntymys thow art, for it is scantly day.
2. a. A bad time, inclement season. (OE. only.)
a. 1023. Wulfstan, Hom., 297. Ic asende ofer eower land ælcne untiman, þæt bið eʓeslice great haʓol … and unasecgendlice þunras.
c. 1130. O. E. Chron., an. 1124, Ðes ilces ʓeares wæron fæla untime on Englelande, on corne & on ealle westme.
b. An unsuitable time for action.
14[?]. Northern Passion (MS. I), 601. Thys is vn tyme of þe nyghte, In thys tharkenesse to preue ȝoure myghte.
