1. Not tuned; not made tuneful or melodious; also, rendered untuneful.
1592. Daniel, Delia, xxi. Vexing with vntun’d moane her dainty eares.
1594. Shaks., Rich. II., I. iii. 134. Rouz’d vp with boystrous vntun’d drummes.
1612. Chapman, Rev. Bussy d’Ambois, I. i. The cities’ bells Jangling together in untun’d confusion.
1630. Drayton, David & Goliah, 294. The harmony of the vntuned’st string Torments the spirit which so torments the King.
1702. Pope, Sappho, 229. Untun’d my lute, and silent is my lyre.
1733. Satirist, 9. For Sat’rists write in so untun’d a Strain, Thy claim no Title to th’ harmonious Train.
1773. J. Herries, Elem. Speech, 53. A string in an instrument broken or untuned.
transf. 1590. Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 310. That heere my onely sonne Knowes not my feeble key of vntun’d cares.
c. 1626. Bosworth, To Fairest Lady, 5. O that it might have been While she had liv’d, and had my verses seen, Before sad cries deaf’d my untuned ears.
1684. Earl Roscom., Ess. Transl. Verse, 337. I lose my Patience, when, with Sawcy Pride, By untun’d Ears I hear His Numbers try’d.
b. Not furnished with a tune.
1853. Reade, Chr. Johnstone, 69. The Newhaven men … are agreed that this song lifts them through more work than untuned fishermen can manage.
2. fig. Not brought into, put out of, a state of harmony or concord; disordered.
1602. 2nd Pt. Ret. fr. Parnass., V. i. 1986. With vntaught hand, and with vntuned hart.
1648. J. Beaumont, Psyche, XVII. v. At the first,… when in th’ untuned Deep Each Thing was wroth and snarled with his brother.
1687. Death’s Vision, v. The Intellective, Vital Flame … Is Thoughtless struck, and Dies By the Untun’d Contexture of the Unthinking Frame!
1794. Godwin, Caleb Williams, 65. Mr. Tyrrel would have gone also; his mind was untuned.
1805. Wordsw., Prelude, IV. 145. For cold and raw the air was, and untuned.
1834. Macaulay, Ess. Pitt, ¶ 27. When his mind was untuned.
