a. (UN-1 7 b.)
1612. Selden, Illustr. Drayton’s Poly-olb., iv. 215. An unwarrantable report goes, that it was for his martial delivery of the King’s daughter from the Dragon.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., III. xix. 203. If God bolts the doores … against him, he is not … to make his escape by unwarrantable courses.
1757. Smollett, Reprisal, I. vii. An unwarrantable insult.
1783. Burke, Rep. Aff. India, Wks. XI. 16. An unwarrantable extension or application of the municipal Law of England.
1847. H. Rogers, Ess. (1874), I. v. 218. Alterations of a most unwarrantable description.
1874. H. R. Reynolds, John Bapt., ii. 83. It is an unwarrantable conjecture that the human intelligence is the highest form of mind.
b. spec. Of deer: (see quot. 1798).
1798. Hey, Lect. Div., iv. 337. A Keeper in a King’s Forest told me, certain Venison was unwarrantable; that is, could not be sent in return to the Warrants issued by the Officers of the Crown.
1888. Daily News, 29 Oct., 6/8. Two young unwarrantable deer were shot at a previous hunt.
Hence Unwarrantableness.
1633. T. Adams, Exp. 2 Peter ii. 6. The unwarrantablenesse of their designes.
a. 1653. Binning, Usef. Case Consc. (1693), 7. The Conscience and Conviction of the Unwarrantableness of it for the want of Authority.
1713. E. Calamy, Life Baxter (ed. 2), xviii. 486. To prove the unwarrantableness of a Nations defending their Rights and Liberties.
1880. Muirhead, Gaius, II. § 104, note. Studemund’s revision has also shown the unwarrantableness of the endo mandatela.
