[f. UNWIELDY a.]
1. The quality of being incontrollable or unrestrainable; indocility.
1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. iii. 5. Such as either blame fortune, or … with vnruly rage power out the vnweeldinesse of their sorow.
c. 1680. Charnock, Attrib. God (1682), 173. The more unwieldiness there is in our Spirits, the more carnal our affections are in worship, the more evidence there is of the strength of that revolted state.
† 2. The state or condition of being weak or feeble; weakness, infirmity. Obs.
1575. Fenton, Gold. Epist. (1582), 263. This age of vnweldiness beginnes at fiftie yeares.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, XIX. iv. 757. Strength, beauty, vigour and actiuity, are all subuerted by … sicknesse, faintnesse, and vnweeldinesse.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 306. The South Wind … brings Listlessness and an Unweildiness over the whole Body.
1737. Swift, Lett. to J. Temple, Feb. She is quite sunk with years and unwieldiness, as well as a very scanty support.
transf. 1651. H. More, Enthus. Tri. (1662), 4. The enormous strength of Imagination (which is yet the Soul’s weaknesse or unwieldinesse).
3. Awkwardness or clumsiness in respect of bulk, build, or movement; esp. awkward corpulence; clumsy size or vastness.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., IV. 163 b. Columella would haue you keepe for euery gander, three geese, thinking by reason of their vnweldynesse, this number to suffise.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus iii. 1. Who is he that carrieth flesh about with him, that findeth not the heauinesse and vnweldines of it into any thing that is good?
1665. Glanvill, Scepsis Sci., xi. 62. The supposed unwieldiness of its massie bulk.
1709. Addison, Tatler, No. 116, ¶ 5. The Weight and Unweildiness of the Garment. Ibid. (1712), Spect., No. 464, ¶ 5. Poverty … preserving them from Gouts, Dropsies, Unwieldiness, and Intemperance.
1794. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., III. 271. If we should suppose animals vastly large,… a heaviness and unwieldiness would arise which [etc.].
1809. Med. Jrnl., XXI. 115. An unwieldiness in motion and hurried respiration when walking.
1850. Kingsley, A. Locke, xxxvi. At last, after days of painful crawling, I dragged my unwieldiness to the tree foot.
1879. Cassell’s Techn. Educ., II. 165/2. In the ordinary descriptions of field-carriages the weight and unwieldiness of the trail alone would be a serious objection to such a method of draught.
fig. a. 1631. Donne, Love’s Diet, 1. To what a combersome unwieldinesse And burdenous corpulence my love had growne.
1673. Allestree, Lady’s Call., II. iii. § 12. 219. Greatness is now grown to such an unweildiness, that it cannot stoop tho to the most Christian Offices.
transf. a. 1677. Barrow, Serm. (1678), 3. Whatever evil … backwardness, inhability, unwieldiness and confusion of thought beget, Wisdom prevents.
1774. [W. Mitford], Ess. Harmony Lang., 132. This line has also been admired for its expressive unwieldiness. Its form is … by no means peculiarly suited to give the idea of unwieldiness.
1866. Dickens, Mugby Junction, 12/1. With that absurd sense of unwieldiness of mind and body weighing him down.
1875. Helps, Soc. Press., iii. 48. The largeness, the unwieldiness, and the temporary nature of habitation in these great centres of population.
4. The condition or character of being difficult to guide, direct, or control by reason of extent or size. Also fig.
1599. Sandys, Europæ Spec. (1605), V 1. Since that is great properly which is great in the actions, which one as often impeacheth by vnwildinesse in the bigge, as by weakenesse in the little.
1600. Hakluyt, Voy., III. 79. Considering the swift course and way of the ships, and the vnwieldinesse of them to stay and turne as a man would wish.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 696. The disordered vnwealdinesse of their owne armie.
1764. Burn, Poor Laws, 226. The objections against county workhouses … seem to require peculiar attention. There is something of unwieldiness in the prospect.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, IX. i. ¶ 7. Noted for the unwieldiness of their ambition.
a. 1873. Lytton, Pausanias, I. v. Armies too large rot by their own unwieldiness into decay.
1898. ‘H. S. Merriman,’ Roden’s Corner, ii. The unwieldiness of the empire.
