adv. [OE. unwislice (UN-1 11), = MDu. onwiselike, -lijc (Du. onwijslijk), MLG. unwîslike, OHG. unwîslihho (MHG. -wislîche, G. -weislich), MSw. ovislika, Norw. uvislege, Da. -lig.] In an unwise, injudicious, or foolish manner; imprudently, foolishly.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xv. 93. Ðæt is ðæt he hie ʓedweleð & unwislice ʓeiecð ða idelnesse.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 232. ʓif hio bið unwislice to lange forlæten.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 338. Þauh no mon hit nute, oðer wolde þet ei hit wuste, oðer ȝemeleasliche do hit, oðer to unwisliche, to muchel, oðer to lutel.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. XI. 270. Þanne wrouȝte I vnwisly, wiþ alle þe wyt þat I lere.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 27047 (Fairf.). Þe þrid letting makis mani mad quen þai vn-wiseli ar drad after rising to falle againe.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 286. Þe hermyte thouȝte þat þis was vnwysely don.
c. 1455. Pecock, Folewer, 60. Holdyng him silf to seie trewli and wiseli, whanne he seieþ vntrewli and vnwiseli.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 309. Kynge Rycharde, walkyng vnwysely about the castell to espye the feblenes therof.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, II. xx. Some unwisely liberall, that more delight to give presentes, then pay debtes.
1605. Chapman, All Fools, III. i. 471. Since you have usd the matter so unwisely.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., II. (1702), I. 112. Every man unwisely thought him whom he found an Enemy to his Enemies, a Friend to all his other affections.
1744. Thomson, Spring, 136. The skilful Farmer … Nor … The little trooping Birds unwisely scares.
1774. Burke, Sp. Amer. Tax., 47. If intemperately, unwisely, fatally, you sophisticate and poison the very source of government.
1805. Wordsw., Ode to Duty, iii. They … who, not unwisely bold, Live in the spirit of this creed.
1850. Froude, Hist. Eng., V. 389. The same story of authority unwisely caught at and unwisely used.
1899. B. Harraden, Fowler, III. i. An unwisely-worded disparagement.
