Now rare or Obs. [UN-1 8 b. Cf. G. ungewohnt, -wöhnt.]
1. Unusual; uncustomary; = UNWONTED ppl. a. 1.
c. 1400. Found. St. Bartholomew’s, 46. The man awakid was afrayed of this vnwount vision and … lost his wytte.
1475. Cath. Angl., 423/2 (A.). To be vn Wonte, dessuere, dessuescere.
c. 1520. Barclay, Jugurth (1557), 40 b. The vnwonte and sodayne feare of this treason.
1533–4. Acts 25 Hen. VIII., c. 21 § 3. Yf it be thought … that dispensacions … in any suche cause unwonte shall passe.
1556. Olde, Antichrist, 52 b. A fearfull and an unwont blasing starre appeared.
a. 1568. Coverdale, Bk. Death, III. xii. (1579), 300. If one die an vnwonte death.
1611. Cotgr., Insolite, strange, vnused, vnaccustomed, vnwont.
1664. Butler, Hud., II. iii. 1185. He … with Activity unwont, Essay’d the lofty Beast to mount.
1816. Monthly Mag., XLI. 527. E’en in the chapel watch unwont is kept.
1827. Pollok, Course T., I. 114. But what concern hangs on thy countenance, Unwont within this place?
b. poet. Of persons: Strange in manner. rare–1.
a. 1843. Bamford, Wild Rider, IV. Poems (1864), 76. The knight, from that day, Was altered in look, and unwont in his way.
2. Not wont, used, or accustomed to do something. Cf. UNWONTED ppl. a. 2 (a).
1552. R. Morysine, in Tytler, England (1839), II. 136. He hath a face unwont to disclose any hid affection of his heart.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. xi. 40. Groomes … Vnwont with heards to watch, or pasture sheepe.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., II. vii. Though [thou art] all unwont to bid in vain.
1823. Mrs. Hemans, Siege Valencia, 171. A stem Unwont to bend or break.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xiii. I am unwont to press my favours.
Hence Unwontness. rare.
1552. Huloet, Vnwontenes, insolentia, dissuetudo.
1570. T. Wilson, trans. Demosth. Orat., iv. 35. Beholde what an insolencie and vnwoontnesse the man is growne vnto.
