Unworn

ppl. a. [UN-¹ 8 b, c.]

  1.  Not impaired, decayed, or wasted by use, weather, etc.

a. 1586.  Sidney, Ps. VIII. viii. What things els of waters traceth The unworn pathes, his rule embraceth.

1602.  J. Davies (Heref.), Mirum in Modum, Wks. (Grosart), I. 29/2. For in Not-beeings bottome, being fast, Ought would to worse then nought, vnworen wast.

1616.  Extr. Aberd. Reg. (1848), II. 342. Stanes … [that] abyde baith wind and wather, vnworne or consumeit.

a. 1677.  Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1686, II. 98. This great Machine…, unimpaired in its beauty, unworn in its parts.

1757.  Young, Paraphr. Job, Wks. I. 215. Will the tall Reem … Submit his unworn shoulder to the yoke.

1771.  Phil. Trans., LXI. 466. Any two of them, that appeared to be perfect and unworn.

1813.  Byron, Giaour, 1059. There read of Cain the curse and crime, In characters unworn by time.

1818.  Shelley, Julian, 540. The colours of his mind seemed yet unworn.

1877.  Mrs. Oliphant, Makers Flor., iv. 102. The beautiful countenance yet unworn with anything worse than the sweet sorrows of a visionary love.

1883.  ‘Ouida,’ Wanda, I. 41. Those cool, vast, unworn mountain solitudes.

  b.  Not worn or thrown off.

1748.  Richardson, Clarissa, VII. lxxviii. 258. The unworn-off effects of the midnight revel.

  c.  Not exhausted or worn out.

1882.  Pusey, Paroch. & Cathedr. Serm., vi. 80. A dull heavy temper He will transform into patient unworn endurance for love of Jesus.

  2.  Free from deterioration or weakening; unimpaired, fresh.

1757.  Burke, Sublime & Beautiful, Introd. ad fin. In the morning of our days, when the senses are unworn and tender.

1831.  Carlyle, Sartor Res., II. iii. The unworn Spirit is strong.

1846.  C. Brontë, in Mrs. Gaskell, Life (1857), II. 5. While their minds are mostly unemployed, their sensations are all unworn.

1855.  Browning, In Three Days, i. See how I come, unchanged, unworn!

  absol.  1851.  Helps, Comp. Solit., xi. 214. The knowledge to be gained [by travel] … is for the young and the unworn.

  3.  Of dress, etc.: Not hitherto worn; not actually worn.

1798.  S. & Ht. Lee, Canterb. T., II. 226. One who appeared to him to be adorned with the unworn jewels of the Marchioness.

1819.  Wordsw., Misc. Sonn., I. xxi. [She] Put on fresh raiment—till that hour unworn.

1861.  Whyte-Melville, Good for Nothing, I. 140. And yet … the white dress … might have been consigned unworn to its place in the wardrobe.

1894.  Daily News, 7 April, 5/3. [In this] painting of Mr. Gladstone … the pince-nez would have been better unworn.