v. Obs. Also 5 vnye. [ad. OF. uni-er (1371 in Godef.), or uni-r (12th–13th c.; F., Sp., and Pg. unir, It. unire), a. L. ūnīre to UNITE. Cf. UNE v.] trans. To form, combine, or join into one; to make one; to unite.
Freq. from c. 1435 to 1535; in later use chiefly Sc. The chief types of construction are illustrated by the different groups of quotations.
(a) 1433. Rolls of Parlt., IV. 441/2. Pretendyng yat all his Auncestres … have had ye Estate, Honour and Dignite, as annexed, unied and appurtenaunt to ye seid Castell, Honour and Lordship.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 435/2. How our lord wold unye or joyne our humanyte to his dyuynytee by grete loue.
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), I. iv. D ij b. By the baptem the soule … is incorporat and vnyed with holy chirche.
c. 1510. More, Picus, Wks. 13/1. That prayer … not onelye presenteth the mind to the father: but also vnieth it with hym by vnspeakeable wayes.
1550. J. Coke, Eng. & Fr. Heralds, § 128. Whiche realme … [he] conquered, uniynge it to the Crowne of Espayne.
(b) c. 1450. Myrr. our Ladye, 294. The prayer of a multytude that is vnyed togyther in charyte.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VI. cxciii. 196. He made Dunstanne, ye was abbot of Glastynbury, bisshop of Worceter, and vnyed and knyt into one the prouynce & lordshyppes of Englande, and made of them one monarchye and kyngdom.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccclxxxi. 640. That there be no villayns nor gentylmen, but that we may be all vnyed toguyder.
1541. Copland, Galyen’s Terap., A j. Howe Phylosophy and eloquence are … vnyed togyther by offyce and actyon.
(c) c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon., ii. (1885), 112. Euery comunalte vnyed of mony parties must nedis haue an hed.
1482–3. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 310. That they … a Gilde or Fraternyte … of the men of the seid Crafte and other, myght make, vnye, founde,… and stablissh.
1509. Sc. Acts, Jas. IV. (1814), II. 267/1. It sall be lefull till his grace to diuide schirefdomez & create, vny, & annex þe sammyne.
1512. Helyas, in Thoms, Prose Rom. (1828), III. 135. In the which time … should be unyed and congregeed the princes of christendom for to passe over the sea.
(d) 1562. Winȝet, Wks. (S.T.S.), II. 41. In Christe Iesus is na commixtioun,… bot bayth the twa naturis vniit in ane persoun.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 84. At last … the Britanis of Cambrie … war vniit in ane people vndir ane law.
refl. c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xli. 26. The Sone of god vnyede hym to mankynde to þe dethe.
1494. Cov. Leet Bk., 558. That they … applye them-self to Joyn & vnye themself or to be contributory to other Craft.
1562. Winȝet, Wks. (S.T.S.), II. 43. The Sone of God … be vniing Him self to man … wes maid man.
Hence † Unying vbl. sb. Obs.
1517. Love’s Bonavent. Mirr., xv. (W. de W.), I iv b. Puttynge a-way occasyon … that myght drawe ye … soule … fro the vnyenge & knyttyng to her spouse Jhesu chryst.
