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▪ I. unˈnoble, a. (and n.) Now rare.
[un-1 7. Cf. ignoble a.]
1. Not noble or distinguished by rank or birth.
1382Wyclif 1 Sam. ii. 30 Who so euere honourith me, Y shal glorifie hym; forsothe who dispisen me, shulen be vn⁓noble. ― 1 Cor. iv. 10. 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. i. x. 29 The noble men bare a garment vnlyke to them that were vnnoble. 1545Brinklow Compl. 38 b, No noble or vnnoble man shall retayne any of the kyngs subiectys withowt lauful wagys. 1571Golding Calvin on Ps. xlvii. 5 He setting all the world asyde, had adopted to himself a feawe unnoble persons. 1607Cowell Interpr. s.v. Corruption of blood, If he were noble, or a gentleman before, he and his children are made vnnoble and vngentle in respect of the father. 1660Waterhouse Arms & Arm. 179 They must be contented to stand included under the base and unnoble state of people. 1832S. Austin tr. Tour Germ. Prince III. iv. 80 It is an almost universal weakness of the unnoble in England to parade an acquaintance with the noble. 1855Singleton Virgil II. 478 Other unwedded maids In Latium be, and in Laurentine fields, Nor they unnoble in their pedigree.
b. absol. (chiefly pl.) or as n.
1382Wyclif Isaiah iii. 5 Ther shal striue the child aȝen the old man, and the vnnoble aȝen the noble. c1400Apol. Loll. 43 Noiþer..of pore to be maad riche, ne gloriouse of þe vnnoble. a1513Fabyan Chron. ii. xxxix. 27 Artogayle..imaginyd causes agayne his nobles to put theym from theyr..dignyties, and in theyr places to sette & ordeyne vnnoble. 1581G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. ii. (1586) 92 Hee which despiseth the vnnoble, despiseth his first Fathers. 1602W. Fulbecke 1st Pt. Parall. Introd. 3 The noble and vn-noble were put to death. 1688R. Holme Armoury iii. 69/1 It is the Duty of the unnoble to Honor and Salute a Gentleman.
n.1563Foxe A. & M. 70 b/1 He had followers of his doltish religion, both of the nobles, and vnnobles of Rome.
†2.
a. Of or pertaining to one who is not of noble birth or rank. Obs.
c1520[see unnobleness]. 1561T. Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer iii. Hh ij b, So glorious a soule, that deserued..renowme after death, as in lief it dwelled in an vnnoble body. a1586Sidney Arcadia ii. ii, The perfections are such in the partie I love, as the feeling of them cannot come into any unnoble hart.
†b. Of things: Undistinguished, unnoted, common, mean. Obs.
1382Wyclif 1 Cor. i. 28 God chees the vnnoble thingis [L. ignobilia] and dispisable thingis of the world. 1589Cooper Admon. 199 The..unnoble thinges of the worlde..God hath chosen. 1590Burrough Meth. Physick 211 The bloud being driuen backe from the vnnoble members, it rusheth vp to the principal members. 1612Drayton Poly-olb. v. 332 Since, holy Dauid's seat; which of especiall grace Doth lend that nobler name, to this vnnobler place. 1631Widdowes Nat. Philos. 51 The more un-noble senses are Tasting, and Smelling.
3. Not noble in disposition; ignoble, mean, base:
a. Of persons.
1566Gascoigne, etc. Jocasta ii. i, So, woulde the Gods, that in this noble realme Shoulde never long unnoble tyrant reigne. 1616Breton Good & Bad Wks. (Grosart) II. 6/2 An vnnoble man is the griefe of Reason, when the title of honour is put vpon the subiect of disgrace. 1641Earl of Cork Diary in Lismore Papers Ser. i. (1886) V. 195 Papers concerning the vnnoble Earle of Middlesex.
transf.1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts 321 Neither is there any Horsse, swift or slow, noble, or vnnoble, that can be guided without these [reins].
b. Of actions, character, etc.
1606Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iii. xi. 50, I haue offended Reputation, A most vnnoble sweruing. 1628Ford Lover's Mel. ii. ii, My affections..are pure, Without all mixture of un⁓noble thoughts. 1680Life Edw. II, in Select. Harl. Misc. (1793) 37 If Lancaster had been of so unnoble a disposition. 1855Singleton Virgil I. 152 Him, likewise,..If now..he fails, Conceal at home; nor his unnoble eld Forgive.
Hence unˈnobleness.
c1400New Test. (Paues) 2 Cor. vi. 8 Þoroȝ worschupe & vnnobelnesse, þoroȝ diffamynge & good loos. c1520Barclay Jugurth (1557) 75 b, The lownes and vnnoblenes of Marius encreased to hym fauour specially of the commentie which were come of vnnoble bloude, as he was. 1569J. Sandford tr. Agrippa's Van. Artes 127 b, That they whiche had not slayne some enimie, shoulde go girte with a halter in reproche of vnnoblenes. 1618Fletcher Loyal Subj. i. iii, You made this Vow, and whose unnobleness, Indeed forgetfulness of good— Ar. No more.
▪ II. unˈnoble, v.
(un-2 6 a.)
1605Heywood If you know not me F 3 b, The treasons of the father being noble, Vn⁓nobles all your children. 1656Jeanes Mixt. Schol. Div. 119 A foul incongruity..is it for us..to unnoble, and pollute that flesh. |