comfortlessadj.
/ˈkʌmfətlɪs/ Without comfort.† 1. Without relief, aid, or resource; unrelieved, helpless, desolate. Obsolete (except as occasionally implied in sense 3a or 4.)† 2. Without courage or strength, spiritless. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > despair, hopelessness > [adjective] > inconsolable > not consoled, disconsolate
comfortless?a1400
unconsoled1814
inconsolate1882
?a1400 Chester Pl. (Shaks. Soc.) ii. 27 I will not leeve you comfortles [John xiv. 18; so in Coverdale 1535, Bps. Bible 1569, and 1611].
1568 Bible (Bishops') Psalms xii. 5 For the comfortlesse troubles sake of the needy.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 207 All the Barons of Fraunce had forsaken her..and so she was left all comfortlesse.
1639 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 172 All my houshold fledd from me and left me..comfortles.
1726 A. Pope tr. Homer Odyssey IV. xv. 380 Sole, and all comfortless he wastes away.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > dismay > [adjective]
fordrevedc1175
astoniedc1386
comfortless1387
bashedc1440
bluea1450
matedc1450
quailing?a1475
dismayeda1535
bashful1552
daunted1587
excordiate1594
appalled1609
craveneda1644
astonisheda1649
consternated1667
disheartened1720
intimidated1727
coweda1745
consterned1839
unhopeful1850
the mind > emotion > fear > cowardice or pusillanimity > [adjective]
arghc885
heartlessOE
bloodlessc1225
coward1297
faintc1300
nesha1382
comfortless1387
pusillanimousa1425
faint-heartedc1440
unheartyc1440
cowardous1480
hen-hearteda1529
cowardish1530
feigningc1540
white-livered1546
cowardly1551
faceless1567
pusillanime1570
liver-hearted1571
cowish1579
cowardise1582
coward-like1587
faint-heart1590
courageless1593
sheep-like1596
white-hearted1598
milky1602
milk-livered1608
undaring1611
lily-livereda1616
yarrow1616
flightful1626
chicken-hearted1629
poltroon1649
cow-hearted1660
whey-blooded1675
unbravea1681
nimble-heeled1719
dunghill1775
shrimp-hearted1796
chicken-livered1804
white-feathered1816
pluckless1821
chicken-spirited1822
milk-blooded1822
cowardy1836
yellow1856
yellow-livered1857
putty-hearted1872
uncourageous1878
chicken1883
piker1901
yellow-bellied1907
manso1932
scaredy-cat1933
chickenshit1940
cold-footed1944
the mind > emotion > fear > cowardice or pusillanimity > [adjective] > spiritless
comfortless1387
weak-hearta1425
unheartyc1440
sprightlessa1522
blate1535
weak-hearted1544
tame1563
spiritless1595
dismettled1660
exanimated1689
poor-spirited1749
milksoppish1852
unantagonistic1858
springless1869
spunkless1882
milksoppy1886
gritless1892
1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Rolls) VII. 25 Þe kyng erle was al comfortlees, and nyh deed for fere.
c1400 Rom. Rose 4412 Comfortles the deth I drede.
3. † b. actively. Giving no comfort. Obsolete. rare.
a. Destitute or devoid of mental comfort, consolation, or solace; of persons (now rare), unconsoled, inconsolable; of actions, states, etc., attended with no comfort.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > dejection > [adjective]
ungladc888
wearyc888
drearyc1000
dreary-moodOE
heavyc1000
unmerryOE
droopy?c1225
mournc1275
sada1300
languishinga1325
amayedc1330
matec1330
unlightc1330
unblissful1340
lowa1382
mishappyc1390
dullc1393
elengely1393
droopinga1400
heavy-hearteda1400
joylessa1400
sytefula1400
mornifc1400
tristy?c1400
lightless?1406
heartlessa1413
tristc1420
amatec1425
languoring?c1425
mirthlessc1430
heavisome1435
darkc1440
gloomingc1440
comfortlessc1460
amateda1470
chermatc1475
tristfula1492
lustless?1507
dolorous1513
ruthful1513
downcast1521
deject1528
heartsicka1529
lumpisha1535
coolc1540
dowlyc1540
glum1547
discouraged1548
uncheerfulc1555
dumpish1560
out of heart1565
sadded1566
amoped1573
tristive1578
desolated1580
dejected1581
à la mort1586
delightless1589
afflicted1590
gladless1590
groanful1590
gloomya1593
muddy1592
sitheful1592
cloudy1594
leaden-hearted1596
disconsolated1598
clum1599
life-weary1599
spiritless1600
dusky1602
chop-fallen1604
flat1604
disanimated1605
jaw-fallen1605
moped1606
chap-fallen1608
decheerful1608
uncheerful1612
lacklustrea1616
pulled1616
dumpya1618
depressed1621
head-hung1632
grum1640
downa1644
dispirited1647
down-at-mouth1649
down in (rarely of) the mouth1649
unhearted1650
sunlessa1658
sadful1658
unlightened1659
chagrin1665
saddened1665
damp1667
moping1674
desponding1688
tristitious1694
unenjoying1697
unraised1697
unheartya1699
unked1698
despondent1699
dismal1705
unjoyful1709
unrejoiced1714
dreara1717
disheartened1720
mumpish1721
unrejoicing1726
downhearted1742
out of spirits1745
chagrineda1754
low-spirited1753
sombrea1767
black-blooded1771
glumpy1780
oorie1787
sombrous1789
morose1791
Novemberish1793
glumpish1800
mopeful1800
die-away1802
blue-devilish1804
blue-devilled1807
malagrugrous1818
down in the hip1826
yonderly1828
sunshineless1831
downfaced1832
broody1851
in a (or the) trough1856
blue-devilly1871
drooped1873
glummy1884
pippy1886
humpy1889
pipped1914
lousy1933
pissed1943
crappy1956
doomy1961
bummed1970
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > despair, hopelessness > [adjective] > inconsolable
comfortlessc1460
discomfortable1535
uncomfortable1592
unconsolablea1618
inconsolable1677
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > despair, hopelessness > [adjective] > inconsolable > allowing no comfort
comfortlessc1460
c1460 R. Roos tr. La Belle Dame sans Mercy 463 in Polit. Relig. & Love Poems (1866) 67 To comforte hem that lyve al comfortlees.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Comedy of Errors (1623) v. i. 81 Melancholly, Kinsman to grim and comfortlesse dispaire. View more context for this quotation
1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost xi. 760 Thou stoodst..comfortless, as when a Father mourns His Childern. View more context for this quotation
1794 W. Wordsworth Guilt & Sorrow iii Perplexed and comfortless he gazed around.
1803 R. Southey Select. from Lett. (1856) I. 240 We had, indeed, a gloomy and comfortless parting.
1878 J. R. Seeley Life & Times Stein II. 394 My account of this comfortless time.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > despair, hopelessness > [adjective] > inconsolable > giving no comfort
comfortless1594
1594 W. Shakespeare Titus Andronicus iii. i. 249 That kisse is comfortlesse, As frozen water to a starued snake. View more context for this quotation
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. (1682) x. 468 Hunger, Vermine, and Tortures, being my Comfortless Companions.
4. Devoid of physical comfort; dreary, cheerless. (The most usual current sense.)
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > dejection > [adjective] > gloomy or depressing
darkOE
unmerryOE
deathlyc1225
dolefulc1275
elengec1275
dreicha1300
coolc1350
cloudyc1374
sada1375
colda1400
deadlya1400
joylessc1400
unjoyful?c1400
disconsolatea1413
mournfula1425
funeralc1425
uncheerfulc1449
dolent1489
dolesome1533
heavy-hearted1555
glum1558
ungladsome1558
black1562
pleasureless1567
dern1570
plaintive?1570
glummish1573
cheerless1575
comfortless1576
wintry1579
glummy1580
funebral1581
discouraging1584
dernful?1591
murk1596
recomfortless1596
sullen1597
amating1600
lugubrious1601
dusky1602
sable1603
funebrial1604
damping1607
mortifying1611
tearful?1611
uncouth1611
dulsome1613
luctual1613
dismal1617
winterous1617
unked1620
mopish1621
godforsaken?1623
uncheerly1627
funebrious1630
lugubrous1632
drearisome1633
unheartsome1637
feral1641
drear1645
darksome1649
sadding1649
saddening1650
disheartening1654
funebrous1654
luctiferous1656
mestifical1656
tristifical1656
sooty1657
dreary1667
tenebrose1677
clouded1682
tragicala1700
funereal1707
gloomy1710
sepulchrala1711
dumpishc1717
bleaka1719
depressive1727
lugubre1727
muzzy1728
dispiriting1733
uncheery1760
unconsolatory1760
unjolly1764
Decemberly1765
sombre1768
uncouthie1768
depressing1772
unmirthful1782
sombrous1789
disanimating1791
Decemberish1793
grey1794
uncheering1796
ungenial1796
uncomforting1798
disencouraginga1806
stern1812
chilling1815
uncheered1817
dejecting1818
mopey1821
desponding1828
wisht1829
leadening1835
unsportful1837
demoralizing1840
Novemberish1840
frigid1844
morne1844
tragic1848
wet-blanketty1848
morgue1850
ungladdeneda1851
adusk1856
smileless1858
soul-sick1858
Novemberya1864
saturnine1863
down1873
lacklustre1883
Heaven-abandoneda1907
downbeat1952
doomy1967
1576 A. Fleming tr. ‘Phalaris Agrigentinus’ in Panoplie Epist. 297 Inhabitable woodes and comfortlesse caves.
1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica vi. v A deplorable and comfortlesse Winter. View more context for this quotation
1754 H. Walpole Let. to J. Chute 14 May The country is cold and comfortless.
1837 J. R. McCulloch Statist. Acct. Brit. Empire II. iii. iv. 60 Cold and comfortless habitations.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1891; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1387