menselessadj.
/ˈmɛnsləs/, U.S. /ˈmɛnsləs/, Scottish English /ˈmɛnsləs/ Now Scottish.
Lacking propriety, decorum, or seemliness; foolish, senseless; ill-mannered, boorish.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > [adjective] > ill-mannered
unthewedc1175
ill-mannered1422
unmannerlya1425
mannerlessa1500
unmannered?1518
inhonest1534
ungraciousa1535
unrude?1552
misnurtured1553
menseless1568
misleared1578
mismannered1615
unmanneredly1650
rag-mannered1698
1568 (a1500) Colkelbie Sow i. 113 in W. T. Ritchie Bannatyne MS (1930) IV. 285 This cursit cumpany And mensles mangery.
1593 B. Barnes Parthenophil & Parthenophe 11 Oh but I feare myne hopes be voyde, or mencelesse.
1737 in Caledonian Mag. (1788) 503 He jee'd na out o' that an inch, Afore a menseless man, Came a' at anes athort his hinch A sowph.
1786 R. Burns Poems 65 An' warn him..no to rin an' wear his cloots, Like ither menseless, graceless brutes.
1814 W. Tennant Elegy Trottin' Nanny 4 Deil choke wi' soot thy menseless maw!
a1816 J. Orr Posthumous Wks. (1817) Though here and there may sit a menseless loun, The thoughtfu' class consider poor folks' need.
1858 M. Porteous Real Souter Johnny (ed. 2) 32 The menseless fry Gie out its for your fame they pry, To mak it strunt, an' sten' mair high.
1883 R. Cleland Inchbracken (1887) 149 Puir menseless sheep that hae na gotten a shepherd.
1939 J. M. Caie 'Twixt Hills & Sea 77 Envyin', hatin', fechtin', grief an' dule Made up their life, An' made it menseless, fusome, daft an' fool.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1568