unciviladj.
/(ˌ)ʌnˈsɪvl/, U.S. /ˌənˈsɪvəl/ 1. Not civilized; barbarous; unrefined:† a. Of persons. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > customs, values, and civilization > civilization > lack of civilization > [adjective] > specifically of persons
savage?1473
uncivil1553
1553 J. Brende tr. Q. Curtius Rufus Hist. iv. f. 45 The Bactrians be the moste hardie people amonges those nacions, vnciuill men.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. vii. sig. Sv He sitting found in secret shade An vncouth, saluage, and vnciuile wight.
1630 tr. G. Botero Relations Famous Kingdomes World (rev. ed.) 336 Among all men that professe Christ, there is not a more uncivill creature than the Calabrian.
1644 H. Parker Jus Populi 42 No creature is now so uncivill or untame as Man.
b. Of actions, places, times, etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > customs, values, and civilization > civilization > lack of civilization > [adjective]
wilda1300
bestiala1398
wilderna1400
savagine?a1439
barbaric1490
rudea1530
barbar1535
barbarous1538
pagan1550
uncivil1553
Scythical1559
raw?1573
savaged1583
incivil1586
savage1589
barbarian1591
uncivilized1607
negerous1609
mountainous1613
ruvid1632
ruvidous1632
barbarious1633
incivilizeda1645
alabandical1656
inhumanea1680
tramontane1740
semi-barbarous1798
irreclaimed1814
semi-savage1833
semiferine1854
warrigal1855
sloven1856
semi-barbaric1864
pre-civilized1876
wild and woolly1884
jungle1908
medieval1917
jungli1920
society > society and the community > customs, values, and civilization > civilization > lack of civilization > [adjective] > relating to uncivilized people
uncivil1553
savage1589
1553 J. Brende tr. Q. Curtius Rufus Hist. v. f. 86 This nacion for al their vncyuill and rude maner, could not escape to be subdued with the same force of fortune yt others were.
a1599 E. Spenser View State Ireland 40, in J. Ware Two Hist. Ireland (1633) I thought this manner of lewd crying and howling, not impertinent to be noted as uncivill and Scythian-like.
1650 J. Bulwer Anthropometamorphosis 113 They of Goa also eat their pottage with their hands, mocking at the use of spoons as if they were uncivil.
1663 W. Davenant Siege of Rhodes: 2nd Pt. ii. 13 Their gladness is but an uncivil Noise.
1790 E. Burke Refl. Revol. in France 88 Men cannot enjoy the rights of an uncivil and of a civil state together. View more context for this quotation
1890 Charity Organisation Rev. Jan. 5 So is their project of feeding a barbarous and uncivil method in civic administration.
a. Undeveloped, rude, primitive. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > undertaking > preparation > unpreparedness > [adjective] > unready or immature
green?a1300
rawa1398
indigest1398
unmatured?a1425
unripea1500
unseasonable1515
unbuilded1519
inchoate1534
unripened1561
uncivil1572
unmellowed1573
unmanured1577
unblown1587
ungrown1593
unpolished1594
rudimental1597
rude1600
unsalted1602
unseasoned1602
unlicked1612
embryon1613
unbakeda1616
unbloweda1616
unfledged1615
unmellow1615
sappya1627
embryous1628
unconcocteda1631
unkneaded1633
immature1635
sucking1648
vacuous1651
embryo1659
unelaborate1663
unmature1673
unformed1689
undeveloped1736
infantile1772
uncultivated1796
unelaborated1817
fetal1820
embryotic1823
embryonic1825
embryonary1833
sophomoric1837
seedling1843
rudimentary1851
unwrought1869
juvenescent1875
vealy1890
under-developed1892
1572 T. Twyne tr. Dionysius Periegetes Surueye World sig. Evijv These inhabite a very wilde, and vnciuile countrey, the mould beeing very sandy, and not meete for anye tillage.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. x. 433 Bad and unciuill Husbandry in Ireland.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > earth or soil > soil qualities > [adjective] > infertile
unbearingc825
geasonOE
unkindc1330
barren1377
unfructuousa1382
poora1387
leanc1420
exile?1440
salt1535
unfruitful?1542
sterile1572
dead1577
unlusty1580
queasy1593
heartless1594
unfertile1596
emacerated1610
sapless1655
unprolific1672
uncivil1676
ungrateful1681
worn1681
teemless1687
unproductive1725
poorish1767
ill-conditioned1796
scanty1797
rammelly1808
starve-acre1891
1676 J. Evelyn Philos. Disc. Earth 69 That Soil may be so strangely alter'd..as to render the harsh and most uncivil Clay obsequious to the Husbandman.
1733 J. Tull Horse-hoing Husbandry vi. 24 I take harsh uncivil Clay to be the least Profitable of any to keep in Tillage.
3. Not civil or courteous, impolite; rough, rude, lacking in manners:in combination.1600 T. Nashe Summers Last Will iv Presumptuous Ver, vnciuill-nurturde boy, Think'st I will be derided thus of thee?
a. Of actions, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > discourtesy > [adjective]
rudec1400
rudishc1450
discourteous1561
uncivil1596
incivila1616
dispunct1616
indiscreet1727
impolite1739
1596 Raigne of Edward III sig. D3 Now we thinke it an vnciuill thing, To trouble heauen with such harsh resounds. View more context for this quotation
1613 W. Browne Britannia's Pastorals I. iv. 74 [They] Bad me be gone, and then (in tearmes vnciuill) Did call me counterfaite, witch, hagge, whore, diuell.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623) v. iv. 60 Ruffian: let goe that rude vnciuill touch, Thou friend of an ill fashion. View more context for this quotation
1653 W. Ramesey Astrologia Restaurata 25 The which rugged, preposterous and uncivil answer, caused me presently to believe him to be whom I found him at the last.
1685 R. Baxter Paraphr. New Test. Acts xv. 12 The proud Magisterial Talkers..stop and silence him by rude uncivil interruption, on pretence that he is too long.
1796 F. Burney Camilla IV. vii. xi. 167 I'm not going to offer any thing uncivil.
1823 W. Scott St. Ronan's Well I. xiii. 306 Having found himself aggrieved by the uncivil behaviour of..Francis Tyrrel.
1878 R. Browning Poets Croisic xciv You've learnt your lesson..By this uncivil answer of La Roque.
b. Of persons.
ΚΠ
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Mauduict,..ill brought vp, vnciuile, rude.
a1625 F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Knight of Malta v. i, in Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Mmmmm3/1 Hard-hearted, and uncivill Oriana.
1663 S. Patrick Parable of Pilgrim xxxv He was forced to be more uncivil to her than otherwise he should have been.
1712 J. Arbuthnot Law is Bottomless-pit viii. 15 He was a very uncivil Fellow to use such coarse Language before People of Condition.
1758 S. Johnson Idler 29 July 129 His riches neither made him uncivil nor negligent.
1845 G. P. R. James Arrah Neil III. ii We do not intend to be uncivil to you.
1882 M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal II. v. 87 He was not absolutely uncivil to his cousin.
4. Not decent or seemly; indecorous.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > bad taste > unseemliness or unbecomingness > [adjective]
unthewfulc1050
unhend?c1225
uncomelyc1230
unseemlya1300
unseeminga1340
unseemc1425
untowardly1483
indecent1570
unbeseeming1583
uncivil1586
unbecoming1598
unbefitting1598
unhandsome1645
untoward1658
incorrect1672
indecorous1682
outré1722
improper1739
indelicate1741
unproper1797
pah1835
it is not (frequently isn't) done1879
1586 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. I. 182 No effeminate or loose maners, no clownish or vnciuill fashions are seene in him.
1612 J. Speed Theatre of Empire of Great Brit. i. xxvii. 53/1 Her faire haire..so couered her nakednes, that no part of her body was vnciuill to sight.
1682 J. Bunyan Holy War 309 His two servants..catcht them together in uncivil manner more than once. View more context for this quotation
1687 J. Dryden Hind & Panther iii. 129 That he should..vex th' Etherial Pow'rs With midnight Mattins, at uncivil Hours.
5. Not in accordance with civic unity; contrary to civil well-being.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social attitudes > public-spiritedness > [adjective] > not in accordance with public good
uncivil1597
uncivic1791
1597 T. Beard Theatre Gods Iudgements ii. xix. 258 So that great trouble & vnciuil wars were growne vp..in euery corner of the realme.
1620 J. Taylor Jack a Lent B ij b They run starke mad, assembling in routs and throngs numberlesse of ungouerned numbers, with vnciuill ciuill commotions.
1642 J. Vicars God in Mount 33 Our home-bred and imbred distractions and uncivill-civill warres.
1647 N. Ward Simple Cobler Aggawam 2 Civill Commotions make roome for uncivill practises.
1871 R. Ellis tr. Catullus Poems lxvii. 13 Comes to the light some mischief, a deed uncivil arising.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military service > [adjective]
militarya1460
militar1533
martial1537
uncivil1590
castrensic1840
1590 H. Swinburne Briefe Treat. Test. & Willes ii. f. 67 To be decided and ruled by the dead stroke of vnciuill and martial cannons, rather then by anie rule of the ciuill or cannon lawe.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† uncivilv.
Obsolete. rare.
transitive. To render uncivil.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > customs, values, and civilization > civilization > lack of civilization > render uncivilized [verb (transitive)]
uncivilize1603
uncivil1615
barbarize1648
rebarbarize1798
wilder1798
vandalize1800
barbarianize1856
1615 S. Daniel Hymens Triumph iv. iii I trust your lonenesse hath not so Vnciuil'd you, to force a messenger To doe against good manners, and his will.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
<
adj.1553
v.1615