unoftenadv.
/(ˌ)ʌnˈɒf(t)n/, /(ˌ)ʌnˈɒftən/, U.S. /ˌənˈɔf(t)ən/, /ˌənˈɑf(t)ən/ Now chiefly Indian English.
Infrequently, seldom.Chiefly in negative contexts.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > frequency > infrequency > [adverb]
seldom-whenc888
seldomc897
seld-whenc897
seldoma1000
seldc1000
seldom-timec1386
seld-timec1386
seld-whilea1387
seld-where1390
thinc1405
rare?1440
sendle?a1500
daintilya1513
thinlyc1545
rarely1546
once in a moon1547
out-takingly1549
seldomly1549
for once and away1583
sparingly1590
scarce1596
unfrequently1646
unoften1654
infrequently1673
once in a while1765
sporadically1765
sparselya1871
seldom-while1876
(for) once in a way1891
1654 M. Stevenson Occasions Off-spring 57 Your Lapidaries not unoften note, The rarest Jewell in a ragged Coat.
1744 J. Harris Three Treat. iii. ii. 194 The Man of Gallantry not unoften has been found to think after the same manner.
1835 E. Bulwer-Lytton Rienzi I. i. iii. 38 Nor was it unoften that the mere presence of a noble sufficed to scatter whole crowds.
1908 Law Times 24 Oct. 595/2 Strange that in the church,..reading, not perfect, but passable, is unoften heard.
2013 Times of India (Nexis) 11 July Even critical references to the Judiciary..have not unoften been made in the media.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2014; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adv.1654- free grass
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