unskilfullyadv.
/(ˌ)ʌnˈskɪlfᵿli/, /(ˌ)ʌnˈskɪlfl̩i/, U.S. /ˌənˈskɪlfəli/ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > unjustness > [adverb]
unevenc1000
unrightOE
unrightlyOE
wronga1250
falsely1303
wrongouslyc1325
unskilfully1338
unskilwiselya1340
wrongly1340
unrightfullyc1350
wrongfullyc1374
unevenly1382
unjustlyc1384
unduly1399
slanderously1429
injustly1502
undeservedly1549
slanderfully1550
unequallya1599
unequitably1649
unfairly1713
iniquitably1742
inequitably1857
society > morality > rightness or justice > wrong or injustice > [adverb]
unrightOE
unrightlyOE
wronga1250
mislichec1275
falsely1303
wrongouslyc1325
unskilfully1338
unskilwiselya1340
wrongly1340
unrightfullyc1350
wrongfullyc1374
unjustlyc1384
injustly1502
1338 R. Mannyng Chron. (1810) 152 Þe kyng..said he was redy, Þe testament to fulfille of kyng William, & þat his men fulle ille vnskilfully nam.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1872) IV. 433 Ȝif it is good to lyve, it is sacrelegy to forsake it unskilfulliche.
c1400 N. Love tr. Bonaventura Mirror Life Christ (1908) 147 We haue ensaumple that we schulle not lette to do gode werkes for occasioun of sclaundre vnskilfully taken of othere.
a1470 Dives & Pauper (1496) iv. xxv. 192/2 We sholde loue all men..with drede to offende them unskylfully.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > [adverb]
unwiselyc897
dizzilyc1175
folly?c1225
canglichec1230
mazedlya1250
follilyc1330
unskilfully1340
unwittily1362
lewdlyc1380
nicelya1387
fondlya1450
nicea1450
foolishlyc1450
foliously1481
ineptly1523
peevishly?1529
simply1535
insipiently1536
senselessly1561
fonly1579
sillilyc1598
perperously1657
insipidly1699
daftly1724
silly1731
stupid?1757
dawkinly1763
fool-like1800
unsagely1801
spoonily1861
assishly1863
ill-advisedly1879
1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 871 For almus-dede do ȝe non as ȝe demen alle, But skarsete & skaþe vn-skilfully fonden.
1390 J. Gower Confessio Amantis III. 251 Tarquinus made unskilfully A werre..Ayein a toun with walles stronge.
a1500 (a1475) G. Ashby Dicta Philosophorum l. 1211 in Poems (1899) 97 He wol..euery thinge determen wilfully, Aye[n]ste Reason, & eke vnskilfully.
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus at Inscienter Thei sayde he did vnskilfully.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Measure for Measure (1623) iii. i. 408 Therefore you speake vnskilfully: or, if your knowledge bee more, it is much darkned in your malice. View more context for this quotation
3. In an unskilful manner; inexpertly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > inability > unskilfulness > [adverb]
uncraftily1519
unexpertly1565
unskilfully1565
ill1579
fumblingly1598
unskilly1648
unartfully1724
inexpertly1822
1565 T. Cooper Thesaurus Imperite, vnexpertly, vnskilfully, vnlearnedly.
1664 H. More Apol. in Modest Enq. Myst. Iniquity 496 Upon which Grotius doth freely and not unskilfully comment after this manner.
1686 R. Boyle Free Enq. Notion Nature vii. 266 To clear all those unskilfully framed axioms and phrases, I found to be so intricate..a task [etc.].
1735 S. Johnson tr. J. Lobo Voy. Abyssinia 29 One [of the muskets] being unskillfully charged too high, flew out of the Soldier's Hand.
a1774 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued (1777) III. iii. 193 That it is highly blasphemous..to imagine, that God should have contrived his order of second causes so unskilfully.
1848 M. R. Mitford in A. G. L'Estrange Life M. R. Mitford (1870) III. xii. 213 The story is very unskilfully told, with an entire want of dramatic power.
1885 Law Times Rep. 53 325/2 The defendant..negligently and unskilfully navigated..the said vessel.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adv.1338