† unselen.
Obsolete.
1.
a. Unhappiness, misery; misfortune, ill luck.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [noun]
unhealc700
unselthc888
bale-sithea1000
unselea1023
un-i-selthOE
sithec1250
ruthc1275
unwhatec1275
tempestc1330
illa1340
infelicityc1384
banec1400
naufragiea1425
infortunitya1438
naufrage1480
calamity1490
inconvenience1509
wanweirda1522
inconveniency1553
wroth1581
murderation1862
the mind > emotion > suffering > misery > [noun]
unselthc888
ermtheOE
unselea1023
wellawayOE
wretchhead1154
wandrethc1175
woec1175
wanea1200
wretchdom?c1225
yomernessc1250
balec1275
un-i-selec1275
wan-siðc1275
unseelinessa1300
wretchedheada1300
cursedness1303
wretcheddomc1320
wrechea1325
wretchnessa1330
tribulationc1330
wretchednessa1340
caitifty1340
meeknessa1382
unwealsomeness1382
infelicityc1384
caitifhedea1400
ill liking?a1400
sorea1400
ungleea1400
unweala1400
caitifnessc1400
deploration1490
caitifdoma1500
woefulnessa1513
misery1527
miserity1533
mishappinessa1542
unwealfulnessa1555
tribulance1575
miserableness1613
agony1621
desolatenessa1626
unblissa1628
unhappiness1722
misère1791
shadow1855
valley1882
miz1918
a1023 Wulfstan Homilies 236 Þa deoflu..wæron on miclum unsælum, and þa englas wæron on swiðe micelre blisse.
a1250 Owl & Nightingale 1263 Ich wolde Þer hi wel vnderstonde scholde Þat sum vnsel heom is ihende.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1978) l. 15244 Unsel him wes on mode.
c1275 xi Pains Hell 90 in Old Eng. Misc. 149 Snaken..dreyeþ heom in-to a wel Þer heo þolyeþ al vn-sel.
c1330 (?c1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) l. 1267 Of an vnsele y may ȝou telle, & ȝe wil a stounde duelle.
1338 R. Mannyng Chron. (1810) 278 Þe Scottis I telle for sottis, & wrecchis vnwar, Unsele dyntis to dele þam drouh to Dunbar.
a1400 Hymns Virgin (1867) 106 Þat þou..help to sauen hem from vncele, So þat heore soules beo not schent.
c1400 Laud Troy Bk. 5985 Ector thanne with mochel vnsele Graunted his askyng.
a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. xii. 106 Here is mekyll vnceyll, And long has it last.
b. Unseemly matter. rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > moral or spiritual impurity > indecency > [noun] > that which is indecent > indecent matter
unselea1400
stuff1749
filth1872
a1400 Minor Poems from Vernon MS 503/377 Bi heore onswere þei wuste ful wel Þat þei hedde spoken muchel vncel.
2. An improper time.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > a suitable time or opportunity > untimeliness > [noun] > a wrong or improper time
unselec1200
untime14..
c1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 13 Ȝef man haueð to done mid his rihte spuse on unsele oðer an untime þan man faste sal.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
† unseleadj.
Obsolete.
1. Unlucky, bad.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > [adjective] > attended by or causing affliction
eileOE
soreOE
unselec1050
evilc1175
derfa1225
stourc1275
feeble1297
illa1325
fella1400
unhappya1400
unwealful1412
importunea1425
noisomea1450
shrewd1482
importunable?c1485
importunate1490
funestal1538
nippingc1550
troublesome1552
pinching1563
grievesome1568
afflicting1573
afflictive1576
pressing1591
lacerating1609
funest1636
funestous1641
gravaminous1659
unkind1682
plightful1721
damning1798
acanthocladous1858
damnatory1858
fraught1966
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [adjective]
litherc893
unledeeOE
evil971
missOE
murkOE
unrighteousOE
unseelyOE
un-i-seliOE
unselec1050
wickc1175
foul-itowenc1225
unwrast?c1225
un-i-felec1275
wickedc1275
wrakefula1350
felonousc1374
unquertc1390
unperfect1395
felona1400
wanc1440
meschant?c1450
sinnyc1475
unselc1480
poison?1527
pernicious?1533
scelerous1534
viperous?1548
improbate1596
scelestious1609
scelestic1628
spider-like1655
dark-hearted1656
demonic1796
nineteda1798
sinful1863
c1050 in T. Wright & R. P. Wülcker Anglo-Saxon & Old Eng. Vocab. (1884) I. 421 Inprobus, unsæle, gemah.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 6149 Þaim he did þair asking haue, For to reue þat folk vn-sele.
2. Unfortunate, wretched.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > [adjective] > miserable or wretched
un-i-selieOE
drearyOE
unseelyOE
wretcha1122
usellc1175
unselea1200
wretcheda1200
misease?c1225
un-i-sele?c1250
wanlichec1275
miseasyc1300
wrackfulc1311
unblessed1340
wretchfula1382
wretchedful1382
caitiff1393
loddera1400
unhappena1400
pilledc1400
miserable?c1422
vengeablec1430
unhappyc1440
meschant?1473
miserousc1475
unselc1480
miser1542
forlorn1582
villainous1582
skybala1585
unblestful1608
despicable1635
haveless1868
the mind > emotion > suffering > misery > [adjective]
armlyeOE
un-i-selieOE
unledeeOE
unseelyOE
armOE
wretcha1122
unselea1200
wretcheda1200
wretchlyc1200
misease?c1225
wanlichec1275
miseasyc1300
wansomea1325
simplec1330
wretchfula1382
wretchedful1382
caitiff1393
loddera1400
desolate14..
disconsolatea1425
meschant?1473
miserousc1475
miser1542
unvisited1548
tribulate1575
happiless1582
uncomforted1583
blisslessa1586
uncomfortless1598
miserablea1616
thrallfula1618
calamitous1668
tribulated1682
donsie?1719
unsolaced1796
mis1939
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [adjective] > suffering misfortune
feyOE
unseelyOE
wanspeedyc1000
unselea1200
unblessed1340
unhappena1400
unhappyc1440
misfortuneda1500
unfortunate1530
unlucky1542
misdight1607
unblestful1608
inominal1656
unprovidenceda1661
unfortunable1729
a1200 Moral Ode 199 Nere namon elles ded ne sec ne nan unsele.
c1275 Laȝamon Brut 23868 Þe king was onseale þat he euere þoht wiþ Arthur to fihte.
c1300 Prov. Hendyng in T. Wright & J. O. Halliwell Reliquiæ Antiquæ (1845) I. 113 Holde ich no mon for vnsele Oþer whyle þah he fele Sum þyng þat him smerte.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [adverb]
evil971
unsellyc1275
chancefully1303
wrother-heala1325
badlyc1325
illc1325
ungraciouslyc1330
unhappilyc1374
evil haila1400
infortunately1442
shame to saya1450
ill haila1500
unluckily1530
unfortunately1548
unluckly1573
bad1575
haplessly1582
disasterly1593
lucklessly1596
untowardly1649
misfortunatelya1686
askew1858
the mind > emotion > suffering > misery > [adverb]
armlyeOE
un-i-sellyOE
wretchlikec1175
wretchlyc1175
unsellyc1275
wretchedlyc1340
woefullya1393
caitifly1393
miserably?a1425
lodderlyc1425
mischievously?a1439
sorrily1496
comfortlessly1852
c1275 Laȝamon Brut 7022 Suþþen was his sone king, Þat onselliche lifuede.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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n.a1023adj.c1050