untellingadj.
northern, Scottish, and U.S. dialect.
1. Innumerable, countless.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > enumeration, reckoning, or calculation > [adjective] > innumerable or unreckonable
untellinga1300
unnumberablea1382
unnumerable?a1425
innumberable1434
intellable1537
numberless1573
uncountable1582
innumeral1585
countless1593
incomputable1606
sumlessa1616
unreckonable1647
accountless?1650
unsummable1667
uncomputable1678
unaccountablea1699
unenumerated1799
unenumerable1895
a1300 Cursor Mundi 2107 Inde, and pers, and arabi,..And mani oþer vntelland contre.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 6441 Þis ilk folk was vntelland, þat moyses had vnder hand.
1816 G. Muir Clydesdale Minstrelsy 7 The royal banner that has splendid flown Its annual course for ages past untellin'.
1825 J. Jamieson Etymol. Dict. Sc. Lang. Suppl. Untellin, Untelling,..denoting what cannot be counted.
1834 Chambers's Edinb. Jrnl. 28 June 170/1 It being untelling the number of lodgers who used to elope without coming to a settlement.
1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 1 The road was thrang wui droves o nout—aa keinds, untellin.
1951 H. Giles Harbin's Ridge iii. 18 It's untelling the times me and Faleecy John have walked the snake-back of that barnyard fence.
2. = untellable adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > unintelligibility > inexpressibility > [adjective]
unsayinglyOE
wordlessa1200
unanemneda1225
unspeaking1340
untellablea1382
unenarrable1382
unspeakablea1400
ineffablec1450
inenarrablec1450
indicible1480
enarrable1482
inexplicable1502
inspeakable?1504
innominable1532
unoutspeakable1535
unexpressable1548
innarrable1554
inpronunciable1554
uncommunicable1555
inexprimablea1577
unexpressiblea1586
unutterablea1586
expressless1590
nameless1597
recountless1601
inutterable1603
indeclarable1610
unnameable1610
unreportable1611
speakless1612
unexpressivea1616
inexpressiblea1631
utterless1643
inexpressive1652
unwordablec1660
incommunicable1694
paintless1729
descriptionless1749
undelineable1767
describeless1799
indefinable1810
undescribable1818
unqualifiable1822
untelling1823
utterless1832
unpindownable1915
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adjective] > very great > and indescribable
untalelyc1225
unspeaking1340
unsayingc1350
untellablea1382
unspeakablea1400
ineffablec1450
unrehearsable1513
unutterablea1586
unrelatable1621
inexpressiblea1631
inexpressive1652
undescribable1728
indescribable1785
untelling1823
1823 J. Hogg Shepherd's Cal. i It was untelling what land that man possessed.
1884 ‘J. Strathesk’ More Bits from Blinkbonny i. 14 ‘It was untellin',’ what Tibbie did for poor Mrs. Gemmell.
1941 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 10 May 36/2 A man's notions are untelling.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
<
adj.a1300- to work in mysterious in a mysterious way
- to work in mysterious ways
- to work it
- to work late
- to work like a
- to work like a bastard
- to work like a beaver
- to work like a black
- to work like a demon
- to work like a dog
- to work like a drover's dog
- to work like a horse
- to work like a nigger
- to work like a slave
- to work loose
- to work magic
- to work mastery
- to work miracles
- to work nights
- to work off
- to work on tribute
- to work one'its way
- to work one's arse off
- to work one's ass off
- to work one's balls off