† wemlessadj.
Obsolete.
1. Without stain of sin; undefiled, immaculate.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > virtue > purity > [adjective]
cleanlyc888
unwemmedc950
clean971
lightOE
whiteOE
unfiledc1200
shire?c1225
sheenc1275
wemlessc1275
undefouled13..
undefoileda1325
purec1330
unbleckedc1380
unfouledc1380
clear1382
impollutec1384
unblemishedc1400
undefiledc1400
unspottedc1400
virginc1400
spotless?a1430
immaculate1441
uncorruptc1450
unpollushed1490
intemeratea1492
incorrupted1529
unmaculate1535
impolluted1548
crystallinec1550
incorrupt1550
uncorrupted1565
undistained1565
unstained1573
entire1587
taintless1590
untainted1590
stainless1599
unsmirched1604
intemerated1608
indepravate1609
chastea1616
uncurseda1628
undishonested1631
untaint1638
Adamical1649
sincere1649
undebaucheda1656
unaccurseda1674
amiantal1674
unsoiled1699
unpolluted1732
c1275 Orison Our Lord 10 in Old Eng. Misc. 139 Þo þu hire to come heo mayde wes, And mayde heo wes after wemme~les.
a1300 E.E. Psalter xiv. 2 Lauerd, in þi telde wha sal wone?.. Whilke þat incomes wemles, And ai wirkes rightwisenes.
13.. Bonaventura's Medit. 812 My sone ys slawe here afore myn ye Þe whyche y bare wemles of my body.
a1400 Pistill of Susan 151 Are I þat worthliche wrethe, þat al þis world wrouȝt, Betere is wemles weende of þis world wyde.
c1420 J. Lydgate Ballad 104 in Minor Poems (1911) I. 258 O wemles mayden, enbelysshed with his byrthe.
2. Free from material blemish or imperfection; spotless.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > perfection > [adjective] > spotless or unblemished
without sakea1250
wemless1398
masclelessc1400
motelessc1400
unbruisedc1440
unblemished?c1450
unwemmedc1475
unstained1555
blemishless1583
blankless1589
ungalled1603
speckless1788
fleckless1847
invitiate1870
1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (1495) viii. xxviii. 338 Noo thynge [is] more Impassyble and wemles..than lyght.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 18839 His for-hed [fair], wemless to sight, Wit-vten ani runkel slight.
c1400 (?c1380) Pearl l. 736 This makellez perle..is wemlez, clene & clere.
3. Free from hurt or harm; uninjured.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > [adjective] > of health: good > free from injury
unwoundedOE
wholeOE
unwemmedc1175
hailc1275
wemlessc1330
sound as a trouta1450
unmaimeda1470
unmaggled1508
unmenyied?a1513
in (also with) a whole skin1534
woundless1579
unmartyred1580
wound-free1609
invulnered1613
fist-free1615
invulneratea1680
unmangled1885
c1330 R. Mannyng Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7906 He bar hym so in þat pres Þat of wounde he was wem-les.
a1400 Mirror St. Edmund in Hampole's Wks. I. 222 I..þanke þe þat me..þou hase kepid,..in þis nyghte..hale, safe, and wemles.
a1400–50 Wars Alex. 4066 [He] wendis a-way with that word & wemles þaim leuys.
1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. aii*v Bot thow mend hym that mys..Thow sall rew in thi ruse..Or thou wend of this wane wemeles away.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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adj.c1275