Middle English Dictionary Entry
unfrẹ̄ adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | unfrẹ̄ adj. |
| Etymology | From frẹ̄ adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Ignoble, base; evil;
(b) constrained, restricted, confined; limited; also, lacking freedom;
(c) deprived of the privileges of membership in a craft or guild; not possessed of the privileges of a free landholder.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)2727 : Þou slouȝ his breþer þre…Vrgan and morgan vn fre And moraunt, þe noble kniȝt.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1129 : If folk be defowled by unfre chaunce, Þat he be sulped in sawle, seche to schryfte, And he may polyce hym at þe prest, by penaunce taken.
b
- ?c1335 Swet ihc hend (Hrl 913)p.82 : Þou ne art bot a brotil tre…Þe ax is at þe rote; Þe fent vnfre halt al to gle Þis tre adun to rote.
- c1400 Wycl.Dominion (Dub 244)284 : Þei were vnfree to helpe here soulis and here fadris, and so þei weren noȝt ful lordis of here owne goodis.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)33b/a : Illiberalis: vnfre.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.363 : Þes men have distroyed freedom and pervertid Cristis Chirche, and so, as myche as in hem is, þei have maad Crist unfree, and þis unfredom is worse þan al þe richessis of þis world.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)123/11 : As anentis it what þou concludist as it were of vnfre choice and of constreynyng…þou muste heere mych more.
- a1500 Arth.& M.(Dc 236)307/748 : So schal my chyld be born…Of a womman, þat ich wele ches, And of me yghete schal be, Þat al þis wordl schal make vnfre.
c
- a1400 Doc.in HMC Rep.6 App.233.1 : Custumarii qui vocantur Unfre.
- (1459-60) Doc.in Gilbert Cal.Dublin 1303 : All maner of bowcherys, fischerys, and bakerys that ben fremen that will not pay ther custum that thay be put out of ther franches and ymad unfre.