Middle English Dictionary Entry
unjust(e adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | unjust(e adj. |
| Etymology | From just(e adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of a person, God: wicked, unrighteous, sinful; also, as noun: the wicked;
(b) of a person: doing wrong (to himself), harmful;
(c) of a judge, God, etc.: perpetrating injustice; unfair, inequitable; of an official: corrupt.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)1 Pet.3.18 : Crist oonys dyede for oure synnes, he iust for vniuste [L iniustis].
- c1400 Bible SNT(1) (Selw 108 L.1)Mat.5.45 : Ȝoure Fadir þat is in heuene…makeþ his sunne sprynge on goode men & yuele, & reyneþ up-on iuste men & vniuste [WB(1): vniuste men].
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.5.6 : Thou art God not willynge wickidnesse…nethir vniust men schulen dwelle bifor thin iȝen; Thou hatist alle that worchen wickidnesse.
- a1425 Methodius(1) (Hrl 1900)111/18 : Vniuste men [Meth.(2): Þe wykkyd men] soþly with þe beest schule descende into helle.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)66 : Þou art, lord, trewe in þyn affermyng and denying…trewe in worching wiþout wronge doyng, trewe in promys paiyng…If þou myȝtist be vntrewe…or vnjust in aȝens trouþe of dede wrong doyng, or variaunt in couenaunt brekyng, þese schulde be no defautis in thi creaturis, neiþer for eny of hem schulde eny man be blamed.
b
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)218/28 : Þe…vice bi which a man doiþ yuel to him silf…is…vniustnes to him silf, and þerin a man is wrongful and vniust to him silf.
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.6.10 : Sothli, God is not vniust, that he forȝete ȝoure workis and loue, the whiche ȝe han schewid in his name.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2533 : Ful often sithe it is wist and seen, That for þe wrong and þe vnryghtwisnesse Of kynges mynistres, þat kynges bene Holden gilty…Vniust mynistres ofte hir kyng accusen, And thei þat iust ben, of wrong hem excusen.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2537 : If þe ministres do naght but iustice To poore peple, in contre as þei go, Thogh þe kyng be vniust, yit is his vice Hid to þe peple.
- (c1450) Boothe be ware (CotR 2.23)p.227 : The juge that is unjuste is a shrewede leche.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)152/7 : What maner vertu is in the holy crosse it scheweþ by an vniust notarye whome a wycche deceyued.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)32/15 : Hir mercy and hir iustice have peace togedir, and though she do iuste punicion yette is she neuir the more vnmercyable ne the more vniuste in hir mercyfull indulgence.
2.
Of an action: unlawful; wicked, sinful; of a judgment, tax: unjust, wrongful.
Associated quotations
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Dan.13.53 : Nowe thi synnes camen on thee, whiche thou wrouȝtist byfore, demynge vniust domys, oppressinge innocentis, and delyuerynge gylti.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.4.14 : Prestis not nowe weren ȝouen aboute offices of the auter, bot…thei hastiden for to be maad felawis of wrastlyng, and of vniust ȝeuynge therof [WB(2) Gloss.: of vniust ȝiuing of him: that is, of his ȝiuing of werst teching].
- (1395) Wycl.37 Concl.(Tit D.1)24 : Though ymagis moun be worshipid in a manere…netheles…it semeth pleynli that alle tho that onouren costli such idolis in spoilinge pore men with vniust axingis or tallagis, oppressingis, extortions, or othere fraudis…onouren more idolis that ben doumbe than oure Lord Jesu Crist.
- (a1460) DSPhilos.(Helm)77/1 : Thei wole putte me [Socrates] to dethe withoute deseruynge and for none other thinge but that I repreue hem for here vniuste [Scrope: vntrue] dedis, that is, for thei wole nat beleue on the true God and to leue the worshipping of the ydoles.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12965 : This Forenses…faithfully prayet Þat he might ryde with þat Orest & his ranke oste, To Ioyne with Engest for his vniust werkes, With þre hundrith…knightes.