Middle English Dictionary Entry
unlēfful adj.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | unlēfful adj.(2) Also unleffule, unlefeful, unleveful, unleful(le, unleifful, unleoful, unlief(f)ul, unliful, onlef(f)ul & (errors) unlelful, vuleful. |
| Etymology | From lēfful adj.(2). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Not permitted by civil statutes or ecclesiastical laws, illegal; foul) ~ thing, a crime, transgression, misdeed [usu. with strong moral overtones; cp. sense 2.(a)]; troubles ~, ?irregular political doings, governmental mischief;
(b) illegitimate, dishonest; ~ lucres (thing), goods or money obtained unlawfully, ill-gotten gains;
(c) ~ gamer, a participant in prohibited or disreputable sports, diversions, etc.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.20.17 : He þat takeþ his soster…& seeþ þe fulþhede of hure & sche byholde þe schensheep of þe broþer, a fol vnlefful þyng [L nefariam rem] þei han wrouȝt.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Esth.1.19 : Be it writen after þe lawe of persis & of medis, þe whiche to ouer passen is vnleueful.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.6.20 : He…ordeynyde for to not do vnleeful thingus for loue of lijf.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)129 : The pharisees…reproued…bothe him and his disciples and seiden that it was vnleueful on the sabbot day.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)10/32 : Fader…this weddyng, þat ȝe hafe now made here, es vnlefull!
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)21/20 : We schewyn acursyd alle þo þat…are weddyd to-gydere in ony degre of kynrede or of affinyte…forfendyd be lawe…And alle preestys þat wyttyngly & wylfully solemnyzen swyche vnleefful matrimonye.
- a1456 Marmaduke SSecr.(Ashm 59)215/18 : Þe disolving of heos parlementz…þer betyde not none incydent inconvenientz, troubles vnleofull.
- c1425 Wycl.Antichr.(2) (Dub 245)p.cxxxvi : It is vnleful to lewd men to speke of Goddis lawe.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.135 : The doyngge of þe craft [astronomy] was vnleueful bothe aforn and after.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.287 : Principal festis schuldyn alwey ben halwyd but wol gret nede compellyd men to warkyn…For…nede makyth leful þat is ellis vnleful be þe lawe, for nede hath no lawe.
b
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.777 : Marchandise is in manye maneres…that oon is honeste and leueful and that oother is deshoneste and vnleueful [vrr. vuleful, vnlieful, vnlieffull, vnleful, dislefull].
- c1400 Ilka man (Tbr E.7)653 : Þir er þe sins þat falles in dede, als…vnlefful thing to resayue.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)81/34 : How manye manslauȝtris, þeftis, raueynes, wiþ manye vnleeful lucris…comeþ out of þis synne!
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)80/26 : Vs is forbode all manere þefte…and all vnlefull takynge, wiþholdyng, and hidyng of oþer mennes goodes.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)53/23 : In this is defendid al vnleifful [vr. vnlefull] vsurpacion of othir mennys thingis.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)79/37 : A trew counseiler or seruaunt: Se…þat he be…declynyng from hasardrye and vnlefull pleyes [Abbrev.Trip.: dyse…nor noon othir dishonest games].
c
- (a1450) Code Laws in Willmore Hist.Walsall167 [1st occurrence] : It is ordeyned that who soevyr suffer eny dise-player, carder, tenys player, or other unliefull gamer, to use…unlifull games in their house, to lese for ev[er]y suche defaute vi s. viii d.
2.
(a) Not permitted by moral law, wicked, sinful [sometimes difficult to distinguish from senses 1.(a) & (b)]; also, conducive to sin, seductive [last quot.];
(b) ungoverned by moral constraints, misdirected, wrongful [some quots. could be construed as (a)].
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lev.20.13 : He þat slepeþ wiþ amale by manere of goynge to gedere wiþ womman, eyþer haþ wrouȝt fol vnlefful þyng.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.4.13 : This was…sum encresyng…of heithen and alien lijf, for the vnleeful and vnherd grete trespas of vnpytous—and not prest—Jason.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)620/18 : Hit is ful vnleeful to trowe þat God schewiþ his priue counseile to crowes.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)135/2 : Wiþ hure mouþ she custe Cristes fet, þat bifore she hadde misused in unlelful [?read: unleeful] cussinges and unclene speches.
- c1400 Wycl.10 Com.(2) (Sim)327 : Keep clene…alle þyne membres fro lecherous handlyng or touching, and vnleueful deedes doing.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)2537 : Sho lered hir lord vnlefeful lawes, To sla his py for hir soth sawes.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.3.25 : Thanne ne sholde ther be no stedefast prescience of thing to comen…the whiche thing to trowen of God, I deme it felonye and unleveful.
- ?a1450 Sel.Rosarium Theol.(Cai 354/581)73/29 : A prechor forsoþ ow not in his prechyng for to expoune to þe puple gramer or fablez of Iupiter; þis also defendid Gregor…as a greuous & vnleful & vnreligious þing.
- c1450 Dives & P.(Lchf 35)1.39 : Þe lawe punyssheth…for manslaughter Women þat doon myscraftes or onlefull craftys þat letten hemself fro beryng of childeren.
- ?c1450 Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Cmb Ff.6.31)23/26 : Þat is vnleffule [Hrl 211: In wil trespacyth he or sche dedly þt sore settyþ his herte vp on loue þt is vnlawful].
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)69/1 : Vsure is vnleeful for þat it is aȝens þe lawe of resoun or kynde.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)72a : Vnlefull [Monson: vn Lefulle]:…Illecebrosus.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.237 : A man is forsworn…ȝif he swere a þing vnleful…as ȝif he swere to slen a man or defylyn a woman.
- 1532-1897(c1385) Usk TL (Thynne:Skeat)99/23 : An innocent walkid by…whom mette a woman…as a strumpet arayed…To whom cam love fayned, not clothed of my livery, but [of] unlefful lusty habit, with softe speche and mery.
b
- c1390 I warne vche (Vrn)74 : Sunge þou not in lecherie; Such lust vn-leueful let hit pas.
- c1400 Wycl.10 Com.(2) (Sim)332 : Alle striues…beon caused of couetise, and of vnleueful loue of worldly goodes.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.pr.1.56 : Sche [Fortune] flateryd the and desseyved the with unleful lykynges of false welefulnesse.
- ?1435 Lond.Chron.Jul.(Jul B.2)32 : The…kyng, in as mych as he may the ffrelyer ffulfille his vnlefull wille in alle his desire, hath…kommandyd that alle the Shereves…ovir her othe…accustumed, shulde swere that they shulde obeye to alle his commandementis.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.5184 : For loue off oon callid Yole…I [Hercules] chaungid bothe…look and face, And was a woman…in apparence, Off entent to haue mor liberte To…haue experience Off appetitis which that onleefful be.
- c1450(?c1408) Lydg.RS (Frf 16)3189 : Vnleful lust was set a-syde; Women thanne koude abyde…Vnder the yok of honeste, In clennesse and chastite.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)50/27-8 : Like as pride is an vnlefull will of a mans own hyȝnes, so envie is an vnlefull will to is neyþbore.
- c1455 Spec.Miser.(Tak 32)934 : Mercy besilye aye thow bee seke ffor lyif vn leeffull that thow hast lad.
- a1500 15c.Serm.Cycle(Hrl 2247:Powell)60/45 : Thi soule is clad in fowl clothis whan it is wrappid…in lothly lust of lechory, vnlefull desyryng.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13686 : A longyng vnleffull light in his hert, Gert hym hast in a hete, harmyt hym after: Ermonia…Elanes aune doghter…Þat Orestes…had weddit.
3.
(a) Proscribed by Jewish law, defined as ritually unclean; ?also in fig. context [2nd quot.];
(b) declared inappropriate or unacceptable for a given purpose by civil or ecclesiastical authority, forbidden.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.6.5 : The auter was ful of vnleeful thingus whiche weren forbeden bi lawis.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)50 : Þe…gostly kirk, þat is þe congregacoun of cristun men, auȝte honestly to be honorid…in…ritful warks…and…þus schuld God haue a gloriouse kirk, þat is now pollutid and fylid wiþ many vnleful þings.
b
- (?a1430) Hoccl.Ad Filium (Hnt HM 744)51 : I was rauysshid by concupiscence For to eten of the vnleefful tree.
- ?c1430(c1400) Rule & T.St.Francis(1) (Corp-C 296)46 : I [Francis] wile abouen alle þingis honoure þes holieste preuytes…where euere I fynde his wordis writen in vnlefful [St.F.(2): inconuenient] placis I wile gedre & preie þat þei ben gedrid & kepte in an honeste place.
- (a1450) Code Laws in Willmore Hist.Walsall167 [2nd occurrence] : It is ordeyned that who soevyr suffer eny dise-player, carder, tenys player, or other unliefull gamer, to use unlifull games in their house, to lese for ev[er]y suche defaute vi s. viii d.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)135/15 : The first degree of sobirnes is…not forto breke þe fastyng ordeyned of holy chirche ne forto live in lustis of mete and drinke in vnlefful tyme.
- (1463) Let.Bk.Lond.L (Gldh LetBk L)25 : Divers Foreyns Bladesmythes…comyng…to the seide Citee, usen to selle in Innes and other privat and unlefull places theire chaffaire…and not to places therto assigned by the ordinance of the seid Citee.