Middle English Dictionary Entry
unmāken v.
Entry Info
| Forms | unmāken v. P.ppl. unmād(e, onmād. |
| Etymology | From māken v.(1). |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
To undo something, destroy [quot. c1475]; bring (sb.) to ruin; deprive (sb.) of life; also, revoke (earthly powers), abrogate; also [quot. c1450], ?dismantle (sth.); ?decipher (sth.); ben unmade, ?be undone.
Associated quotations
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)34a(2)/a : Infio: be vnmade [Hrl 1738: on mad].
- (1439) Proc.Privy C.5.393 : Þe Kyng puttyng the said occupiours fro hem withoute thair assente…shuld go ayeinst his owne & ayeinst his faders forsaide lettres patentz & seal & undo, unmake, and begger many man.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)4/27 : Y haue knowe no stede, ne place, ne temple where philesofres haue customyd to make or vnmake alle werkis and secretis, that y ne haue sought hem.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)137/4 : The good Lord…chaungeth, encreesith and dyscreecith, maketh and vnmaketh in His werkes aftir His pleasire.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)33/25 : Therthely powers weren stablischid by the power of heven…He which made them maintenith them or if Him list canne vnmake them.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)6683 : Euery man shal principaly Worshipe God…Þat him made and shal vnmake Whanne he wole mannes lijf slake.
2.
To depose (a king), dethrone; belittle (sb.), degrade; also, annul (a marriage), dissolve; of fortune: deprive (sb.) of rank, bring low.
Associated quotations
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)15.236 : Matrimoigne for monye [they] maken & vnmaken…Þei vndon it vnworthily þo doctours of lawe.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)23/19 : Þe mouþ of þe enuyous is ful…Of cursednesse, for of oþeres good he seiþ harm and vnmakeþ [Ayenb.: lesseþ] hem in al þat he may.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)77/12 : It was as grete worchipp for to make kyngis as to putt theim downe and vnmake theim.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)9/2 : She [fortune] settith them so on hight…and aftir that she lettith them falle and vnmakith them and suffirth them to lyve in grette shame and soore annoyed of their lyves.
3.
To unravel (a net); also, shatter (a jewel);—used fig.
Associated quotations
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)38 : It is a iewell that was fourmed, forged, and maad…of my fader with oute smytinge of strok and with oute heeringe of makinge noise, For noyse and strokes maken it nouht but tobreken it and vnmaken it.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)11342 : Thow sholdest…So symple a crafft on the to take, To make nattys & vnmake.
4.
Ppl. unmade:
(a) uncreated, eternal; also, nonexistent [quot. 1413]; makere unmade, an uncreated creator, God; wisdom unmade, Christ as the second person of the Trinity;
(b) unfinished, incomplete; also, unharvested [last quot.];
(c) as noun: an eternal and uncreated being; on unmade, the Godhead; thre unmade, three separate uncreated persons.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Rolle Encom.Jesu (Hrl 1022)187 : Þo name of Ihesu has…lyghtynd my mynde with þo hete of vnmade light.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)5.3.91a : Ther is no good thing vn maad þat he ne may make.
- ?a1425 WBible(2) Gloss.Prov.(Cld E.2)8.22 : Here Salamon spekith of wisdom vnmaad, that is, of the secunde persoone in Trinyte.
- (1434) Misyn ML (Corp-O 236)122/30 : O sweit light…þat is my makar vn-made, liȝt þe face & scharpnes of my Inward eyn.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)55 : Certis, lord…we mowe bi oure kindeli resoun come to þe knowing herof þat þer is a maker vnmaad.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)242 : Thei…helden that al the bodili heuen…was vnmaad and was euer withoute bigynnyng of tyme.
- c1450(c1400) Rev.Jul.Norwich (Add 37790)45/12 : This nedes ilke man…that hym lyke to nouȝt alle thynge that es made for to hafe the love of god that es vnmade.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)2.33.109b : He schal forgete þenkynge of his owne soule & þenken on þt vnmade kynde þt is ihesu þt made him.
b
- a1325(c1250) Gen.& Ex.(Corp-C 444)671 : Babel ðat tur bi-lef un-mad.
- (1421) Indent.Catterick in Archaeol.J.758 : Ye brigg be endede Ande mad be yat tyme, And if atte be vnmade, yai sall haue bot x marc.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)2507 : Now ferkes to the fyrthe thees fresche men of armes…And in the mornynge myste one a mede falles Mawen and vnmade, maynoyrede bott lyttyll.
c
- c1350 Who-so wil be sauf (Bod 425)31-2 : Noht þre unmade ne mikel þre, Bot on unmade and on mikel is he.