Middle English Dictionary Entry
unoccupīed ppl.
Entry Info
| Forms | unoccupīed ppl. Also unocupied. |
| Etymology | From oc(c)upīed , p.ppl. of occupīen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Not engaged in profitable activity, not busy, idle; ?also, not mentally engaged, inattentive [quot. c1450]; also, out of work, unemployed [last quot.];
(b) of faculties: unused, unexercised; of an activity: unpracticed;
(c) of land: ?unused for agriculture, uncultivated; ?unused for habitation, unrented;
(d) of a period of someone’s life, a span of time: not filled with activities, free;
(e) of a seat in Parliament: not occupied by an incumbent, vacant;
(f) of a house: having no resident, vacant.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2785 : Dooth somme goode dedes, that the deuel, which is oure enemy, ne fynde yow nat vnocupied [vr. idel], for the deuel ne taketh nat lightly vn to his werkynge swiche as he fyndeth ocupied in goode werkes.
- c1425 Mirror LM&W (Hrl 45)172/20 : Oure enemy, þe fend…when he myghte fynde a man ydel & vnocupied wiþ goode werkes, he putteþ on him a bridel.
- (1445) ?Bokenham Claudian CS (Add 11814)271/154 : Stilico is preysed of occupacion and othir vertuous dedys: Who myght the see vnoccupied or dissolute either in soule?
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)231/9 : Þou þat syttest stylle here in cherch, vnocupyed, & thynkest on þi muk & on oþer ydelnes…how thynkest þou to be sauyd?
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)125/34 : Þei þat be onocupyid, þat do but jangyl and carpe, þei wul dyscusse be-twene hem al thy dedys.
- c1490(1462) LRed Bk.Bristol2.127 : Divers of the Kynges liege people…gothe vagaraunt and vnoccupied and may not haue ther labour to ther levyng.
b
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)520 : God wole loke that thei so do…ellis tho powers whiche God hath ȝouun to men…schulden be as in parti idil, vnoccupied, and vein.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.176 : Through the warre þe tylth was all destroied…and husbandrye vnoccupyed, That with hunger the people were sore anoyed.
c
- (1478) Paston2.427 : Your land be-syd Bromholm…hath layn vn-ocupyed syth ye were ther.
d
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.4690 : Sumtyme to hauke he dede his besynesse; Eek onto fisshyng he gretly was applied, So that his youthe was neuer onocupied.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)2210 : For tyme on-ocupyid, qwan folk haue lytyl to do, On haly-dayis to rede, me thynk yt best so.
e
- (1425) RParl.4.270a : Thomas…died; after whos decesse, ye said armes and heritage discended to Thomas his sonne…ye whiche died withynne age, to whom of yat age longed no place in Parlement, and so ye place longyng of right to ye Erl of Northfolk…by yo causes unoccupied, ye Erels of Arundell saten as hym liked.
f
- (1466-68) Acc.St.Andrew Hubbard in BMag.31400 : Memorandum, that the seide hous was voyde and vnoccupied the first hole yere that the saied chirche wardeyns occupied in their offyce.