Middle English Dictionary Entry
unright-wīsnes(se n.
Entry Info
| Forms | unright-wīsnes(se n. Also unritwisnes, (early) hunrihtwisnesse & (early ?error) unritwisnesse, (errors) unriȝtriȝtwiisnes, unirhtwisnesse; gen. unrihtwisnesses, (early) unrihtwisnesse & (N error) unrighwusnes. |
| Etymology | OE unrihtwīsness; also cp. ME right-wīsnes(se n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: For other forms see unright-wis(e adj.
1.
(a) That which is unjust, injustice; also, that which is unlawful or unethical; as an attribute of persons: dishonesty, corruption; as an attribute of God: lack of justice, unfairness; mid ~, dishonestly, unethically; withouten ~, fairly, honestly; writen ~, to make oppressive laws or unjust rulings;
(b) unjust practice or practices; also, an unjust situation.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)77/26 : Ðeih hie [usurers] dælden all ðat hie mid gauele biȝetenð [read: biȝeten] habbeð and mid unrihtwisnesse, hit nis naht gode icweme, ðe is rihtwis.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)79/31 : Wa ȝeu ðe seggeð ðat it is god te biȝeten michel eihte, ðe ne mai bien biȝeten wið-uten unirhtwisnesse [read: unrihtwisnesse].
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)121/19 : Ðe cniht ðe weapne berð unlawliche, ne chapmann ðe beið and selð mid unritwisnesse [?read: unrihtwisnesse], ne muȝen neure soðe scrifte don.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Is.10.1 : Wo þat maken shrewde lawis & writinge vnriȝtwisnesse [WB(2): vnriȝtfulnesse] writen, þat þei opressen in dom pore men.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)84/34 : This is þat vnriȝtwiisnesse and her fals doom wiþ þe which þe world is repreuyd.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)2529 : Ful often…it is wist and seen That for þe wrong and þe vnryghtwisnesse Of kynges mynistres, þat kynges bene Holden gilty.
- c1450 Spec.Chr.(2) (Hrl 6580)226/1 : Ierome affirmez hem to be scoorners and blasfemes despisers of god…[for thei putte to god] ignorance, vnknoynge, vnryghtwysnese, and wykednese.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)15 : Wile God biddiþ not þe kirk curse, þus þe vnriȝtwisnes of þe cause is synne going biforne for wilk þe man schuld be cursid.
b
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.5270 : He [Appius]…seid hem that thei myhten liere Upon the wrong of his matiere, That betre it were to redresce At hom the grete unrihtwisnesse Than forto werre in strange place And lese at hom here oghne grace.
- a1456 Marmaduke SSecr.(Ashm 59)219/4 : Take awey…þe iniuries and þe vnrightwysnes [Ashmole: wronges] frome hem; Give no mater of oblocucion to þe people of þi governaunce.
2.
(a) That which is morally wrong, that which violates religious teachings, immorality; unrighteousness, wickedness, sinfulness; speken ~, to utter sinful or blasphemous words;
(b) sinful or wicked behavior, evildoing; also, an act of unrighteousness, a wicked deed, a sin;
(c) unrighteousness reified or personified; also, the name of a specific sin [quot. a1225].
Associated quotations
a
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)103/12 : Gehwerfe ælc man hine to Gode, & forlæte se arlease man his unrihtwisnysse weges.
- a1150(?OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)133/29 : Yfeleð swyðe eall eorðe wæstme, & unrihtwisnysse mycele wexeð wide geond wurlde.
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)64/2 : Þurh ðæs deoflæs onde ðe Adam beswac us becom dæð too & eac unrihtwisnesse.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)11/15 : Ðu luuedest euelnesse mare ðanne godnesse, unrihtwisnesse more to spekene ðanne rihtwisnesse.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)15/17 : Of hunrihtwisnesse.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.51.4 : Al dai vnriȝtwisnesse þoȝte þi tunge.
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.Barlaam (Vrn)706 : Þei him led To a foul derk sted…Þei to him þenne seide…‘Þis is þe vnrihtwisnesses plas.’
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)35/32 : A mannys riȝtweisnes decreeseþ not þoru his neiȝboris vnriȝtriȝtwiisnes [read: vnriȝtwiisnes].
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.Serv.& L.(Corp-C 296)240 : A grete vnriȝtwisnesse regneþ among lordis whanne þei wolen not distroie pride, coueitise, & worldly lif of clerkis.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)36/13 : I will go vnto hym at I may take rightwus penans for myne vnrighwusnes [read: vnrightwusnes] dedis.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)13 : Þe kirke may not riȝtwisly curse a riȝtwys man…þat vnrytwysnes is not inne.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)2.2 : Kyngs & prynces of erth comes in ane agayns crist, when thai doe or suffire vnrightwisnes in thaire land.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)9.1 : All ere vnrightwis that hopes that any vnrightwisnes may be in godis will.
- a1500(?c1414) ?Brampton PPs.(1) (Sln 1853)p.8 : My trespas and myn unryȝtwysnesse I knowleche, and my synnes fele.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)132/12-14 : Vnryghtuossnes disherityth kynges and Pryncis, And therfor sayth Salomon, ‘Kyngdomes bene translatid frame oone Pepill vnto anothyr for vnryghtuosnesse.’
b
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)123/2 : Hier of sade godd…Sei ðu þine unrihtwisnesses, ȝif ðu wilt bien irihtwised.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.36.7 : Wyle þou not folewen bi enuye in hym þat waxeþ welsum in his weie, & in man doynge vnriȝtwisnesses [WB(2): vnriȝtfulnessis].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.10.8 : Rewme fro folc in to folc is born ouer for vnriȝtwisnesses.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.4724 : The Romeins…seide hou for the wikkidnesse Of Pride and of unrihtwisnesse That Tarquin and his Sone hath do, The Sacrifice is wasted so.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)49/20 : Þanne pleside it to þee to putte þin oonly geten sone…in þe myddil of þe world, which bare and suffride on hym oure sorowis whiche we disserueden and oure vnriȝtwiisenessis.
c
- c1175(?OE) Bod.Hom.(Bod 343)64/16 : He is deofles sunu ðe þe deofles weorc wyrcð…unrihtwisnesse sunu ðe þe unrihtlice leofæð.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)15/18 : Unrihtwisnesse hatte an oðer senne, ðe me haueð æure to longe ȝedweld mid hire swikele unðeawes.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Job 11.14 : Vnriȝtwisnesse abijdeþ not stille in þi tabernacle.
- c1425(?c1400) Wycl.Apol.(Dub 245)12 : Vnritwisnes and vsere and gile an [are] not fallen from here stretis.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)7.15 : He bryngis forth vnrightwisnes, he hais consayued sorow and born wickidnes.
3.
That which is out of the natural order, an inappropriate or improper thing.
Associated quotations
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)301/29 : It were vnryghtwysnes and also vnsemely þat on membre of a body toke a-nother office, and wolde serue in noo place so wele to mannes seruice as euery membre in his place that God hath sett hym inne.