Middle English Dictionary Entry
unsought ppl.
Entry Info
| Forms | unsought ppl. Also unsoughte, unsouȝt, unsouht, unsouth, unsoght(e, unsoȝt, unsoht, unsocht, unesought, onsought, onsouȝt, onsoght, (N) unsoiȝt & (?error) unsoffethe. |
| Etymology | From sought , etc., p.ppl. of sẹ̄chen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Not looked for, not searched after, not sought;
(b) not searched, unexplored;
(c) of a wound: unexamined, not probed;
(d) not asked for, unrequested; also, uninvited, unsummoned;
(e) not striven for, unattempted; also, not attained, unreached [2nd quot.];
(f) not pursued, unattacked; unassailed, unafflicted;
(g) sorwe ~, sorwe (peine)…~, unexpected sorrow; undeserved sorrow; also, untold or unmeasurable sorrow (pain) [perh. occas. influenced by, or confused with, unsaught(e ppl.];
(h) as adv.: without investigation, readily, obviously.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)166/28 : A wummon þe haueð ilosed hire nelde…secheð hit ananriht…aþet hit beo ifunden, & godd þurh sunne forloren schal liggen unsoht [Nero: unsouht; Cleo: vnsocht] seoue dahes fulle.
b
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)4450 : Ther ys no corner vnsouht, But that I go to euery place.
- c1475 Gregory's Chron.(Eg 1995)192 : They lefte noo thyng unsoffethe, and they serchyd alle that nyght.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)48/27 : I haue noght left vnsoght no stede, no temple whare Philosophers vsyd to wryte.
c
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)26637 : Hit faris of shrift as dos of wound þat lange vnsoȝt is to þe grounde…quen hit rotis for defaute of leche.
d
- c1330(?a1300) Tristrem (Auch)823 : Vn souȝt Heuedes of wild bare Ichon to presant brouȝt.
- 1372 ME Verse in Grimestone PB (Adv 18.7.21)p.21 : Ȝif þu fle, senne folwith nouth; Ȝif þu vnbide, sche comth vnsouth.
- c1450(c1370) Chaucer Pity (Benson-Robinson)104 : What maner thing that may encrese my woo, That have I redy, unsoght [vr. vnsoghte], everywhere.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)17454 : In þat sted so was sho stede with alkyns solace sere vnsoght.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 2250)9812 : Þo Holy Gost…in monnes thoȝt…mas his seyte þer all vnsoght.
e
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)1.809 : Love a womman that she woot it nought And she wol quyte it that thow shalt nat fele; Unknowe, unkist, and lost that is unsought [vrr. vnsoughte, on-souȝt].
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)2.14.76a : He…lesiþ þe souerayn gode…þat is god vnsoȝt & vnlofed.
f
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)2440 : Abram…luued hir wil mare þan are…And sco vnsoght saccles o sin.
- c1450(c1400) Sultan Bab.(Gar 140)2081 : Ye bene biseged in this toure…Charles wole not leve you vnsought.
g
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)798 : Þe knight þare fand þai n[o]ght; Þan was þare mekil sorow unsoght.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)8/7 : My likes to lat þam go, To suffir sorowe on soght, syne þai haue seruid so.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)103/44 : My ȝonge wiffe is with childe full grete; Þat makes me nowe sorowe vnsoght.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)316/284 : Sorowe on-sought ye on me se.
- c1450(c1398) Paris St.Christina (Arun 168)343 : Vrbane & þou togedire shalle wone In dyrnesse grete & sorow vnesoughte.
- c1475 There stood (Trin-C R.3.21)95 : Hyr sorow so suyd here vnsought That nothyng myght amende here chere.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)6658 : I praye god, send me [read: hym] sorowe vnsought.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)223/159 : In sorrowe and woe nowe am I brought, and all my cunninge is sett at nought; endles payne must I have unsought to my reward.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)351/328 : Alas…My lord…shamefullye slayne here in my syght! My sorrowe ys aye unsought.
h
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)14455 : Þen suld ȝe se your self vnsoyȝt…þat my payns ar wele more…þen euer I synd be fore.
- a1500(a1400) Ipom.(1) (Chet 8009)6519 : Nowe I se vnsoughte, My travayle hedyr is all in vayne.