Middle English Dictionary Entry
unthrift n.
Entry Info
| Forms | unthrift n. Also unthrifte, unthrif, onthrifte, (errors) onthyfte, upþrift. |
| Etymology | From thrift n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) An evil habit, a wicked practice, a vice;—also coll. [quot. a1425]; also, a wicked act, foul deed;
(b) dissoluteness, profligacy, wantonness; also person.;
(c) weakness, impotency; also, worthlessness, unworthiness; also, a worthless utterance, nonsense, drivel [1st quot.];
(d) a person of no account; an unworthy person; also, a wastrel [last 2 quots.; some exx. in this sense could also be construed as unthrifti adj. as noun].
Associated quotations
a
- c1390(?c1350) SVrn.Leg.(Vrn)29/216 : Þe riht hond…Of him weorned and wox al drie, Þat hedde defouled wiþ vnþriftes Of þi temple þe feire ȝiftus.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)12339 : Þer ys an vnþryfte [vr. vpþrift] Þat doþ moche skaþe yn shryfte.
- a1425(c1400) 5 Wits (Hrl 2398)29/23 : Þis ymaginacioun þat is muche bodyly and lytel gostly…he fareþ lyk a merchaunt þat bryngeþ into feyre al maner þyng þat may drawe mannes desyr to lust and lykynge; So wol he make in þyn herte a feyre of al maner vnþryft.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)121 : This mantelle with whiche j [Pride] am arayed…was maad…for to mantelle with my defautes and consele myne vnthriftes [F mes ordures] Riht as the snow embelisheth and whiteth a dong hep.
- (1466) Paston2.581 : He putte nat his tresour and jowell in-to no place of that town…for ther were so moch riotous puple ther-in and so many vnthriftys that it was gret parell to thrifty men to duelle there, both for her persones and for her goodes.
- c1475 Lydg.Diet.(Hrl 2251)p.68 : Suffre no surfetis in thy house at nyght…Voyde al drunklew, lyers, and lechours; Of al unthriftes [vr. onthriftes] exile the mastres [vr. And alle hem þat vsen suche vnþriftynesse], That is to say, dyse players and haserdours.
b
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)516 : Alle mannez wyttez To unþryfte arn alle þrawen wyth þoȝt of her herttez.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)4926 : Youthe sett man in all folye, In vnthrift [F Es boules] and Ribaudie, In leccherie and in outrage.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)2.2706 : To God aboue he gan wexe obstynat…And sauour cauhte in his roial estat To folwe his fader in onthrift & synne, That grace and vertu from hym dede twynne.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)616 : Whan I was yong…of hem haunted I þe compaignie Þat went on pylgrymage to tauerne, Which be-for vnthrift beriþ þe lanterne.
- c1450(?a1370) Winner & W.(Add 31042)267 : Wastoure…With thi sturte and thy stryffe thou stroyeste vp my gudes…In owttrage, in vnthrifte, in angarte pryde.
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)1362 : God…I axe mercy, socour & help & grace, ffor my mys-dede & foly, vnthryfft & trespase.
- c1475(a1449) Lydg.JHare (LdMisc 683)50 : This boy Maymond…Sone and cheeff eyr on-to dame Idylnesse…brother to Reklesnesse…Vnthryfft and he be to-gedre met.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.164 : Drawe to worshippe and þou shalt hym haue…Drawe to vnthrifte [vr. vntryste] and be a knave, And euer his seruaunt shalt þou be.
- a1500(a1475) Ashby Dicta (Cmb Mm.4.42)469 : Do wele…That the myddyl of your liffe be not spent In ydelnesse, ne in vnthrifte myswent.
c
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.431 : Thise wordes seyde he [Pandarus] for the nones alle, To help his frend [Troilus], lest he for sorwe deyde; For douteles, to don his wo to falle, He roughte nought what unthrift [vr. vnthryf] that he seyde.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)367 : On-thyfte [Win: On-thryfte]: Devigencia.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.108 : Worldly richesse…Ne dignite in wicked folk be-stowen; Noght makeþ hem þe worþiere of price, Bot rather makeþ thaire vnþrift to be knowen [L sed prodit potius et ostentat indignos].
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)127b : Vn Thryfte: Devigencia.
d
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)74/1 : Lufe in me þerfore þerto was broght þat I suld not stand in plyte in qwhilk vnthriftis [L indigni] ar cast downe, bot þat I suld be raysed a-bowne þe heght of all þingis seyn, & off heuyn I suld be kyndyld & lightyd to loyf god, qwos praysynge is not cumly in synnar mouthe.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)7231 : To slo þat folt [King Constant], wel were to done; A bettere myghte we haue ful sone; Go we now, & sle þat vnþrift, & ffortyger to kyng we lyft.
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)102/26 : Thei askid him whie he fledde so fro wommen; bicause comunly y see theyme flee the good & folowe the evil & he saithe: an vnthrifte [DSPhilos.: an vnthryfty fellowe] shalle not be with-out a womman.
- c1500(?a1475) Ass.Gods (Trin-C R.3.19)713 : Pseudo prophetes, false sodomytes…Auouterers, & abhominable auauntours Of syn, gret clappers, & makers of clamours, Vnthryftys, & vnlustes came also to that game, With luskes, & loselles that myght nat thryue for shame.