▪ I. † unˈsele, n. Obs.
Forms: 1 unsæl, 2–3 un-, vnsel, 4–5 vnsell, -sele; 4 vncel(e, 5 vnceyll(e.
[OE. unsǽl (un- un-1 12 + sǽl sele n.) = ON. and Icel. {uacu}sæla, ósæla unhappiness.]
1. Unhappiness, misery; misfortune, ill luck.
| a 1023 Wulfstan Hom. (1883) 236 Þa deoflu..wæron on miclum unsælum, and þa englas wæron on swiðe micelre blisse. c 1205 Lay. 30541 Unsel him wes on mode. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1263 Ich wolde Þer hi wel vnderstonde scholde Þat sum vnsel heom is ihende. c 1275 xi Pains Hell 90 in O.E. Misc. 149 Snaken..dreyeþ heom in-to a wel Þer heo þolyeþ al vn-sel. 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 278 Þe Scottis I telle for sottis, & wrecchis vnwar, Unsele dyntis to dele þam drouh to Dunbar. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 1267 Of an vnsele y may ȝou telle, & ȝe wil a stounde duelle. a 1400 Hymns Virgin (1867) 106 Þat þou..help to sauen hem from vncele, So þat heore soules beo not schent. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 5985 Ector thanne with mochel vnsele Graunted his askyng. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xii. 3 Here is mekyll vnceyll, and long has it last. |
b. Unseemly matter. rare—1.
| a 1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 503/377 Bi heore onswere þei wuste ful wel Þat þei hedde spoken muchel vncel. |
2. An improper time.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 13 Ȝef man haueð to done mid his rihte spuse on unsele oðer an untime þan man faste sal. |
▪ II. † unˈsele, a. Obs.
[OE. unsǽle (un-1 7), = ON. and Icel. {uacu}-, ósæll (Sw. osäll, Da. ussel), unhappy, wretched, Goth. unsēls evil, wicked. Cf. sele n.]
a. Unlucky, bad. b. Unfortunate, wretched.
| c 1050 Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 421 Inprobus, unsæle, ᵹemah. a 1200 Moral Ode 199 Nere namon elles ded ne sec ne nan unsele. c 1275 Lay. 23868 Þe king was onseale þat he euere þoht wiþ Arthur to fihte. c 1300 Prov. Hendyng in Rel. Ant. I. 113 Holde ich no mon for vnsele Oþer whyle þah he fele Sum þyng þat him smerte. 13.. Cursor M. 6149 (Gött.), Þaim he did þair asking haue, For to reue þat folk vn-sele. |
Hence † unˈsel(e)ly adv. Obs.—1
| c 1275 Lay. 7022 Suþþen was his sone king, Þat onselliche lifuede. |