masterless, a.
(ˈmɑːstəlɪs)
[f. master n.1 and (sense 2) v. + -less.]
1. a. Having no master. Of animals: Deprived of a controlling hand or influence.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 11131 Þai mellit with the mirmydons, þat maisturles were. c 1420 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 881 Full lothe they were to be [printed he] mastyrles. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 4192 Many a feire stede went a-stray Mastirles that same day. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. vii. 19 His silver shield, now idle, maisterlesse. a 1600 Flodden F. iv. (1664) 34 And many a servant masterless. 1673 Lady's Call. i. ii. §12 God sets not the same value upon their [widows] being masterless, which some of them do. 1686 Lond. Gaz. No. 2196/1 The Grand Signior..has..turned loose his Grey⁓hounds to run up and down the streets Masterless. 1834 James J. Marston Hall xiv, The Count's horse, masterless and foaming, darted into the courtyard. 1870 Morris Earthly Par. I. ii. 582 Yielded towns were set aflame; For all the land was masterless. 1887 C. T. Martin in Dict. Nat. Biog. IX. 59/2 Being again left masterless, he [Carew] went over to the enemy's camp. |
b. In 16–17th c. statutes, etc., used to designate one who has no reputable means of living; vagrant, vagabond. Obs. exc. Hist.
| c 1471 in Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 279 Like maysterles men away thay wente. 1530 Palsgr. 563/2, I loyter as an ydell or masterlesse person dothe. 1535 Act 27 Hen. VIII, c. 25 Such ruffelers..as..shall frequent hunt or loyter masterles and out of seruice. 1555 Act 2 & 3 Ph. & Mary c. 16 §1 Watermen..for the most parte been masterles men. 1626 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 474 All idle and maisterlesse personnes and such others as shall not finde maisters or men of quallitie to undertake for them. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xviii. 94 That dissolute condition of masterlesse men. 1720 Strype Stow's Surv. (1754) II. v. xxx. 535/1 Valiant and sturdy rogues and masterless men. 1881 Shorthouse J. Inglesant I. xvii, A number of vagrant and masterless people. |
c. transf. Of unknown authorship or provenance.
| 1899 A. Lang Homeric Hymns 6 The conventional attribution of the Hymns to Homer..is merely the result of the tendency to set down ‘masterless’ compositions to a well-known name. 1903 Library IV. 397 It has become possible to assign to..Peter von Olpe a small group of books hitherto masterless. |
† 2. That cannot be mastered; ungovernable. Obs.
| 1619 W. Sclater Expos. 1 Thess. (1630) 290 Their power masterlesse on earth, makes them forget that they also haue a Master and Iudge in heauen. 1651 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. ii. xiii. (1739) 74 The King..yielded up his Power to his Queen, (a masterless and proud woman). 1687 Lond. Gaz. No. 2275/2 The flame grew at last masterless. 1767 G. White Selborne, To Pennant vii, Such vast heath-fires are lighted up, that they often get to a masterless head. |
Hence ˈmasterlessˌness.
| 1827–48 Hare Guesses Ser. ii. (1867) 476 For Johnson to make such a parade of masterlessness as he does by prefixing these lines to the Rambler. |