▪ I. dishonest, a.
(dɪsˈɒnɪst)
[ad. OF. deshoneste (13th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), mod.F. déshonnête; = Pr. deshonest, Sp. deshonesto, It. disonesto, a Romanic formation for L. dehonestus, f. honestus honourable, honest: see de- 6, dis- 4.]
† 1. Entailing dishonour or disgrace; dishonourable, discreditable, misbecoming, shameful, ignominious. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 820 Ye koude nat doon so dishoneste a thyng, That thilke wombe, in which youre children leye, Scholde..Be seyn al bare. 1483 Caxton Cato A vij, The galowes and..dyshonest dethe. 1483 ― G. de la Tour D viij, The pryde of men..that counterfeted them self of newe and dishonest rayment. 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. 12 If we account it a shamefull thing to be ignorant of those things..the not knowing of our selves is much more dishonest. 1702 Rowe Tamerl. iii. i. 1115 Thou didst an Act dishonest to thy Race. 1710 Pope Windsor For. 326 Inglorious triumphs and dishonest scars. 1760 Home Siege Aquileia 11, Some fierce barbarian now insults the dead; Adding dishonest wounds. |
† 2. Unchaste, lewd, filthy. Obs.
| c 1440 Jacob's Well 159 Þe leccherous louyth to be in dyshonest cumpanye. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vi. cci. 209 This duke, with Gunnore..lyued longe whyle a dishonest lyfe, and contrary to the lawys of the Churche. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, i. ii. 50 Holding in disdaine the German Women, For some dishonest manners of their life. 1630 Wadsworth Pilgr. vii. 73 Accused him for being dishonest with his owne Neece. 1734 Watts Reliq. Juv. Pref. (1789) 7 Their own dishonest and impure ideas. |
† 3. Unseemly to the sight; ugly, hideous. Obs.
(Connected with sense 1 by quot. 1585.)
| [1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iii. xx. 108 To cover the dishonest partes of the body.] 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. vii. (1653) 129 The Face..appeares very filthy and dishonest. 1697 Dryden æneid vi. (R.) Dishonest [tr. inhonesto] with lop'd arms, the youth appears. 1725 Pope Odyss. x. 462 Enormous beasts dishonest to the eye. |
4. Of actions, etc.: Discreditable as being at variance with straightforward or honourable dealing, underhand; now, fraudulent, thievish, knavish.
| [1552 Huloet, Dishonest matter, or any thynge cloked with fayre wordes, subturpis.] 1611 Bible Ezek. xxii. 27 To get dishonest gaine. 1647 Cowley Mistress, Counsel vi, The act I must confess was wise, As a dishonest act could be. 1736 Butler Anal. i. iv. Wks. 1874 I. 80 Dishonest artifices..are got into business of all kinds. 1840 Macaulay Ess., Ranke (1851) II. 127 A most dishonest and inaccurate French version. |
5. Of persons: Wanting in honesty, probity, or integrity; disposed to cheat or defraud; thievish.
| 1751–73 Jortin Eccl. Hist. I. (1846) 123 Imposed upon themselves by dishonest brethren. 1793 Holcroft tr. Lavater's Physiogn. xxxvi. 185 No man is so good as not..to be liable to become dishonest. 1859 Kingsley Good News of God xxi. (1878) 171 You may be false and dishonest, saith the Lord, but I am honest and true. |
▪ II. † disˈhonest, v. Obs.
[ad. OF. deshonester (14th c. in Godef.) = Sp. deshonestar, It. disonestare:— a Romanic formation on dishonest-us (see prec.), for L. dehonestāre.]
1. trans. To bring dishonour, disgrace, or discredit upon; to dishonour; to stain with ignominy.
| 1382 Wyclif Prov. xxv. 8 Whan thou has dishonestid [Vulg. dehonestaveris] thi frend. 1509 Fisher Fun. Serm. C'tess Richmond Wks. (1876) 291 To eschewe euery thynge that myght dyshonest ony noble woman. 1526 Tindale 1 Cor. xi. 5 Every woman that prayeth or prophesieth bare hedded, dishonesteth her heede. 1606 Wily Beguiled in Hazl. Dodsley IX. 258, I hope you will not seek to dishonest me. a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams i. (1692) 44 He did not dishonest himself for it with any indignity. |
2. To impute disgrace or dishonour to (a person); to defame, calumniate.
| c 1534 tr. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden) I. 251 Hee slaunderuslie dishonested them. 1583 Golding Calvin on Deut. xxxix. 230 If a man call one a theefe..hee will not abide to bee so dishonested before the worlde. 1615 T. Adams Blacke Devill 20 He may tho' not disquiet yet dishonest the soule of man. |
3. To violate the honour or chastity of; to defile.
| 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1684) I. 762/2 If we do see a King to..rob and spoil his Subjects, deflour Virgins, dishonest Matrons. 1565–73 Cooper Thesaurus, Collutulo..to dishonest or defile. a 1652 Brome New Acad. i. Wks. 1873 II. 18 I'll defie the devil to dishonest her. 1922 Joyce Ulysses 383 He would ever dishonest a woman whoso she were..if it so fortuned him to be delivered of his spleen of lustihead. |
4. To render unseemly or ugly; to deform.
| 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 10 b, Your selfe do disfigure your owne whelpe, you dishoneste your owne creature. 1637 R. Humfrey tr. St. Ambrose ii. 33 Hee..doth dishonest the grace of his vpper shape. |
Hence disˈhonesting vbl. n.
| 1530 Palsgr. 214/1 Dishonestyng, auilement. 1565–73 Cooper Thesaurus, Generis dehonestamentum, the dishonesting of his stocke. |