† ˈwemless, a. Obs.
[f. wem n. + -less. Cf. Icel. vammlauss faultless.]
1. Without stain of sin; undefiled, immaculate.
| c 1275 Orison Our Lord 10 in O.E. Misc. 139 Þo þu hire to come heo mayde wes, And mayde heo wes after wemme⁓les. a 1300 E.E. Psalter xiv. 2 Lauerd, in þi telde wha sal wone?.. Whilke þat incomes wemles, And ai wirkes rightwisenes. 13.. Bonaventura's Medit. 812 My sone ys slawe here afore myn ye Þe whyche y bare wemles of my body. a 1400 Pistill of Susan 151 Are I þat worthliche wrethe, þat al þis world wrouȝt, Betere is wemles weende of þis world wyde. c 1420 Lydg. Ballad 104 Minor P. (1911) I. 258 O wemles mayden, enbelysshed with his byrthe. |
2. Free from material blemish or imperfection; spotless.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 18839 His for-hed fair, wemless to sight, Wit-vten ani runkel slight. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 736 This makellez perle..is wemlez, clene & clere. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. viii. xxviii. (1495) 338 Noo thynge [is] more Impassyble and wemles..than lyght. |
3. Free from hurt or harm; uninjured.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7906 He bar hym so in þat pres Þat of wounde he was wem-les. a 1400 Mirror St. Edmund in Hampole's Wks. I. 222, I..þanke þe þat me..þou hase kepid,..in þis nyghte..hale, safe, and wemles. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 4066 [He] wendis a-way with that word & wemles þaim leuys. c 1470 Gol. & Gaw. 99 Bot thow mend hym that mys..Thow sall rew in thi ruse..Or thou wend of this wane wemeles away! |