unˈwitty, a.
[OE. unwittiᵹ (un-1 7), unᵹewittiᵹ, = OHG. unwizzîg, -îk (MHG. unwitzic), MSw. ovitugher, Norw. uvitug, Da. uvittig. Cf. wanwitty a.]
1. Lacking or deficient in wit, intelligence, or knowledge; ignorant, unwise, witless. Now rare.
| c 1000 ælfric in Assmann Ags. Hom. 29 Ᵹe weras, ᵹe wif, and ða unwittiᵹan cild. c 1205 Lay. 786 Þat nan ne beo so wilde, nan swa unwitti Þat word talie. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 511 Wymmen vnwytte þat wale ne couþe Þat on hande fro þat oþer. 1382 Wyclif Ecclus. xvi. 20 In alle these thingus mys felende, or vnwittie, is the herte. c 1450 Lovelich Grail xliii. 410 Wel mown they for folis itold be, and vnwitty & madde. c 1490 Caxton Rule St. Benet 120 A token of an vnwytty mynde. 1541 R. Copland Guydon's Quest. Chirurg. B ij, A Cyrurgyen..oughte nat to be a foole, vnwytty, nor of rude vnderstandynge. 1584 Hudson Du Bartas' Judith iv. (1608) 60 [Lot's] wife, that was vnwittie, Cast back her eye. 1617 Bp. Hall Quo Vadis §10, I know not wherein Lewis the Eleuenth shewed himselfe vnwitty, but [etc.]. 1670 Milton Hist. Eng. v. 239 One of her waiting Maids; a Maid..not unhansom nor unwitty; who [etc.]. 1859 Tennyson Merlin & V. 344 These unwitty wandering wits of mine. |
| absol. c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 532 Wel deð se ðe unwittiᵹum styrð mid swinglum. ᵹif [etc.]. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 25 Wiþ him al þe world schal fiȝt aȝen þe vnwitti. |
† b. Unexperienced
in something.
Obs. rare.
| 1594 Daniel Cleopatra 167 Inur'd to warres, in womens wiles vnwitty,..thou fell'st to loue in earnest. |
† 2. Of actions, etc.; Characterized by lack or absence of knowledge; senseless, foolish.
Obs.| c 1200 St. Marher. 6 Stute nu and stew þine unwitti wordes. 1435 Misyn Fire of Love 54 Qwhilst þou herys of þe wisyst man vnwittiest dede. 1471 Ripley Comp. Alch. v. xliii. in Ashm. (1652) 158 Therfore ther Warkes provyth unwytty. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V, 77, I maruell at his vnwitty doyng and rashe enterprise. 1550 Acts Privy Counc. III. 73 Those unwitty and superstitiouse vowes. 1587 M. Grove Pelops & Hipp. (1878) 130 Of vnwittie spending. |
3. Not witty or facetious.
| 1637 Heylin Antid. Lincoln. i. 1 It was an old, but not unwitty application of the Lo: Keeper Lincolns,..that [etc.]. a 1763 Shenstone Levities, Simile 23 He..Pours forth unwitty jokes, and swears, And bawls. 1849 Froude Nemesis of Fate ix. 60 He was acute, not unwitty, and with a savoir faire about him. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xviii, A mannie says to me, ‘..Paul hed naething adee wi' sic plantin’;..'t wusna that oonwutty o' the carlie. |