▪ I. unˈhappy, a.
[un-1 7.]
1. Of persons (or animals): Causing misfortune or trouble (to oneself or others); objectionable or miserable on this account.
To some extent passing into sense 2.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3637 Ful lath me ware, Þat he þat blissing fra þe bare, Vnhappi wreche has he ben ai. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxxvi. (Baptista) 736 For cowaitise a man, vnhappy & wnwyse, dalf vpe his graf be nichtirtale. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. vii. 221 He is an vnhappy knaue, and vnhappely he hath donne this day thorou myshappe. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon viii. 194 Lete vs goo assaylle thise vnhappy folke of the kynge Charlemagne. c 1518 Skelton Magnyf. 1374, I haue brought Vnto Magnyfycence a full vngracyous sorte, For all hokes vnhappy to me haue resorte. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xix. 22 b, An vnhappie souldier of Prouence..declared vnto the Turkes the weakest places of the castle. 1607 G. Wilkins Miseries Enforced Marriage K 1, I am sure they are greater sinners, That made this match, and were vnhappy men, For they caus'd all, and may heauen pardon them. a 1614 Fletcher Valentinian v. ii, Lici. He is poyson'd... Lyci. Who? Lici. The wretch Aretus, That most unhappy villain. 1624 Darcie tr. Du Moulin's Heraclitus vi. 41 There is nothing more hard to find in this world than a good woman, a good Mule, and a good Goat, being three vnhappie beasts. 1770 Harris in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury (1870) I. 192 He was an unhappy sot, and last week shot himself through the head. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth x, These unhappy Highland clans are again breaking into general commotion. |
† b. Sc. Ill-natured; bad-tempered. Obs.—1
| 1756 M. Calderwood in Coltness Collect. (Maitl. Cl.) 127 Indeed he was so unhappy, (which signifies ill-nature in Scots,) that she durst never ask anything at him he was not pleased to tell her. |
2. Of persons: Unfortunate, unlucky, ill-fated; miserable in lot or circumstances. Also, in later use, wretched in mind.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 291 Bot he the mar be wnhappy, He sall eschew it in party. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2689 A! nobill Troye, þe noy þat neghis þe at hond!.. A! vnhappy hegh kyng, what hardship is to the! c 1440 Promp. Parv. 365/2 On-happy, infortunatus, infelix. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vi. x. 198 Who that vseth peramours shalle be vnhappy, and all thyng is vnhappy that is aboute hem. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §144 He is an vnhappy man or woman, that..woll chose the worst parte. 1587 Golding De Mornay xvi. 295 The most parte..come to this point, that man is the most vnhappiest of liuing wights. 1600 J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa ii. 70 This unhappie king beeing utterly driuen to dispayre,..in the night time road foorth of the citie. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. iii. vi. §40. 86 Endless it were to reckon up the indignities offered unto these Jews... A people equally unhappy at feasts, and at frays. 1726 Swift Gulliver ii. viii, The seamen might conjecture some unhappy mortal to be shut up in the box. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxvii, Some unhappy person, who, having been plundered by his banditti, was brought hither a captive. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 432 In the midst of this splendour,..the unhappy woman gave herself up to an agony of grief. 1900 Longm. Mag. Mar. 450 He fully agreed that her mother must not be made unhappy. |
| absol. 1647 Cowley Mistr., Sleep iv, Thou scorn'st th' Unhappy; and the Happy, Thee. 1762 Sterne Tr. Shandy v. i, Pity the unhappy, said a devout, venerable, hoary-headed man. 1839 Carlyle Chartism viii, A tear at least is due to the unhappy. |
b. Const. in (some respect).
| 1604 Shakes. Oth. iii. iv. 102 Sure, there's some wonder in this Handkerchiefe, I am most vnhappy in the losse of it. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 221 Vnhappiest in this, that their owne Nation forgot them quite. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 164 ¶1 Constantia was..very unhappy in a Father, who..took delight in nothing but his Money. 1770 Harris in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury (1870) I. 201 They have been unhappy in another fire at Wilton. |
c. Unsuccessful; apt to make mistakes.
| 1651 Wittie tr. Primrose's Pop. Err. i. 45, I have observed that no man is more unhappy than those physicians, that note their medicines out of books. 1662 Stillingfl. Orig. Sacræ i. iii. §9 He is as unhappy a person in Philology, as any that have pretended so much acquaintance with it. 1711 Mrs. Long Let. to Swift 18 Nov., That I may clear my meanings, which are always far from offending my friends, however unhappy I may be in my expressions. |
d. Of places: Subject to, suffering from, misfortunes or evils.
| 1591 Spenser Ruins Time 146 Seemes, that that gentle Riuer..From my vnhappie neighborhood farre fled. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 268 Wherefore..call [we] them not to share with us their part In this unhappy Mansion? 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 308 And such a country could Acerræ boast, Till Clanius overflowed the unhappy coast. Ibid. iv. 751 Th' unhappy Climes, where Spring was never known. 1846 A. Marsh Father Darcy II. iv. 92 You!—have you ventured to our unhappy house? 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 498 The bands which oppressed and wasted these unhappy districts. |
3. Of things: Associated with, bringing about or causing, misfortune or mishap; disastrous.
| c 1386 Chaucer Man of Law's T. 204 Infortunat ascendent tortuous,..O fieble Moone, vnhappy been thy paas. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 236 Sche tok out thilke unhappi scherte. Ibid. 326 At thilke unhappi freisshe welle. 1420–2 Lydg. Thebes i. 821 Of whom the weddyng..Vnhappy was and passing odious, Infortuned and vngracious. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ii. xviii. 97 Thenne Balyn smote hym ageyne with that vnhappy swerd. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cccxl. 216/2 This vnhappy wether for the englisshmen fell well for them in the cyte. 1607 Peele's Jests 14 The Gentle⁓man was..disturbed in thought at this unhappy accident. 1652 Howell Giraffi's Rev. Naples ii. 142 An unhappy Bullet came and killed one of the principall of the Black⁓coats that was in Arms. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 125 ¶7 It is very unhappy for a Man to be born in such a stormy and tempestuous Season. 1796 F. Burney Camilla III. 18, I am shocked to find you informed of this unhappy transaction. 1837 Lockhart Scott III. iii. 110 His friend was aware that he had an unhappy propensity to drinking. 1891 Farrar Darkn. & Dawn lxiii, An unhappy and accidental collision between the jealous cohorts led to a battle. |
b. Inauspicious; foreboding evil.
| 1533 Bellenden Livy i. viii. (S.T.S.) I. 47 Numa schewe in his Calendar sic dayis as wer happy and sic dayis as war unhappy. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. vi. 44 Death is for wretches borne vnder vnhappie starre. 1638 Rawley tr. Bacon's Life & Death (1650) 11 The Black-Bird is reported to be..one of the longest livers: An unhappy Bird, and a good singer. 1814 Southey Roderick vi. 90 The spurious race Whom in unhappy hour Favila's wife Brought forth for Spain. |
c. Infelicitous; unsuccessful.
| 1719 Swift To Yng. Clergyman Wks. 1755 II. ii. 3 Neither is it rare to observe among excellent..divines a certain un⁓gracious manner, or an unhappy tone of voice. 1779 Johnson L.P., Rochester Wks. II. 199 His imitation of Horace on Lucilius is not inelegant or unhappy. |
4. Of conditions: Marked by misfortune or mishap; miserable, wretched.
| 1390 Gower Conf. III. 59 Helas, that evere was I bore, That his unhappi destine So wofulli comth in be me! 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop ii. viii, In the vnhappy and Infortunat tyme men ought not to be despayred. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xvi. (Percy Soc.) 68 Sayeng to him, my chance and desteny Of al other is the moste unhappy. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xv. 16 The end of his moste vnhappye life. Ibid. iv. xxvii. 146 Through hunger [he] was..to die an vnhappie death. 1600 Breton Pasquil's Madcappe D 3 b, If they be met with in their going home, I can not pitty their vnhappy speede. 1712 Blackmore Creation iii. 325 You oft declaim on man's unhappy fate. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxx, Her mind deeply impressed with the unhappy fate of this object, she forgot all her faults. 1838 F. A. Kemble Resid. in Georgia (1863) 13, I have never been among them to judge what faculties their unhappy social position leaves to them un⁓impaired. 1878 Browning La Saisiaz 30 Life thus owned unhappy, is there supplemental happiness..in life to come? |
† 5. Causing or involving trouble or mischief; objectionable, evil; naughty. Obs.
| 1474 Paston Lett. III. 121 Wherffor I sende yow herwith yowr rynge, and the onhappy muskeball. 1529 More Dyaloge iv. Wks. 259/2 Moreouer the vnhappy dedes of y{supt} sect must nedes be imputed to the sect selfe. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. iii. xvii. 102 They are also full of diuers vnhappy vices. a 1618 Raleigh Rem. (1664) 110 The world..never gave you but an unhappy welcome—a hurtful entertainment. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. 420 It seems to be but like to Womens frighting of Children from doing unhappy tricks. |
† b. Unfavourable, poor. Obs.
| 1765 Museum Rust. IV. xxviii. 125 A very proper grass to cultivate on such unhappy soils, where hardly any other grass..will grow at all. |
6. Comb., as unhappy-faced, unhappy-happy, unhappy-looking, unhappy-witted adjs.
| 1591 Spenser M. Hubberd 49 For both were craftie and vnhappie witted. a 1618 Sylvester Funeral Elegie Dr. Hill's Wife 185 (Her first and last) unhappy-happy Boy, Which cost her life. 1863 W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting ix. 378 An odd unhappy-looking springbuck or two. 1876 Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. xxviii, That unhappy-faced woman. |
▪ II. † unˈhappy, v. Obs.
[un-2 6 a.]
trans. To make unhappy or unfortunate.
| 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, iii. i. 10 You haue mis-led a Prince,..A happie Gentleman in Blood, and Lineaments, By you vnhappied, and disfigur'd cleane. 1605 Sylvester tr. Paradox agst. Libertie 410 In our selues doth rest That which vnhappieth vs, and that which makes vs blest. 1653 E. Lloyd Let. 28 July (MS. Ashmole), I admire you..should for any By-end vnhappie your selfe and stepdame your children. |