▪ I. unˈworth, n.
[un-1 12. Cf. Du. onwaarde, G. unwerth, Da. uværd worthlessness; also wanworth n.]
† 1. Lack of merit or desert. Obs. rare.
| 1340 Ayenb. 35 Þe þridde manere of gavelinge is ine ham þet habbeþ onworþ to lene of hire hand. Ibid. 270 Dyad he [sc. Christ] is, þou hest hueruore: and to sterue þou hest onworþ? |
2. Lack or absence of worth; unworthiness.
| 1835 Carlyle in Froude Life (1884) I. 41 Do you reckon..that style (mere dictionary style) has much to do with the worth or unworth of a book? 1872 Ruskin Fors Clav. xiv. 9 Nature and Heaven command you..to discern worth from unworth in everything. 1896 A. Austin England's Darling iii. i, Why hath the King Laid this great meed on my un⁓worth? |
▪ II. † unˈworth, a.1 Obs.
[OE. unweorþ, unwurþ, etc. (un-1 7), = OHG. unwërd (MHG. unwërt, G. unwerth), MLG. unwert, MDu. onwert, onwerd, etc. (Du. onwaard), ON. {uacu}verðr. Cf. wanworth a.]
1. = unworthy a. 1–3: a. Of persons.
| c 893 K. ælfred Oros. iv. vii. §4 æt þæm feorðan cirre hie sendon Hannan heora þone unweorðestan þeᵹn, & he hit abæd. c 1000 Rule of Chrodegang 70 Preost þe bið cypa & of þam arist of wædlan to rican men, & of unwurðum men to wurðfullum. c 1200 Vices & Virtues 5 Sume oðre forlæteþ ðe world..and sone hem seluen healdeð for hali, and unwurð healdeþ of oðre. c 1205 Lay. 3464 He biðe vn⁓worð & lah Þe mon þe litul ah. c 1230 Hali Meid. 33 Ȝif þu iwurðest him unwurð, & he ase unwurð þe. c 1275 Prov. ælfred 316 (Trin. Coll. MS.), Swo is moni gadeling godelike on horse, wlanc on weiȝe, and unwurþ on wike. 1340 Ayenb. 132 Þeruore þe uerþe stape is of þise uirtue: wylni to by y-knawe, and y-healde uor uyl and onworþ. c 1425 in Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 641/143 For þou vnworthe resawes me [= Christ], Þu belewys noȝt þat I suld be he. 1603 M. M. Ane Godlie Dreame xviii, O wretch vnworth, my dayes are vainlie spent. |
b. Of things.
| c 960 æthelwold Bened. Rule (Schröer) 138 Þæt heora heortan furþum mid wacum mettum and unweorþum ne syn ofersymede. c 1205 Lay. 24656 And elche untuhtle Heo talden vnwurðe. a 1250 Owl & Night. 770 Vuel strengþe is lutel wrþ Ac wisdom ne wrþ neuer vnwrþ. c 1320 Cast. Love 1112 Woldestou þi finger ȝeue..So vnworth and so vyl chaffare to bugge? 1340 Ayenb. 215 Ase þe werm is uoul, and lite, þing onworth. |
c. With dative, or with preps. (esp. to).
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxviii, Hu ne wes he þeah ælcum witum lað & unweorð? c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives xvi. 367 Se idela ᵹylp us beo æfre unwurð. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 49 His beoden beoð aweriede and unwurðe gode. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 89 Þe alre unwurþeste wig one to riden. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1531 Stille þine wordes, for ha beoð me unwurð. a 1225 Ancr. R. 50 Þe blake cloð bitockneð þæt ȝe beoð blake & unwurðe toward þe worlde wiðuten. c 1300 Beket 653 Unworth ich am of holi churche wardeyn forto beo. 1340 Ayenb. 49 Þis zenne is zuo onworþ to gode, þet he dede rine uer berninde..ope þe cite of sodome. |
2. Undeserved; = unworthy a. 4 a. rare—1.
| a 1240 Lofsong in O.E. Hom. I. 207 Bi þe herde hurtes and þe unwurðe wowes ðet he..willeliche þolede. |
Hence † unˈworthhead, contempt. Obs.
| 1340 Ayenb. 17 Þe uerste boȝ of prede is ontreuþe, þe oþer onworþhede, þe þridde ouerweninge. Ibid. 29 Þe uerþe [sin] is onworþhede of penonce. |
▪ III. unˈworth, a.2
[un-1 7 + worth a.]
Not worthy of (something); = unworthy a. 6. Const. with (a) ns., esp. while, or (b) vbl. ns.
| (a) 1587 Turberv. Trag. T. (1837) 5 Wherein if ought unworth the presse thou finde Unsavorie,..Impute it to the troubles of my minde. 1664 J. Wilson Projectors iii, Perhaps is may not be unworth your while. 1736 Bailey Housh. Dict. s.v. Goats, Which if true or not would not be unworth the while of the curious in anatomy to enquire. 1848 Lowell Fable for Critics 458 You may..deem it not unworth your while to review it. 1903 T. Hardy Dynasts i. v. vi, Some poor dolt unworth captivity. |
| (b) 1592 G. Harvey Four Lett. iii. 25 Baggage stuffe, vnwoorth the aunswering, or reading. 1645 Milton Tetrach. 6 Many things might be noted..not ordinary, nor unworth the noting. 1691 J. Wilson Belphegor v. iii, He'll tell ye the Story..not unworth your hearing. |
▪ IV. † unˈworth, v. Obs.
[OE. unweorðian (f. unweorþ unworth a.1), = MDu. onwerden, MLG. unwerden, ON. {uacu}virða, to slight, etc.; cf. also G. entwerthen to deprive of value.]
1. trans. To treat (a person or thing) disparagingly or with disdain; to slight, despise.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. John viii. 49 Ic diuul ne hafo.., ah ic uorðiᵹe faeder min & ᵹie un-uorðade mec. c 1000 ælfric in Assmann Ags. Hom. 93 Seo cwen..ne unwurðode na þe ænne mid þan, ac ealle þine ealdormenn and eac þine þeᵹnas. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 181 For we..swo..unwurðeð ure drihten, wurðeð þe deuel. c 1200 Ormin 18285 Hefiȝlike he shameþþ þe & shendeþþ & unnwurrþeþþ. 1340 Ayenb. 8 Huo þet onworþeþ his uader and his moder. Ibid. 84 Uirtue makeþ wynne heuene, and onworþi þe wordle. |
2. To dishonour (something).
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 213 He sholde..noht shenden godes shafte,..ne swo unwurðin godes handiwerc. |