unˈcourteous, a.
[un-1 7.]
Wanting in courtesy; discourteous: a. Of persons.
| α 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 6798 Þys ryche man, as þe gospel seys, Was but to o man vncurteys. a 1352 Minot in Pol. Poems (Rolls) I. 79 Unkind he was and uncurtayse. a 1400–50 Bk. Curtasye 128 in Babees Bk., Dip not þi thombe þy drynke into, Þou art uncurtayse yf þou hit do. 1470–85 Malory Arthur iv. xxiii. 151 Yf syre Pelleas had ben as vncurteis to yow as ye haue ben to hym ye hadde bene a dede knyghte. 1533 More Apol. ix. Wks. 865/2 Were not a manne..worthye to bee compted vncourteyse, that woulde [etc.]. 1548 Elyot, Inclemens,..vngentil: vncurteis. |
| β 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 303, I halde þat iueler lyttel to prayse,..& much to blame & vn-cortoyse. 1530 Palsgr. 328 Uncourtoyse, ingrat. 1552 Huloet, Vncurtoyse, illiberalis. |
| γ 1426 Audelay Poems (Percy Soc.) 14 He is unkynd and uncurtes. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 222 Quhasa did the contrair he war ungentill, uncurtas, and un⁓connand. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. II. 105 God forbyde that we were So uncurtise to you heare. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 264 b, Hymselfe remained prisoner emong the most uncourtise Silicians. 1575 Laneham Let. 41 Yoor only prezens shallbe matter sufficient of abandoning this vncurtess knight. |
| δ 1535 Coverdale Bar. iv. 15 An vncurteous people, and of a straunge language. 1551 Recorde Pathw. Knowl. Pref., If I were as vncurteous as you vnkind, I shuld vtterly refuse to do them any good. 1652 J. Taylor (Water P.) Short Relat. Long Journ. (Spenser Soc.) 23 Then most un⁓curteous Mistris, quoth I, I doubt I must bee necessitated to take up my lodging in the Field. 1801 Lusignan II. 49 Strangers, you seem not uncourteous. 1858 Trollope Dr. Thorne xxxiii, She was more than ordinarily anxious not to appear uncourteous or unkind to him. |
b. Of actions, speech, etc.
| c 1490 Plumpton Corr. (Camden) 71, I besech you speake to my master, that no uncurtes dealing be had with none of his servants. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. IV, 19 He beyng netteled with these uncurteous ye unvertuous prickes & thornes, serched out the authours. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. iv. xiii. §10 They ease us of that vncourteous burden. 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. v. i. 369 Vpon some stubborne and vn⁓courteous parts We had conceiu'd against him. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xxiv, It would be, therefore, uncourteous to leave my readers under any doubt concerning the agency. 1875 W. S. Hayward Love agst. World 11, ‘I know what I am doing,’ was the uncourteous reply. |