▪ I. unˈwork, n.
(un-1 12.)
| 1854 Whittier Yankee Gipsies Prose Wks. I. 343 The comfortable philosophy..is the real life of this city of unwork. |
▪ II. unˈwork, v. rare.
[un-2 3, 5. Cf. OE. unwyrcan to undo; also OHG. intwurchen, -wirken, MHG. entwürken, -wirken to destroy.]
† 1. trans. To undo or detach (from something).
| a 1548 Hall Chron. Hen. IV, 8 But his workyng vnwrought king Richard from his croune. |
† 2. To spoil, mar, or destroy. Obs.—1
| 1587 Golding De Mornay xvii. 308 The punishments bewray..that wee chastise in vs, not that which God hath made or wrought in vs, but that which wee our selues haue vndone or vnwrought. |
3. To release from an intertwined condition.
| 1634 C. Butler Fem. Mon. (ed. 2) 92 If they light in..a ded hedg, your best way is, softly to unwoork the hedg til you coom to them. |
4. To undo by contrary action.
| 1726– [see unwrought pa. pple.]. 1909 W. Ogilvie Whaup o' the Rede vii. vii, Thy lady mother..Unwrought the wrong of Wat Harden's hate With her love. |