dishevelled, -eled, ppl. a.
(dɪˈʃɛvəld)
Forms: 5–7 discheveled, 5 dishevilled, dyssheuelled, 6 disheuld, discheaueled, 7 -evell'd, disheveld, -eviled, euelled, 7– dishevelled.
[f. OF. deschevelé mod.F. déchevelé (see dishevely a.) + -ed.]
† 1. = dishevel a. Obs.
| c 1450 Merlin 453 She was discheueled and hadde the feirest heed that eny woman myght haue. Ibid. 646 An olde woman discheueled, and all to-rente hir heir. 1494 Househ. Ord. 123 Her [the Queen's] head must bee dishevilled with a riche sircle on her head. 1591 Sidney Ast. & Stella ciii, She, so disheuld blusht. 1653 H. Cogan Diod. Sic. 151 Growing distracted with griefe..she went up and downe..all discheveled with her haire about her eares. |
b. In vaguer sense: With disarranged or disordered dress; untidy.
| 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. xiii. 215 With thy disheveld nymphs attyr'd in youthfull greene. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones ix. iii, The dishevelled fair hastily following. 1862 Trollope Orley F. lxxiii, Her whole appearance was haggard and dishevelled. |
2. Of the hair: Unconfined by head-gear, hanging loose, flung about in disorder; unkempt.
| 1583 Stanyhurst Aeneis i. (Arb.) 28 Doune to the wynd tracing trayld her discheaueled hearlocks. 1638 Penit. Conf. iii. (1657) 22 Our hair dischiveld, not platted nor crisped. 1718 Prior Pleasure 567 With flowing sorrow, and dishevell'd hair. 1813 Scott Trierm. iii. xxxviii, Still her dark locks dishevell'd flow From net of pearl o'er breast of snow. 1887 Bowen Virg. æneid iii. 593 Foul rags and a beard dishevelled he wore. |
3. transf. Disordered, ruffled, disorderly, untidy.
| 1647 Ward Simp. Cobler 32 When States dishevl'd [printed dishelv'd] are, and Lawes untwist. 1712–14 Pope Rape Lock v. 130 The heav'ns bespangling with dishevell'd light. 1858 Sat. Rev. V. 388/1 In vehement diction, but dishevelled grammar. 1882 Black Shandon Bells xviii, The dishevelled mass of music that she never would keep in order. 1883 H. Drummond Nat. Law in Spir. W. (ed. 2) 294 Religion is no dishevelled mass of aspiration, prayer, and faith. 1886 Stevenson Pr. Otto ii. ii. 87 A certain lady of a dishevelled reputation. |
† b. In good sense: Unconstrained, free, easy.
| a 1639 Wotton in Reliq. (1685) 482 One of the genialest pieces that I have read..of the same unaffected and discheveled kind. |
Hence diˈshevelledness.
| 1889 T. Gift Not for Night-time 165 Smiling to myself at my dishevelledness. |