▪ I. unˈset, v.
[un-2 3, 7. Cf. OE. unsettan (once), to take down.]
1. trans. To put out of place or position; to undo the setting of.
| 1602 Marston Ant. & Mel. iii. Wks. 1856 I. 37 O, you spoyle my ruffe, unset my haire. 1611 Cotgr., Desplanter,..to vnplant, vnset, remoue. 1761 Gray Lett. (1900) II. 204 The man was sent for: he unset it; it was a paste not worth 40 shillings. 1775 Mrs. Delany in Life & Corr. Ser. ii. (1862) II. 105 There is some hazard in unsetting enamel for fear of chipping the edges. 1836 Marryat Midsh. Easy xxxii, How could he put the young men to fresh tortures by removing splints and unsetting limbs? 1884 Law Times 1 Nov. 8/1 On the morning in question Dawson had unset the gun. |
2. intr. To get out of place or position.
| 1703 Thoresby Let. to Ray, Spelk, a wooden splinter tied on, to keep a broken bone from bending or unsetting again. |
▪ II. unˈset, ppl. a.
[un-1 8 b, 8 c. Cf. Du. ongezet in sense 1.]
† 1. Of time or place: Not previously appointed or arranged. Obs.
Chiefly in phr. at unset steven: see steven n.2 2.
| c 1386 [see steven n.2 2]. 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas ii. xxi. (1494) h iiij/1 At the vnset houre their falsnesse he wyll quyte. 1476 Paston Lett. III. 162 The Duke toke grete corage to goo..to conquer them, butt the[y] berded hym att an onsett place. 1543–a 1600 [see steven n.2 2]. a 1600 Montgomerie Misc. Poems v. 47 For man may meit at unset stevin, Thoght montanis nevir meitis. |
† b. Of events: Not predetermined; unfixed, uncertain. Obs.
| 1550 Baldwin Mor. Philos. P vi, But yf that the chaunce of thynges be vnset, It is folly to feare that we knowe we maye let. 1559 Mirr. Mag., O. Glendour xxvii, Of thinges to cum the haps be so vnset That none but fooles may warrant of them make. |
† 2. Not seated at table. Obs.—1
| c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 148 ‘Gang begin the buird,’ said the Coilȝear. ‘That war vnsemand, forsuith, and thy self vnset.’ |
3. Not assigned or allocated (to one); unlet.
| 1480 Acta Dom. Conc. (1839) 70/2 Land..haldin of our souuerain lorde and fre vnset for termes or for male. 1523 Lincoln Wills (L. Rec. Soc.) V. 120, I will that..all myne inward stuf that was myne owne unset to my wyf remayne to..my daughters. 1580–1 Reg. Privy Council Scot. III. 358 To warrand the same unsett, sauld, assignit, or disponit to utheris. 1736 in Picton L'pool Munic. Rec. (1886) II. 165 There are some few back seats yet unsett. 1825–9 Mrs. Sherwood Lady of Manor I. viii. 334 During the absence of Lord T―, the family-mansion had remained untenanted, the houses of servants and dependents unset. |
4. With advs. Not set down, forth, out, up, etc.
| c 1445 Pecock Donet 138 Þese ij..forbodis of avoutrye.., whi ben not þei stillid and vnsett forþ expressely? 1530 Palsgr. Introd. p. v, I have..assayde..that there shulde fewe wordes..worde for worde be unsetforthe. 1547 Act 1 Edw. VI, c. 6 §1 The same poore persons..be now unoccupied and unset aworke. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. iii. xi. §8 They vrge that God left nothing in his word vndescribed,..nothing vnset-downe. 1629 Hobbes Thucyd. 75 The Athenians..recriminated the Megareans, for hauing tilled holy ground, and vnset-out with bounds. 1639 Knaresb. Wills (Surtees) II. 168 One new stand bed unsett upp. |
5. † a. unset leek, a (young) leek not transplanted. Obs.
| 1530 Palsgr. 249/2 Onsetleke, porret. 1563 T. Hill Art Garden. (1593) 128 If you desire only to haue vnset Leekes. 1601 Holland Pliny II. 424 Ashes for to be drunke with the juice of unset leeks in cold water. 1611 Cotgr., Porrette, Maidens Leeke, bladed Leeke, vnset Leeke. |
b. Not planted.
| 1573 Tusser Husb. (1878) 75 Set..yoong bay and his berie. Or set their stone, vnset leaue out none. 1577 Harrison England iii. viii. (1878) ii. 57 Notwithstanding that they haue remained there vnset by the space of fortie dais and more: yet some [saffron heads]..haue brought foorth two or three floures a peece. 1597 Gerarde Herbal i. i. 2 Common Medow grasse groweth of it selfe, vnset or vnsowen, euery where. 1653 W. Blithe Eng. Improver Impr. 169 Shouldst thou be occasioned..to keep thy sets longer unset, be thou sure thou get their Roots into the ground. |
c. Not furnished with plants.
| c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xvi, Many maiden gardens yet vnset, With vertuous wish would beare your liuing flowers. |
6. Not placed in a setting; unmounted.
| 1561 T. Hoby tr. Castiglione's Courtyer ii. R i b, A iewell that vnsett seemeth faire. c 1592 Bacon Conf. Pleasure (1870) 15 If these rich peeces be so faire vnsett, what are they sett? 1684 Lond. Gaz. No. 1906/4 An Emerald unset,..having a narrow Bizel. 1702 Ibid. No. 3811/4 Lost.., a large Diamond-drop,..unset. 1884 West. Daily Press 20 June 7/5 Necklets of unset amethysts,..and other stones. 1891 Science-Gossip XXVII. 36/1 Lack of uniformity in unset specimens. |
7. Not composed or arranged.
| 1631 R. Brathwait Whimzies, Traveller 93 Not an irregular haire about him, nor an unset looke to attend him, nor an uncomposed cringe to accoutre him. 1821 Lamb Elia i. Ears, Those unconnected, unset sounds are nothing to the measured malice of music. |
8. Not surgically set.
| a 1661 Fuller Worthies, General i. (1662) 61 An unset bone is better then a bone..ill set. |
9. Of the sun: Not gone beneath the horizon.
| 1860 W. W. Reade Liberty Hall I. ix. 158 Though very pretty she was only a moon with the sun unset, for [etc.]. |