redeless, a. Obs. exc. arch.
(ˈriːdlɛs)
Forms: 1 rǽd-, 3 redleas; 3 redliese; 3–6 red-, 4–5 redeles, (4 redelees, -lis, rydelles); 5 reed-, 6 red-, rydlesse; 5 red-, 9 redeless.
[OE. rǽdléas = OFris. rêdlâs, MDu. raedloos (Du. radeloos), OHG. ratelôs (G. ratlos), ON. ráðlauss (Sw. rådlös, Da. raadl{obar}s): see rede n.1 and -less.]
Devoid or destitute of counsel; esp. of persons, having no resource in a difficulty or emergency, not knowing what to do.
| a 1000 Daniel 177 (Gr.) Gleaw ne wæs gumrices weard, reðe & rædleas. c 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1009 Wæs þa swilc hit eall rædleas wære. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3754 ‘Nai, for gode’, quad moyses, ‘It is a song wikke and redles’. a 1300 Cursor M. 15695 O þam redles him reud sare. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1197 Þenne wern þo rowtes redeles in þo ryche wones. 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles i. 1 Now, Richard the redeles, reweth on ȝou-self. c 1450 Holland Howlat 968 Fra rule, ressoun and richt redless I ran. 1494 Fabyan Chron. v. cxxviii. 110 This woman, beynge reedlesse,..went vnto hym. 1536 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. II. 79, I am sokerles and as a redles createwr bot only fro the gret tr[ust I] have in the Kyngs grace. [1883 Green Conq. Eng. vii. 339 The opponents of Eadward..dreaded that..he would be..what they afterwards called æthelred,—a king ‘redeless’ or uncounselled.] |
| absol. 12.. Prayer to Our Lady 27 in O.E. Misc. 193 Rede þe redliese þat is wið-ute rede. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 502 Rwe on þo redles þat remen for synne. |