uninˈtelligent, a.
[un-1 7.]
1. Having no knowledge or understanding of something. rare.
| 1609 B. Jonson Sil. Wom. iv. iii. 572 My mistris is not altogether vn-intelligent of these things. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. i. i. 16 That your Sences (vn-intelligent of our insufficience) may..as little accuse vs. 1850 Carlyle Latter-d. Pamph. iv. 23 With China, or some distant country, too unintelligent of us and too unintelligible to us. |
2. Devoid of intelligence.
| 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq. xiii. 45 The Sun is..an Inanimate and unintelligent masse of flammeous matter. 1701 Norris Ideal World i. vi. 342 So we must suppose God..as an unintelligent being, and also in the production of truth acting as an unintelligent agent. 1788 Reid Active Powers iv. ix. 627 If this be so, what is unintelligent may be the cause of what is intelligent. 1802 Paley Nat. Theol. ii. §2 By the application of an unintelligent impulse to a mechanism previously arranged..the corn is ground. 1864 Pusey Lect. Daniel viii. 554 Time,..the most spiritual of the unintelligent creatures of God. |
3. Deficient in intelligence or intellect; dull, stupid. Also absol.
| a 1676 Hale Ep. to Son (1684) 13 A sort of brain-sick, melancholy, unintelligent persons. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 95 Its use is..well known (even to the most unintelligent). 1791 Cowper Odyss. vi. 234 Neither base by birth thou seem'st, Nor unintelligent. 1815 [see uninformed ppl. a. 1 absol.]. 1861 Olmsted Journ. & Expl. Cotton Kingd. I. 44 Most of the company were of a very poor appearance, rude and unintelligent. |
b. Marked by lack of intelligence.
| 1860 W. Collins Wom. White II. 267 My servant..is really attached to me, in his unintelligent way. 1869 H. F. Tozer Highl. Turkey I. 302 [A man] with..an unintelligent expression of countenance. |
† 4. Unintelligible. Obs.
| 1683 Moxon Mech. Exerc., Printing xxii. ¶5 That I may be the less unintelligent to the Reader. 1756 M. Calderwood in Coltness Collect. (Maitl. Club) 190 He was obliged then to have recourse to ‘calling grace’, and severall other unintelligent things. |