wiˈthout ˌdoors, advb. phr. (a.) Obs. or rare arch.
(Also with hyphen.)
[See without prep. I. and door 5.]
1. Out of doors, outside the house, in the open air.
| 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 63 Our meat we bought our selues,..and we fetched our beere without doores. 1663 Gerbier Counsel 27 At the latter end of the year..no brick-work without doores ought to be laid. 1695 A. Telfair New Confut. Sadd. (1696) 4 The Family being all without-doors. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 83 ¶1 When the Weather hinders me from taking my Diversions without Doors. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. II. 621 Without doors they use a kind of wooden patten. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xxviii, The preparations without doors had not been neglected. |
2. transf. and fig. Outside the community (family, nation, etc.); † spec. outside Parliament (= out-of-door, -doors A. 2 a).
| 1697 C. Davenant Ess. E. India Trade Wks. 1771 I. 96 Some persons (without doors)..profess themselves open enemies to the traffic in general. 1709 Swift Adv. Relig. Misc. (1711) 224 Senates are like to have little Regard for any Proposals that come from without Doors. 1723 Dk. Wharton True Briton No. 5. I. 43 Those who are Without-Doors should do their Duty by supporting such Patriots. 1769 Junius Lett. xvii. (1812) I. 181 It will not be necessary..to take the trouble of answering..the quotation from a speech without doors. 1792 Burke Sp. 11 May (1816) IV. 51 The House was untainted..by those false principles which had been so amply circulated without doors. 1823 Scott Quentin D. xiv, He who beat all enemies without doors, found a fair foe who could belabour him within. |
3. attrib. or as adj. = prec. b.
| 1654 Fuller Comm. Ruth 139 The Daughters of Sarah, whom the meeknesse of their Sex hath priviledged from following without doors affairs. |