▪ I. † unˈsoft, a. Obs.
[un-1 7. Cf. MDu. onsoft, -saft(e, sacht(e, etc. (Du. onzacht), MLG. unsacht, OHG. (MHG.) unsamft (G. unsanft).]
Not soft; hard, severe.
| c 1275 Serving Christ 25 in O.E. Misc. 91 Þer is þe sunfulle vnsofte to beon. c 1386 Chaucer Merch. T. 1824 He kisseth hire ful ofte With thilke brustles of his berd vnsofte. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 283 Mi wofull herte is so tobete, That all my wittes ben unsofte And I am wroth. 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas v. vii. (1494) r j b/2 And Affricans felt full vnsoft Whan she to theym list be contrarye. c 1470 Henry Wallace x. 332 Quham euir he hyt, thair sawchnyng was wnsoft. 1513 Douglas æneid ii. ii. 96 The north wynd onsoft Held thaim abak. |
▪ II. † unˈsoft, adv. Obs.
[OE. unsófte (f. un- un-1 11 b + sófte soft adv.), = WFris. on-, ûnseaft, -sêft, -sacht, MDu. onsacht(e, -socht(e, etc. (Du. onzacht), MLG. unsachte, OHG. unsamfto (MHG. unsanfte, G. unsanft).]
Not softly; severely.
| a 900 Guthlac 858 (Gr.), Hu he monᵹe..ᵹehælde..þe hine unsofte adle ᵹebundne..ᵹesohtun. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 260 Hwær mon unsofte ᵹetilað on forewearde þa adle. ? a 1400 Lydg. Chorle & Birde (Roxb.) 10 And who desireth to clymbe hygh a lofte Be sodeyn turne falleth ofte unsofte. 1430–40 ― Bochas vi. (1494) t ii b/1 Another honde griped full vnsofte Which cast another in greate aduersite. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xxxii. (Percy Soc.) 159 In holly bushes they did hange aloft, Theyr hedes downeward for to fall unsofte. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. July 12 This reede is ryfe, that oftentime Great clymbers fall vnsoft. |