Unarm

v. Also 4–5 onarm (4 oun-), 4–7 unarme (5 Sc. wnarm). [UN-² 4.]

  1.  trans. To relieve (a person) of armor; to assist in putting off armor.

13[?].  Sir Beues (A.), 1081. King Ermin … clepede is douȝter & saide: ‘Iosian, þe faire maide, Vn-arme Beues, he wer at mete.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Sqr.’s T., 173. This knyght is to his chambre lad anoon, And is vnarmed, and vn to mete yset.

1470–85.  Malory, Arthur, VII. xviii. 241. The mayden Lynet … vnarmed hym and serched his woundes.

c. 1489.  Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xv. 357. He made hym to be vnarmed, and made his wounde to be wrapped.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 252. Assoone as the King was vnarmed, he … went vp to the Castell to salute the Countesse of Sarisbury.

1573.  in Feuillerat, Revels Q. Eliz. (1908), 202. [To] Roger Tyndall … for his seruauntes Attendaunces to arme & vnarme the children in the play.

1606.  Shaks., Tr. & Cr., III. i. 163. Sweet Hellen, I must woe you, To helpe vnarme our Hector…. You shall … disarme great Hector.

1720.  Mrs. Manley, Power of Love (1741), 337. [He] commanded the Conqueror should be unarm’d and set before his Face, to receive the Reward due to his Valour.

  absol.  1606.  Shaks., Ant. & Cl., IV. xiv. 35. Vnarme Eros, the long dayes taske is done, And we must sleepe.

  b.  refl. To free or strip (oneself) of armor. (Also with head as obj.)

13[?].  Guy Warw. (A.), 5506. Otus to his pauiloun he ȝede, & vnarmed him of his wede.

c. 1400.  Laud Troy Bk., 10241. Vn-Arme the at my prayere.

c. 1430.  Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. cxxxiv. (1869), 70. Allas, whi woldest thou euere vnarme thee?

c. 1477.  Caxton, Jason, 7 b. The Iousters vnarmed them, And put hem in fayr araye.

a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, lix. 206. They vnarmyd them, and went to dyner.

1581.  A. Hall, Iliad, IV. 66. He soft vnarmes him, and his scarfe, and Curet off doth take.

1609.  Heywood, Brit. Troy, XIII. lxxxv. King Priam by Antenors mouth desires To unarme him streight and to the Courte returne. Ibid. (1624), Gunaik., v. 246. When with the slaughter of his enemies tyred He doff’d his cushes, and unarm’d his head.

1719.  D’Urfey, Pills, I. 175. The Great Mars of the Battle unarms him and plays.

1823.  Scott, Quentin D., xxxvi. Go, tell no man to unarm himself; and let them shoot, in case of necessity.

  absol.  c. 1450.  Merlin, xxvii. 555. Elizer was besy to serue sir Gawein … and helped him to vn-arme.

1606.  Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. i. 1. Call here my Varlet, I vnarme againe. Ibid., V. iii. 3. Vnarme, vnarme, and doe not fight to day.

a. 1625.  Fletcher, Hum. Lieut., III. vi. Will ye unarm, and yield your selves his prisoners?

  † 2.  To deprive of arms or armor; to disarm.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 101. To send their ayde agaynst the Turke … were to unarme them selves and to cut their owne senewes.

1569.  J. Sanford, trans. Agrippa’s Van. Artes, 125 b. To kill them, to take them, to unarme them, to spoile them.

a. 1618.  Raleigh, Maxims St., in Rem. (1661), 43. To unarm his people of weapons, money, and all means, whereby they may resist his power.

1635.  Pagitt, Christianogr., I. ii. (1636), 48. The Turke usually in his Conquests unarmeth the Christians.

1654.  Earl Monm., trans. Bentivoglio’s Wars Flanders, 106. A Brigade of the Spanish foot forthwith entered the Town, and unarmed every one therein.

  † b.  transf. and fig. Obs.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 757. If deuision and dissencion of their friendes had not vnarmed them, and left them destitute.

1646.  Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 385. Galen … would not leave unto the world too subtile a Theory of Poisons; unarming thereby the malice of venemous spirits.

a. 1668.  Davenant, Epithal., Wks. (1673), 312. So an excessive purity of Love Unarmes you to invite offence.

  † 3.  To empty or strip of arms. Obs.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 405. By unarmyng the armaries, and openyng the waye to confiscation.

1636.  G. Sandys, Paraphr., Ps. xlvi. He breaks their Bowes, unarmes their Quivers, The bloody Speare in pieces shivers.

1665.  Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Wars, 209. The Queen … Commands by her Letter, the Lord Admirall Howard … that he should unarm and discharge the best of her Ships.

  † 4.  To disarm, render harmless. Obs.^–1

1700.  Dryden, Ovid’s Met., VIII. Meleager, 120. No blood he drew; Dian unarm’d the Javelin as it flew.