[UN-1 10.] Not giving or having belief (esp. in religious matters); incredulous; infidel.
a. 1400. New Test. (Paues), Heb. iii. 18. To whom swor be þat þei schulden noȝt entren in-to his reste, bote to þilke þat weren vnbylefynge?
1526. Tindale, 1 Cor. vii. 14. For the vnbelevynge husbande is sanctifyed by the wyfe: and the vnbelevynge wyfe ys sanctifyed by the husbande.
1567. Jewel, Def. Apol., II. vi. Div. 3. 141. As often as he shutteth vp the Gate of the Kingdome of Heauen against vnbeleeuing, and stubborne persons.
1613–6. W. Browne, Brit. Past., II. iv. Which vnbeleeuing man, that is not mov’d To credit aught, if not by reason prov’d,… Held as most fabulous.
a. 1656. Hales, Gold. Rem., I. (1673), 95. ’Tis true indeed, in spight of unbeleiving miscreants, it hath pleased God … to save those that are his.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XIV. 431. And why, oh swain of unbelieving mind!… Doubt you my oath?
1728. Eliza Heywood, trans. Mme. de Gomez’s Belle A. (1732), II. 270. There is nothing I would not endeavour to suffer, or perform, to keep you mine, indifferent and unbelieving as you are.
1825. Scott, Talism., iii. A barefooted friar would have been a better associate than the gay but unbelieving Paynim.
1864. Pusey, Lect. Daniel (1876), 110. It is no uncommon resource of unbelieving criticism.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 41. The age of miracles has ceased, and the world is an unbelieving world.
absol. 1526. Tindale, Rev. xxi. 8. The fearfull and vnbelevynge, and the abhominable, and murdres.
1594. Drayton, Sonn., Minor Poems (1907), 7. See myracles, ye vnbeleeuing; see A dumbe-born Muse made to expresse the mind.
Hence Unbelievingly adv.; -believingness.
1685. Baxter, Paraphr. N. T., 1 Pet. ii. 7. Even they that *unbelievingly reject … the Gospel, and disobey it.
a. 1708. Beveridge, Thes. Theol. (1711), I. 340. He is angry with them [sc. the wicked] … For all Actions; as done 1) From wrong Principle. 2)… Inobedientially. 3. Unbelievingly.
1850. Lynch, Theoph. Trinal, vii. 134. Many true things we unbelievingly say.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 34. It is therfore no maruell if Christ alleged his miracles to confound the *vnbeleuingnesse of the Jewes.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 231. The fault hereof is their own unbeleevingnes, not the will of God.
