1. Not submissive or compliant; intractable, disobedient. Freq. const. to.
a. 1250. Prov. Ælfred, 450, in O. E. Misc., 128. Betere is child vnbore, Þane vnbuhsum.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 28089. To crist ic haue vn-buxum bene.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 15378. Monk ne clerk wolde þey non spare, For þey byforn unbuxom ware.
1380. Lay Folks Catech., 713 (Lamb. MS.). Rebel men … ben vnbuxum to cryst and his chyrche.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 112. Þis vyce makyth a mannys herte hard & vnbuxom to god.
a. 1470. H. Parker, Dives & Pauper (1490), IV. viii. 171/1. Childern unbuxum to fader & moder sholde be stoned to deth.
1559. Aylmer, Harborowe, Q 4. God punished that sinne with another by sending them vnbuxome hartes.
absol. 1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 5. Ȝif eny þe rebelle … þe forsaide bretherhede shul be helpyng aȝeins þe rebelle and vnboxhum.
2. Unready to bend; stiff.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 985. My bak unbuxum hath swich thyng forsworne, At instance of writing,… That stowpyng hath hym spilt with his labour.
Hence † Unbuxomly adv. Obs.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 88. Evere unbuxomly thei pleigne Upon fortune. Ibid., III. 212. The more unbuxomliche he cride.
a. 1400. MS. Harl. 2260, fol. 3. I usedde wronge with my body, And serves the unbuxumly.
