v. [UN-2 4 and 5.]
1. trans. † a. To skin or flay (an animal or person). Obs.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 12. As well the browne Eagles as the blacke are skynned and uncased as the Vultures be.
1591. Spenser, M. Hubberd, 1380. The Foxe, first Author of that treacherie, He did vncase, and then away let flie.
1638. Guillim’s Heraldry, III. xiv. 176. You shall say a Foxe is Vncased.
1658–9. Morrice, in Burton’s Diary (1828), IV. 191. Cambyses once uncased a corrupt judge, and made a cushion of his skin for his son to sit on.
1677. W. Hubbard, Narrative, Postscr. 10. As men use to do with a slaughtered Beast before they uncase him.
absol. 1712. Steele, Spect., No. 473, ¶ 1. It can be proved upon him, that he cuts up, disjoints, and uncases with incomparable Dexterity.
b. To strip (a person); to undress.
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 147. He was openly uncased, boxed about the eares, and sent to the next Iustice.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe, Wks. (Grosart), V. 261. He tare him from his throne, and vncased him of his habiliments.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXIX. ix. 715. Whiles there was some time spent in turning them out of their apparrell and uncasing them.
1635. [Glapthorne], Lady Mother, I. i., in Bullen, O. Pl. (1883), II. 107. If you uncase him, you will find his sattin dublett naught but fore sleaves and breast.
1699. Farquhar, Constant Couple, V. ii. I’ll ha’ you into the dungeon, and uncase you.
1823. Mrs. Sherwood, Henry Milner, III. xxi. He … uncased him from a huge great coat.
refl. 1588. Greene, Pandosto (1843), 42. Dorastus … went to the grove where hee had his rich apparel, and there uncasing himself as secretly as might be [etc.].
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., I. i. 212. Tranio at once Vncase thee: take my Coulord hat and cloake.
a. 1634. Chapman, Alphonsus, III. i. 227. I … straight untruss’d my points, uncas’d myself.
1704. Norris, Ideal World, II. vii. 338. It seems impossible that bodies should thus intirely and simultaneously strip and uncase themselves of these their outer coats or membranes.
c. absol. To put off a garment or garments.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., V. ii. 707. Do you not see Pompey is vncasing for the combat?
1622. Fletcher, Prophetess, IV. vi. I know that glory Is like Alcides’s Shirt…: when we would uncase, It brings along with it both flesh and sinews.
1691. J. Wilson, Belphegor, III. v. The Sham won’t pass on me—Come, come—uncase.
1733. Fielding, Don Quix. in Eng., II. vi. Sancho, uncase this instant, and handle that squire as he deserves.
1781. C. Johnston, Hist. J. Juniper, I. 192. As soon as they arrived at the Jew’s Kennel in Houndsditch, our hero directly uncased.
1837. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. I. Leech of Folkestone. Quick, Master Marsh! uncase, or you perish!
2. fig. To uncover, lay bare, expose to view or observation.
1587. Holinshed, Chron., I. 77/1. He vncased the crooked conditions which he had couertlie concealed.
a. 1591. R. Greenham, Wks. (1599), 36. Nakedly to vncase thy sins before God, is a hard thing to flesh and blood.
1627. Hakewill, Apol. (1630), 520. His hypocrisie shall be uncased and laid open to the view of the world.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., V. viii. 390. Thus God at last shall uncase the closest dissembler to the sight of men.
1677. Gilpin, Demonol. (1867), 23. Those secret thinkings;… the very inside and outside of them are uncased, cut up and anatomised by his eye.
1710. Palmer, Proverbs, 167. A hypocrite should be uncas’d and shewn to the world.
b. To strip or deprive of something.
1583. Melbancke, Philotimus, T ij b. Thy prickemedaintie Cornelius shallbee vncased of his vaine vizarde, and disburdened … of his hypocriticall apparitions.
1613. Day, Dyall, xii. (1614), 326. What? to uncase themselves of al they had, and to give it to the Poore?
c. To take out of the body.
1629. Quarles, Argalus & P., I. Wks. (Grosart), III. 252/2. Death could ne’r uncase Thy soule. Ibid. (1631), Samson, Ibid., II. 160/1. Betwixt them both, his fury did uncase A thousand soules.
3. To free from a casing or covering.
1643. A. Rosse, Mel Helic., 41. O Lord, when thou dost call on me, Uncase my eyes, that I may see.
4. To draw or take out of a case or cover.
1589. Greene, Tully’s Love, Wks. (Grosart), VII. 126. As the foes of Perseus when hee vncased the head of Medusa.
1600–9. Rowlands, Knaue of Clubbes (Hunterian Cl.), 8. A swaggering rogue breakes open dore, And’s Rapier did vncase.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. xix. (Roxb.), 153/1. Take forth your Granade. Shut your pouch. Vncase your fuse.
1742. Lond. & Country Brew., I. (ed. 4), 19. Here they save the Charge of emptying or uncasing it out of the Bin.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, IV. 122. So Pallas spake, to whom infatuate he Listening, uncased at once his polish’d bow.
1802. James, Milit. Dict., To uncase, in a military sense to display, to exhibit—As to uncase the colours.
1826. P. Pounden, France & Italy, 66. A crystal coffin in a small repository … being uncased to our view.
1893. Daily News, 14 Dec., 2/2. The gun was here uncased by an officer and handed to the witness.
† 5. To cast, throw off. Obs.–1
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 58. The owtpeaking from weeds of poysoned adder,… His slougth vncasing.
Hence Uncased ppl. a.1
1598. E. Guilpin, Skial. (1878), 42. Who for deluding vs, to plague their sinne, Are turnd to counterfaits, which their vncasde skin Quickly discouers.
1611. Cotgr., Salcoque, an vncased Prawne.
1658. J. Robinson, Eudoxa, i. 19. What an uncased or discovered Hypocrite is, I could never apprehend.
1760. Impostors Detected, IV. viii. II. 232. D. Nunez was not a little surprised at seeing me at that time of night, and so uncased.
1791. Cowper, Odyss., XI. 741. With uncas’d bow and arrow on the string.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, I. ix. ¶ 4. Leaving the carriage and the uncased carcases by the road-side.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxxi. He arose a forked, uncased, bald-pated, beggarly-looking scarecrow.
