Uncovered

ppl. a. [UN-¹ 8.]

  1.  Not roofed or closed in overhead; not sheltered by a roof.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 11667. The walles were wroght to þe wale rofe, All clanly by course vncouert aboue.

1563.  Golding, Cæsar, VII. (1565), 192. Bycause they saw the penthouses of our turrettes burned downe, and that oure men could not with ease go vncouered to saue them.

1587.  Southampton Court Leet Rec. (1906), II. 255. The wollon hawle is vncovered and decayed which wee desier maye be amended.

1600.  J. Pory, trans. Leo’s Africa, III. 125. The middle part of the house is alwaies open or uncouered.

1697.  Dryden, Æneis, II. 700. Uncovered but by heaven, there stood in view An altar.

  2.  Not covered by clothing; bare, naked.

c. 1400.  T. Chestre, Launfal, 291. For hete her clothes down sche dede, Almest to her gerdyl stede, Than lay sche uncovert.

1535.  Coverdale, Gen. ix. 21. Noe … was dronken, and laye vncouered in his tente.

1560.  Bible (Genev.), Isaiah xx. 4. Bothe yong men and olde men,… with their buttockes vncouered.

1605.  Shaks., Lear, III. iv. 106. Thou wert better in a Graue, then to answere with thy vncouer’d body, this extremitie of the Skies.

1827.  Faraday, Chem. Manip., ii. (1842), 54. It is requisite that the bottle should not be handled by uncovered hands.

1851.  Longf., Gold. Leg., v. At Foot of Alps. A band of pilgrims, moving slowly On their long journey, with uncovered feet.

  b.  Not wearing a hat; bareheaded.

1570.  in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford (1880), 331. Every man … spekeyng within the same Counsell howse, shall stand upp bare headed or uncovered.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., IV. i. 128. Rather let my head … dance vpon a bloody pole, Then stand vncouer’d to the Vulgar Groome.

1611.  Bible, 1 Cor. xi. 13. Is it comely that a woman pray vnto God vncouered?

a. 1656.  Bp. Hall, Rem. Wks. (1660), 242. The French Divines preach with their hats on, ours uncovered.

1710.  Addison, Tatler, No. 253, ¶ 3. The Censor, who continued hitherto uncovered, put on his hat with great dignity.

1831.  Scott, Ct. Rob., ix. Sitting stationary … when so many noble knights … stand uncovered around.

1884.  Manch. Exam., 26 Nov., 5/1. The members of the House of Commons stand uncovered, the peers sit and wear their hats.

  c.  Of women: Unveiled.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., I. viii. 8 b. The wiues of the Turkes … are not seene goe vncouered.

  3.  Having no covering; left open or exposed; not covered by or with (also † of) something.

1530.  Palsgr., 840/1. Oncovered, a descouuert.

1563.  Hyll, Art Garden. (1593), 12. They wil also that those furrowes so lie all the winter open and vncouered.

1638.  Mayne, Lucian (1664), 24. Let’s finde out some eminent place, uncovered with Snow, where we may the firmelier chain him.

1650.  Earl Monm., trans. Senault’s Man bec. Guilty, 368. Whilst any mountains were yet uncovered with water, the remainders of man-kind were fixed there.

1692.  Ray, Disc., II. (1693), 65. He sent forth Birds, that he might try whether they could espy any Land uncovered of Water.

1793.  Cowper, A Tale, 17. The heaths uncover’d, and the moors, Except with snow.

1807.  Wordsw., White Doe, VI. 144. One of the Norton Tenantry Espied the uncovered Corse.

1819.  Scott, Ivanhoe, iii. The board was uncovered by a cloth.

1827.  Faraday, Chem. Manip., iv. (1842), 93. The sand being cleared off … leaves the metal uncovered.

1875.  W. S. Hayward, Love agst. World, i. The polished oak flooring, uncovered by carpet.

  b.  Not furnished with the usual covering.

1565.  in Hay Fleming, Reform. Scotl. (1910), 610. Item, in the lauche chalmer, four stullis oncoverit.

1907.  E. Glyn, 3 Weeks, xiv. The bed unmade and piled with uncovered hotel pillows.

  † 4.  Not having a cover laid for meals. Obs.

1494.  in Househ. Ord. (1790), 116. For all manner of estates that are to bee uncovered.

  5.  Not protected or screened by another or others. (See COVER v.¹ 8 and 12.)

a. 1795.  Philidor, Studies of Chess (1817), 98. It would be scarcely possible to prevent the uncovered king … from doubling on the same line.

1832.  Prop. Reg. Instr. Cavalry, II. 17. If the numbers are uneven, the last man but one … must remain uncovered.

  6.  Not covered by insurance.

1892.  Pall Mall G., 22 Aug., 2/1. The building only was insured, and all the furnishings were uncovered.

  Hence Uncoveredly adv.

1683.  E. Hooker, Pref. Perdage’s Mystic Div., 67. Where, unclothedly, uncoveredly, nakedly,… Hee stood.