1. Not authoritatively decided or settled; not brought to an end by decision.
1442. in Proc. King’s Council Irel. (Rolls), 275. Many grete tresons … stonde yet vndetermyned.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., VII. ccxxviii. 257. The pope gaue suche a defuse sentence in this mater yt he left ye stryfe vndetermyned and vnassoyled.
1541. Act 33 Hen. VIII., c. 39. Thinges nowe … dependinge before them vndiscussed and vndetermined.
1628. Coke, On Litt. (1629), 40 b. Hanging the voucher and vndetermined, the wife of the feoffee brings her action of dower.
1698. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), IV. 396. To leave the points undetermined to the arbitration of King William.
1771. Luckombe, Hist. Print., 1. It long remained an undetermined point … concerning the place.
1826. Art Brewing (ed. 2), 127. The question, therefore, still remains undetermined.
1885. Sir L. W. Cave, in Law Rep., 15 Q. B. D. 327. The question … was discussed and left undetermined in the case of Reg. v. Robson.
b. Not definitely settled or fixed; still subject to alteration or uncertainty.
1668. [see UNCONSENTED].
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 30. Thou, whose undetermin’d State Is yet the Business of the Gods’ Debate.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. iv. (1834), 88. Which miseries are, beforehand, just as contingent and undetermined as their conduct, and left to be determined by it.
1779. Forrest, Voy. N. Guinea, 171. All the charts … leave the north coast of Waygiou undetermined by a dotted line.
1831. Scott, Ct. Rob., xxxiii. I vow … that the combat was yet within the undetermined doom of Providence, when [etc.].
1862. Spencer, First Princ., I. v. § 29 (1875), 102. That conception of disorder, or undetermined order, which underlies every superstition.
2. Not definitely ascertained or identified; uncertain, doubtful.
1588. [see UNDETERMINABLE a. 2].
1697. Bentley, Phal. (1699), 19. Though the date be undetermined, it might fairly be presumed to be more recent than He.
1794. R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., I. 435. Onyx, an undetermined transparent gem.
1839. De la Beche, Rep. Geol. Cornw., etc., viii. 223. A few casts of one or two undetermined species.
1884. Higgs, Magn. Dyn. Electr. Mach., 269.
3. Not definitely limited or restricted in meaning or application; indefinite, vague.
1611. Florio, World of Words, Rules 640. The Preterpluperfect or vndetermined tence.
1656. trans. Hobbes’ Elem. Philos., 21. Some names are of certain and determined, others of uncertain and undetermined signification.
1705. Berkeley, Cave of Dunmore, Wks. 1871, IV. 506. Such undetermined expressions as wide, narrow, deep.
1769. Sir J. Reynolds, Disc., ii. (1778), 47. By precepts only, which will always be fleeting, variable and undetermined.
4. Not restrained within limits; left free or open.
1627. May, Lucan, Ep. Ded. The vast strength and forces of the Prince gaue him too absolute and vndetermined a power.
1697. Congreve, Mourn. Bride, II. viii. Not so the mind, whose undetermined view Revolves, and to the present adds the past.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 412, ¶ 2. Such wide and undetermined Prospects are … pleasing to the Fancy.
1818. Shelley, Lett. to Peacock, 5 June. The mountains are wide and wild, and the whole scenery broad and undetermined.
5. Not determined or fixed in respect of character, action, etc.
a. 1676. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man. (1677), 74. Possibly Matter it self undetermined to any particular form, or under any particular constitution.
1712. Addison, Spect., No. 458, ¶ 2. False Modesty … is only a general undetermined Instinct.
1754. Edwards, Freed. Will, II. ix. 83. A Self-determining Power in the Understanding,… independent, undetermined by any Thing prior to its own Acts and Determinations.
6. Undecided, irresolute.
1718. Pope, Iliad, XV. 595. How long on these cursed confines will ye lie, Yet undetermined or to live or die?
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, III. 110. Perceiving him undetermined, [she] called forth all her artillery of eloquence.
1862. Borrow, Wild Wales, I. i. 1. We were undetermined for some time with respect to where we should go.
