ppl. a. Also 7 unin-. [UN-1 8.]
1. Not illuminated or lit up.
1662. Boyle, Spring of Air, II. i. 22. For the Corpuscles of Light that permeate that space may be so numerous, as to leave no sensible part of it un-inlightned.
1789. Phil. Trans., LXXX. 8. During the time … when evidently we were turned towards the unenlightened side. Ibid. (1803), XCV. 152. I mentioned the probability that there existed … unenlightened stars (if I may be allowed the expression) that have ever remained in eternal darkness.
1833–4. J. Phillips, Geol., in Encycl. Metrop. (1845), VI. 715/2. The Phlegrean Fields,… unenlightened either by the rising or the setting sun.
fig. 1774. Trinket, 165. Faces unenlightened with the smile of friendship.
2. Not mentally illuminated; uninstructed.
c. 1656. Bp. Hall, Rev. Unrevealed, § 8. A conceit, that would have sounded very strangely in the ears of our unenlightened forefathers.
1768–74. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 638. The unenlightened Canadian takes pride in singing while tortured by his conquerors.
1797. Mathias, Purs. Lit., II. 5, note. Such unenlightened and ignorant men as myself.
1865. M. Arnold, Ess. Crit., v. 189. A strong, dogged, unenlightened opponent of the chosen people.
1882. Farrar, Early Chr., II. 342. Imperfect, narrow-minded and unenlightened Christians.
b. Uninformed on some matter.
1829. Scott, Anne of G., xxxi. The old King was … still strangely unenlightened on the difference of her taste from his own.
3. Marked by lack of enlightenment.
1792. A. Young, Trav. France, 1. Pref. p. iv. Unenlightened practices exist, and want improvement.
1870. Lowell, Among my Books, Ser. I. (1873), 148. Political or other doctrines which seem to us barbarous and unenlightened.
