Unfruitful

a. [UN-¹ 7. In early use after L. infructuosus, infecundus.]

  1.  Not producing offspring; barren.

1388.  Wyclif, Exod. xxiii. 26. Neithir a womman vnfruytful, neither bareyn, schal be in thi lond.

1535.  Coverdale, Judg. xiii. 2. His wife was vnfrutefull & bare him no children.

1577.  B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., IV. (1586), 169. The vnfruitfull…, and the otherwise faultie, ought cheefely to be fatted.

1650.  Bulwer, Anthropomet., 233. They cur’d themselves, but became unfruitful and impotent.

1735.  Berkeley, Querist, § 208. So many unhappy and unfruitful marriages.

  2.  fig. Not productive of good results; unprofitable, unremunerative.

a. 1400.  New Test. (Paues), Eph. v. 11. Þe vnfruytful werkes of darkenesse.

c. 1430.  Life St. Kath. (1884), 47. What euer we do to oure goddes me thinkeþ hit is bot veyn and vnfruytfull.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 76 b. The communycacyon was not onely vnfruytfull, but also moche euyll.

1593.  Shaks., Lucr., 344. But in the midst of his unfruitful prayer,… Even there he starts.

1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 29. Conditions dishonourable and vnfruitfull.

a. 1718.  Parnell, Donne’s 3rd Sat. Versified, 4. To laugh or weep at sins might idly show Unheedful passion, or unfruitful woe.

1780.  Mirror, No. 72. The cold unfruitful virtues of monkish solitude.

1821.  Scott, Pirate, x. It was a time of idle and unfruitful laughter.

1869.  J. Martineau, Ess., II. 250. This hint has not been permitted to remain unfruitful.

  absol.  1781.  Cowper, Truth, 500. She may … leave to mercy … The worthless and unfruitful of mankind.

  3.  Of trees: Not bearing fruit. Also fig.

1531.  Tindale, Exp. 1 John (1537), 94. He y^t is cut from y^e vynestocke … can not but abyde vnfruteful.

1846.  J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), II. 177. The substratum ought to be dry,… otherwise trees planted will be liable to become … unhealthy and unfruitful.

  4.  Of ground or seasons: Not yielding fruit or crops; unfertile, unproductive.

1545.  Brinklow, Compl., 14. Moory ground, as is vnfruteful for corne or pasture.

1585.  T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., III. xxi. 110. Manye desartes, sardye, wythered, vnfruitefull.

1615.  G. Sandys, Trav., 1. A hill not vnfruitfull in Oliues.

1653.  W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 228. The year shall be unseasonable,… unfruitful or scarce. Ibid., 284.

1712.  Blackmore, Creation, II. 197. Should but the sun his duty once forget,… Unfruitful earth her wretched fate would mnourn.

1782.  Martyn, Geog. Mag., I. iii. I. 201. Mountains and rocks, interspersed with unfruitful plains.

1820.  Wordsw., River Diddon, v. Unfruitful solitudes, that seem to upbraid The sun in heaven.

  fig.  a. 1586.  Sidney, Arcadia, II. xxix. She … besought him, not to cast his love in so unfruitfull a place.