v. Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 1 unhelan, 2–3 unhelen, 4–6 vnhele, 4–6, 9 dial., unhele (4 oun-), 6 Sc. vnheild-, 6–7 vnheale, 7–8, 9 dial., unheal, 8 unheel, 9 dial. unhale. [OE. unhelan (UN-2 3 + HELE v.): cf. MDu. onthelen, MHG. enthelen, and UNHILL v.]
1. trans. To uncover (something) so as to display or make visible; hence fig., to discover, reveal, make patent or known. Also refl.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke xii. 2. Nis nan þing oferheled, þe ne beo unheled.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 77. Seinte poul … minegeð us … þat we … cumen festliche to ure saule leche and unhelen him ure saule wundes.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 150. Al so god dede þet wule adeaden forworpeð hire rinde, þet is, unheleð hire.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 2689 (Kölbing). Þe king … ladde him fram & gan his priuete vnhele, & bad, þat he it schuld hele.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VIII. 161. Here he is i-hud, but he is unheled.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 249/1. Netheles the body of saynt laurence was discouerd and unheled by ygnorance.
1530. Tindale, Practice Prelates, H vij. Thou shall not vnhele ye secretes of thy brothers wyffe.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. xii. 64. Then suddeinly both would themselues vnhele.
2. To uncover so as to leave open or exposed; to strip of covering or (freq.) roofing material.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 58. Auh þe dom is ful strong upon ham þet unhelieð þene put.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 367. Þere was a welle in þat lond … alle wey i-heled; and ȝif it were vnheled, þe welle wexe and adrenche al þe lond.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XX. 301. Yf hus hous be vnheled and reyne on hus bedde.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., II. 56. Yet wol this werk the roote … Vnhele or kerue, and cold hit after quelle.
1501. Douglas, Pal. Hon., II. xlv. I kneillit law, and vnheildit my heid.
1551. Southampton Court Leet Rec. (1903), I. 28. Robarde foster hathe vnhellyde partte off thomas cupers housse.
1604. Marston, Malcontent, II. iii. D ij b. Would I were forcde to burne my fathers Tombe, vnheale [v.r. vnhill] his bones…, rather than this.
1610. G. Fletcher, Christ’s Tri., II. ix. Thear should the Swallowe see … the grave vnheale his face, To let the living from his bowels creepe.
1730. Budgen, Passage of Hurricane fr. Bexhill, 9. Mr John Collier had … the ridging of the house unheeled.
1741. Phil. Trans., XLI. 852. It presently unhealed the House we were in.
1848–. in Eng. Dial. Dict., s.v. Unheal (Wilts, Dorset, Som., Devon).
1891. T. Hardy, Tess, xlvii. They were busily ‘unhaling’ the rick, that is, stripping off the thatch.
† b. In pa. pple. Of the head: Uncovered. Obs.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIV. 232. He goth to cold beddynge, And his heued vn-heled vn-esiliche i wrye.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3450. Hire hede vn-helid was on hiȝe & hild all in trissis.
Hence Unheler; Unheling vbl. sb.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, III. xvii. (1869), 144. This hand is an vnmakere of howses, and an *vnhelere and brekere of cofres.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xxvii. (Bodl. MS.). In acutis [febribus] *vnheling and puttinge oute of bare armes is tokene of deeþ.
1640. in Archæol. Cant. (1902), XXV. 8. His mother being then in distress, by reason of the unhealing of her house by the late severe time.
