Unhorse

v. [UN-² 3. Cf. MDu. ontorsen.]

  1.  trans. To throw or drag (a person) from his horse, esp. in battle. Also in fig. context.

1390.  Gower, Conf., I. 368. He … smot him with a dethes wounde, That he unhorsed fell to grounde.

1412–20.  Lydg., Chron. Troy, IV. 2077. Menelay … to Troilus faste gan hym spede Fully avysed to vnhorsen hym anon.

1448–9.  Metham, Amoryus & Cleopes, 933. Qwat ys he yon,… that thus fersly iustyth to-day; That no knyght hym onhors may?

1530.  Palsgr., 768/1. I unhorse a man by feates of armes in the felde, Je rue jus.

1563.  Golding, Cæsar, 39 b. If any of them were sore wounded or vnhorsed, theis garded him about.

1607.  Chapman, Bussy d’Ambois, IV. i. He turn’d wild lightning in the lackeys’ hands, Who, through their sudden violent twitch unhors’d him.

1668.  R. Steele, Husbandman’s Calling, vi (1672), 159. Neither wouldst thou be ridden at the Devil’s pleasure if thou didst understand thyself: unhorse Satan quickly from off thy soul.

1724.  De Foe, Mem. Cavalier (1840), 277. Ireton … was unhorsed and taken prisoner.

1756.  trans. Keysler’s Trav., I. 29. A large quantity of armour,… some for unhorsing an antagonist in a turnament.

1820.  Scott, Monast., xxiv. To me it is recommended, because it … unhorses the lazy monks that have ridden us so long, and spur-galled us so hard.

1843.  G. P. R. James, Forest Days, xx. And so you unhorsed the traitor, but could neither kill nor take him?

  b.  fig. To dislodge, overthrow, discomfit, nonplus.

1577.  F. de L’isle’s Legendarie, G vij. The Duke of Guise and his partakers … without the policie of the Queene mother,… had at the same instant bene quite vnhorsed.

1602.  J. Rhodes, Answ. to Romish Rime, 519. So did all of Rome beside, Untill they grew to their full pride; And were of late unhorst agayne.

1656.  Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., I. lxxviii. (1674), 106. The trick of unhorsing people … by meer Words.

1680.  C. Nesse, Church-Hist., 280. The scruple … about his marriage became the occasion of unhorsing the Pope in England.

1825.  Scott, Talism., xxvi. Thou hast unhorsed me with that very word.

1845.  Disraeli, Sybil (1863), 207. She did not deign even to notice the unhappy cavalier whom she had thus as it were unhorsed.

  c.  In passive: To be thrown from a horse.

1583.  Melbancke, Philotimus, X j b. He that rides with one girth, may feare to be vnhorst.

a. 1713.  Ellwood, Autobiography (1714), 72. If it [sc. the knife] should have been found … under my coat when I came to be Unhorsed.

1748.  Anson’s Voy., II. xii. 263. His horse … turning round suddenly rode off with his master, who was very near being unhorsed in the surprize.

1802.  James, Milit. Dict., Unhorsed, thrown from the saddle; dismounted.

  † 2.  To help (one) to dismount. Obs.

1530.  Palsgr., 768/1. I unhorse a man, I sette hym bysyde his horse, je desmonte. Ibid. Helpe to unhorse these ladyes.

  b.  intr. To dismount.

1633.  Quarles, in P. Fletcher, Poet. Wks. (1909), II. 284.

  3.  To deprive of a horse. rare.

1465.  Paston Lett., II. 178. But I trow to gyte Dorlet ayen hys hors or els Mr Phylyp ys lyke to be unhorssyd ons, and we lyve all.

1651.  in Crawford Proclam. (1910), II. 58. All tories not joining the army within 14 days to be unhorsed and counted traitors.

1837.  W. Irving, Capt. Bonneville, xii. A whip and a rope were left … by the robbers, as a taunt to the simpletons they had unhorsed.

  4.  To unharness the horses from (a carriage, etc.).

1654.  Earl Monm., trans. Bentivoglio’s Wars Flanders, 385. Coming to their Batteries they unhorst some of their Peeces.

1784.  Cowper, Task, VI. 701. Others … unhorse The gilded equipage,… turning loose His steeds.

1829.  Sir W. Napier, Penins. War, VI. iii. The artillery was unhorsed.

  Hence Unhorsement; Unhorsing vbl. sb.

1603.  Bp. Hall, Serm., v. 13. If you ever therefore look to see … the unhorseing and confusion of that strumpet of Rome.

1884.  Traill, New Lucian, 52. It was a moral unhorsement of the most dishonouring kind.