v. [UN-2 5. Cf. MDu. onthusen, WFl. onthuizen, MHG. enthûsen.] trans. To turn out of a house, habitation, or abode; to make houseless or homeless.
a. 1375. Joseph Arim., 455. Þei come bi tholomers tentes, vnhoused hem sone, Token holliche his stor.
1598. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. ii. Colonies, 154. So one People doth pursue another; And scarce the second hath a first un-housed, Before a third him thence again have roused.
1633. P. Fletcher, Purple Isl., VII. i. Thirsil up starting from his fearlesse bed,… Unhous’d his bleating flock.
1643. [Angier], Lanc. Vall. Achor, 8. If they peeped out of the houses, they were unhoused.
1759. Sarah Fielding, C’tess of Dellwyn, II. 147. He was at once unwived, unhoused, and undone.
1795. H. MacNeill, Scotland’s Scaith, III. vi. What a change, unhoused and beggared, Starving.
1821. Clare, Vill. Minstr., I. 72. Unhous’d from beds of ling The fluskering pheasant took to wing.
1885. Manch. Exam., 13 July, 5/5. Only 150 persons will be for the present unhoused.
refl. 1599. Nashe, Lenton Stuffe, 38. When he vn-houseth him, or hath cast off his shel, he … lookes as red as a Fox.
1606. J. Raynolds, Dolarneys’ Prim. (1880), 123. The drowsie vapours, takes their sable flyghts, And bright Aurora, doth her selfe vnhouse.
1854. Miller, Sch. & Schm., xiii. We had very nearly unhoused ourselves ere our work was finished.
b. fig. or in fig. context.
1594. Daniel, Cleopatra (Bang), 1323.
| I must myselfe force open wide a dore | |
| To let out life, and to vnhouse my spirit. |
1625. Milton, Death. Fair Infant, 21. He … all unwares with his cold-kind embrace Unhous’d thy Virgin Soul from her fair biding place.
1690. C. Nesse, O. & N. Test., I. 122. He that hath God for his house … can never be unhoused.
1727. De Foe, Hist. Appar., v. (1840), 45. Souls which have been encased in flesh, but being unhoused are now moving about.
a. 1814. Sulieman, II. iii., in New Brit. Theatre, II. 26. But for wine … This shatter’d shell of body had unhous’d Long since my soul.
Hence Unhousing vbl. sb.
In recent use also attrib., as unhousing scheme.
1809. R. Langford, Introd. Trade, 72. Unhousing, Wharfage and Shipping, £2 2s. 1d.
1886. Pall Mall G., 22 Sept., 6/1. This scheme … will take five years to complete, so that the unhousing will be gradual.
