1. Of persons: Imperfect in respect of nature, conduct, or function.
a. 1340. Hampole, Ps. cxxxviii. 15. Thou saghe mercifully my men, that ere vnperfyt.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 45. Þei weren ȝit unperfit, and Petir, after þat Crist was risun…, synnede many weyes.
1402. Jack Upland, in Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 20. Certes … it seemeth that yee be unperfect.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., V. xiv. 569. Vnperfit men cumbrid in her freelnes … ouȝten chese ful ofte the … surer good to hem bifore the vnsurer good.
1549. Coverdale, etc., Erasm. Par. Heb. 11. As the vnperfiter priesthood geueth place vnto the perfiter.
1594. Carew, Huarte’s Exam. Wits, xiv. 252. A man vnperfect and void of the gifts of nature.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 79. The wisest Counsels … are vncertaine, and the wisest men vnperfect.
a. 1628. F. Grevil, Sidney (1652), 12. What marvail can it be, if these Iacobs and Esaus strive … as well before as after they come out of such erring and unperfect wombes?
1766. A. Nicol, Poems, 14. O, Heavens! deliver me … From one that’s thriftless, nasty, unperfeit.
b. Inexpert, unskilled; not properly trained or practised; not thoroughly up in one’s part.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., xliii. 170 (Harl. MS.). They wer … vnperfite of the crafte, or vncunnynge in the mystery.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, IV. 736. Rycht wnperfyt I am of Venus play.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph. (Arb.), 20. I beyng an vnperfyte shoter.
1577–82. Breton, Floorish upon Fancie, To Yng. Gentlemen. I was … in a place vnknowne … vnperfect to returne the waye I went.
c. 1600. Shaks., Sonn., xxiii. 1. As an vnperfect actor on the stage, Who with his feare is put besides.
2. Not brought to perfection or completeness; left unfinished, incomplete, or defective; not full in number, etc.: a. Of material things.
1382. Wyclif, Ps. cxxxviii. 16. Myn vnparfit thing seȝen thin eȝen.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVII. i. (Bodl. MS.). In some trene þe [humoure] is vnsufficiaunte and vnperfecte.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. ix. 193. The sympler and vnperfiter and lasse representing ymage.
1483. Act 1 Rich. III., c. 8, Preamble. Wollen clothes … unperfite and deceyvably made.
1535. Coverdale, Wisd. iv. 5. The vnparfecte braunches shalbe broken.
a. 1568. Ascham, Scholem. (Arb.), 142. Plautus and Terence, with a litle rude vnperfit pamflet of the elder Cato.
1604. T. Wright, Passions, Ep. Ded. The vncorrected copie … of three … was most vnperfit.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 546. Mushroomes … are likewise an unperfect Plant.
1683. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., Printing, 8. Some Trades are … sooner sold off, which renders the remainder of the un-sold Exercises unperfect.
1858. H. Bushnell, Nat. & Supernat., xi. (1864), 342. The world … was made, including man, as a thing necessarily unperfect.
b. Of qualities, concepts, etc.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 302. A fool … bryngiþ in a newe ordre þat is boþe heuy & vnperfiȝt.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 53. He dede oon dede þat semede of unperfiȝt witte.
c. 1475. Partenay, 5225. The pope assoiled hym ther benyngly, When [he] declared hade hys dedes vnperfight.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Cor. xiii. 9. Our knowlege is vnparfecte, and our prophecienge is vnparfecte.
1551. T. Wilson, Logike, H iiij. An halfe argument, is an argument vnperfect.
1607. Hieron, Wks., I. 150. Nurses … doe babble with them in their owne stammering and vnperfite language.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, III. xii. 145. Taking vpon themselues the maintenance of the peace … which Agesilaus … had left vnperfect.
1656. Sanderson, Serm. (1689), 537. The sence hangeth unperfect unless we take in the former verse.
