a. Obs. [UN-1 8, 5 b.]
1. Impious, wicked. Also absol.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., I. met. i. (1868), 4. But now … myn vnpitouse [Camb. MS. vnpietous] lijf [L. impia vita] draweþ along vnagreable dwellynges in me.
1382. Wyclif, Prov. xxviii. 1. The vnpitouse [L. impius] fleeth, no man pursuende.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 61. Ȝe schal not … tak to hond to sey fals witnes for þe vnpitous.
2. Pitiless, unmerciful.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 206. As the rages of the See Ben unpitous in the tempeste.
c. 1412. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 3371. It is ful hard To lakke mercy and ben vnpitous.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 15. Have mercy lord jhesu up on me And lese not my soule with unpetous men.
a. 1586. Sidney, Ps. (1823), XL. vi. Lett them with shame be cloied,… Who so unpittious be.
1612. T. James, Corrupt. Script., III. 8. Whilst the vnpitous man defouleth a rightfuller than himselfe.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XX. 253. The tyrant, not the father of the skies! Unpiteous of the race thy will began.
