[UN-1 7.]
1. Not in a state of readiness or preparation: a. Without const.
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 1990. If a man þat unredy es, Be tane with dede in his wykednes.
1382. Wyclif, 2 Cor. ix. 4. Lest when Macedonyes schulen come with me, and schulen fynde ȝou vnredy, we schamen [etc.].
c. 1450. trans. De Imitatione, I. xxiii. 31. Lyue so þat deþe finde þe neuer unredy.
c. 1560. Jack Juggler, B ii b. And as you see for the most part our witts be best When wee be takyne most vnrediest.
1570. Foxe, A. & M. (ed. 2), 69/2. Some other there were vnready and not so well prepared.
1603. J. Davies (Heref.), Microcosmos, Wks. (Grosart), I. 56/2. Our force lies most dispersed at the Plow, Vnready, rude, and oft rebellious too.
1671. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., IX. § 30. Fairfax was … not in readiness to march; yet reported to be much more unready than he was.
1790. A. Wilson, Death, Poet. Wks. (1846), 64. And, if unready, we are caught by Death, He throws us howling to the gulph beneath.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xix. IV. 268. His enemies, while still unready, learned with dismay that he had taken the field in person.
absol. 1838. G. Johnston, Brit. Zoophytes, 102. Should the prey prove too tough, woe! to the unready!
b. Const. to with inf.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 25478. Vnworthi am i … And al vnredi for to rise On domesdai be-for iustise.
1510–20. Everyman, in Hazl., Dodsley, I. 104. Full unready I am such reckoning to give.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. v. 45. False Duessa … found the Faery knight Departed thence, albe his woundes wide Not throughly heald, vnreadie were to ride.
1615. W. Lawson, Country Housew. Gard. (1626), 29. Want of strength may make them vnready to receiue sap.
1707. S. Sewall, Diary, 15 Dec. I express’d my self unready to vote for it.
1871. R. H. Hutton, Ess., V. I. 125. If it be a righteous life and will … that stirs human nature thus deeply, and finds us … unready to adapt ourselves to it.
c. Const. for, † of, or with.
1617. Woodall, Surgeon’s Mate (1639), 191. He is an unworthy Chirurgion, which is at any time unready with such needfull instruments.
1702. Rowe, Tamerl., I. i. Secure of Peace and for Defence unready.
1737. Whiston, Josephus, Antiq., V. iii. § 2. The Israelites grew so indolent, and unready of taking pains.
a. 1865. Keble, Lett. (1870), 165. Very unready with any plan for meeting it.
1865. Ruskin, Arrows of Chace (1880), II. 72. I am not usually unready for a controversy.
2. Not prepared or made ready.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 40. Þerfore make þi tresoure in God, for … þis tresoure mai not perishe, to be unredi whanne þou hast nede.
a. 1500. Ratis Raving, I. 1003. It is wnreddy payment That þow has fristit out or lent.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 187. It is an eivill man of warre that wil have his weapen unreadie when he should occupie it.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. V., 12 b. And so all thyng was vnredy, when this message came.
1632. Holland, Cyrupædia, 125. When he vieweth your forces, he will thinke his owne to be yet unready.
1721. Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. xx. 405. The money was unready when Cæsar had present need thereof.
† b. Sc. Not easy or plain. Obs.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), I. 440. Nocht ane … wist weill quhair away for till wend, The gait wes sa vnreddy and miskend.
3. Undressed; in deshabille. Obs. or dial.
In common use from c. 1595 to 1640.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. i. 39 [stage-dir.]. The French leape ore the walles in their shirts. Enter … Bastard, Alanson, Reignier, halfe ready, and halfe vnready. Alan. How now my Lords? what all vnreadie so?
1625. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. I. III. 198. The Queene,… though she were unready,… hasted down a pair of stairs to meet him.
1678. Yng. Man’s Call., 364. She desired to go … to dress her head, which by the violence of the wind was made all unready.
1823–. in Suffolk and Lincoln glossaries.
4. Not quick or prompt; hesitating, slow; † not responding readily to command.
1594. T. Bedingfield, trans. Machiavelli’s Florentine Hist., VI. (1595), 149. These newes grieued the Earle exceedingly, bicause he thought his army not fully paid, would be vnreadie.
1607–12. Bacon, Ess., Youth & Age (Arb.), 260. Like an vnready horse that will neither stopp nor tourne.
1672. Sir T. Browne, Lett. Friend, § 22. To become more narrow-minded … and tenacious, unready to part with anything.
1708. Rowe, Royal Convert, I. There needs no more; For I would spare thee the unready tale.
1824. Miss Mitford, Village, Ser. I. 124. So alive and eloquent in conversation, that I feel more than ever puzzled and unready.
1855. Mrs. Gaskell, North & S., vii. ‘Mr. Thornton, I believe!’ said Margaret, after a half-instant’s pause, during which his unready words would not come.
1857. in Mrs. Gaskell, C. Brontë (ed. 3), II. 138. She had become unready, nervous, excitable, and either incapable of speech, or talked vapidly.
Comb. 1670. Cotton, Espernon, II. 409. One of the most unwieldy, and unready footed Animals, that is to say, a Mule.
Hence † Unready v. trans., to undress. Obs.–1
1593. Sidney’s Arcadia, III. (1598), 365. After his wife was departed to her fained repose, as long as hee remayned with his daughter, to giue his wife time of vnreadying her selfe.
