[UN-1 7.]
† 1. Not having or showing inclination, disposition, or readiness to or for something; disinclined.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 42 b. Syth of our selfe we be insufficient & all vntowarde to all goostly thynges.
1575. Vautrollier, Luther on Ep. Gal., 252. If Satan did not vexe vs inwardly with spirituall tentations,… we should become vtterly careles, negligent, and vntoward to all good workes.
1594. Carew, Huarte’s Exam. Wits, i. (1596), 5. Those who are vntoward for one science, are very apt to another.
1628. Wither, Brit. Rememb., Pref. 713. Yea, so untoward was I to conforme My Will,… That [etc.].
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Wars, 73. The Captains were yet not skilled in managing their Men, and the Men were untoward to be commanded.
† b. Showing lack of proficiency or aptitude; inept, slow. Obs. rare.
1557. North, trans. Gueuara’s Diall Pr., Prol. A ij. Greate travayle taketh a scole maister in teaching an untowarde scholler.
1592. Nashe, Four Lett. Confut., F 4. Lamentable, that an indifferent vntoward ciuill Lawyer … should be no more set by but … thrust aside.
2. Of persons (or animals), their disposition, etc.: Difficult to manage, restrain, or control; intractable, unruly, perverse.
In frequent use from c. 1580 to c. 1700.
1526. Tindale, Acts ii. 40. Save youre selves from this vntowarde generacion.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Luke, i. 16 b. If the same commyng of ye Lorde shoulde fynde the hertes of men slouthfully sluggyng, & vtterly vntowarde.
1587. Norton’s Calvin’s Inst., III. xxiv. 326 b. The vnchangeable decree of God concerning the destruction of the wicked is the ground of their vntoward disposition.
1624. Gataker, Good Wife, 3. It is no small vexation for a man to find vntoward and vnfaithful cariage toward him in those … that feed at his boord. Ibid. (a. 1654), Antid. Errour (1670), 54. The verie prohibitions … of the Law … ar to mans untoward spirit, but as water to qick lime.
1656. Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Pol. Touchstone (1674), 257. The very untoward Spanish Mules, who are so … given to lay about them with their heels.
1714. Gay, Sheph. Week, v. 53. Th’ untoward creatures to the stye I drove.
1771. Mackenzie, Man Feel., vii. The young man was so untoward in his disposition.
1789. Belsham, Ess., I. iii. 55. This … answer … mollified the untoward and uncourtly disposition of the House.
1814. Jane Austen, Mansf. Park, ii. A most untoward gravity of deportment.
1817. Byron, Mazeppa, viii. The devil!—I’m loth to do him wrong, It might be some untoward saint.
1865. M. Arnold, Ess. Crit., ix. (1875), 379. The untoward generation of metaphysical Article-makers.
transf. 1809. W. Irving, Knickerb., I. i. The untoward planet pertinaciously continued her course, notwithstanding that she had … a whole university of learned professors opposed to her conduct.
b. Of things: Difficult to manipulate, work, deal with, or perform; stubborn, stiff.
1566. Drant, Sat., I. x. E vj. Why maye not we inquyre … if the matter to vntoward, hath made his style to harde.
1601. B. Jonson, Poetaster, I. i. Nay looke, what a rascally vntoward thing this poetrie is.
1620. Sanderson, Serm. (1632), 101. God … out of mankinde, as out of an vntoward lumpe of clay,… maketh vp vessels for the vse of his Sanctuary.
1664. Butler, Hud., II. II. 293. A Vow Which afterward he found untoward, And stubborn to be kept.
1693. Congreve, Old Bach., III. viii. Pish! This is the untowardest lock [of hair].
1799. J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, 278. A piece of untoward ground … cannot be improved with equal success in any other way.
1831. Carlyle, in Froude, Life (1882), II. 203. A noisy, untoward lodging-house.
1833–5. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., Ser. III. (1873), 49. Basil had to deal on all hands with most untoward materials.
1875. Tait & Stewart, Unseen Universe, ii. (1878), 81. There is a periodicity even in such untoward phenomena.
† c. Awkward, clumsy; ungainly, ungraceful.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. viii. 31. But very vncouth sight was to behold, How he did fashion his vntoward pace.
1592. Lyly, Gallathea, II. i. I neither like my gate, nor my garments; the one vntoward, the other vnfit.
1628. Ford, Lover’s Mel., V. i. I am … so poor and feeble, That my untoward joints can scarcely creep Unto the grave.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., X. 433. Their … Ploughes … are only fastned with Straw … to their bare Rumps, marching … three or foure in a Ranke, and as many men hanging by the ends of that vntoward Labour.
1658. A. Fox, Würtz’ Surg., II. xviii. 125. I will write now of Knees that are much pained … and grow untoward and unshaped.
1762. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1765), III. 65. His drawing even of the neck and shoulders … [was] incorrect and untoward.
a. 1791. Sir J. Reynolds, in Boswell, Johnson, an. 1739. Accompanying his thoughts with certain untoward actions [ante ‘improperly called convulsions’].
3. Characterized or attended by misfortune, calamity, vexation, or annoyance; unlucky, unfortunate, ill-starred: a. Of conditions, times, etc.
1570. T. Wilson, trans. Demosth. Orat., vii. 95. Thorowe the Lacedemonians vntowarde lucke.
1603. Holland, Plutarch’s Mor., 238. The diseases, the debts, the hard usage of men to their owne wives, and the untoward life betweene them.
1782. Wolcot (P. Pindar), Lyric Odes, vii. The courtly Abington’s untoward Star Wanted her reputation much to mar.
1805–6. Wordsw., Char. Happy Warrior, 68. Who, with a toward or untoward lot,… Plays, in the many games of life, that one [etc.].
1868. Rogers, Pol. Econ., ii. (1876), 103. A man … should have a … reserve from which he can draw when the times are untoward.
1878. Stubbs, Const. Hist., III. xviii. 83. No untoward omen … threw a shadow over the second epoch of the war.
1898. ‘H. S. Merriman,’ Roden’s Corner, xxx. Percy … looked back later to this as one of his most untoward hours.
b. Of occurrences, enterprises, etc.
Esp. with accident, circumstance, event, and in very frequent use from c. 1800.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., X. 482. When Charles the fift returned from that vntoward voyage of Algier.
1638. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (ed. 2), 92. The report of this vntoward massacre is soone knowne.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., III. § 1. An untoward, and in truth an unheard of accident, which brake many of the King’s measures.
1760. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, III. xxiv. The foulmouth’d trumpet of Fame carried it from ear to ear,… with this untoward circumstance along with it.
1798. W. Hutton, Autobiog., 115. An untoward trade is a dreadful sink for money.
1814. Jane Austen, Mansf. Park, i. She could hardly have made a more untoward choice.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Berkeley, I. ii. There were no untoward delays.
1893. Liddon, Life Pusey, I. viii. 176. He felt anxious as to the untoward influence … of these books.
absol. 1887. Ruskin, Præterita, II. 120. Every soul of us has to do its fight with the Untoward, and for itself discover the Unseen.
4. Unfavorable or adverse to progress; unpropitious, unprosperous.
1621. in Foster, Eng. Factories Ind. (1906), I. 283. The wayes soe untoward that in the best season … they are unpassable for carts.
1662. J. Davies, trans. Olearius’ Voy. Ambass., 391. Bridges, raised very high,… so untoward to pass over, that they put a man into a fright.
1725. Portland Papers (Hist. MSS. Comm.), VI. 120. We came down by a very steep, untoward descent.
1731. Capt. W. Wriglesworth, MS. Log-bk. of the ‘Lyell,’ 4 March. Wee have had a very untoward ugly Sea all these 24 Hours.
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L., 145. The weather being untoward, the short sea … occasioned … a motion of the yawls.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Three Ages, II. 35. The present had been an untoward season, as regarded the nation’s prosperity.
1849. Grote, Hist. Greece, II. xliv. V. 381. An untoward storm drove the vessel to the island.
1886. C. Scott, Sheep-Farming, 83. In untoward seasons … the lambs often do not exceed 100 per cent. of the ewes.
5. a. At variance with good conduct or propriety; indecorous, unseemly, improper; foolish.
1628–9. Digby, Voy. Medit. (Camden), 57. Because idlenesse should not fixe their mindes vpon any vntoward fansies.
1658. T. White, in Spurgeon, Treas. Dav., Ps. lxxiii. 17. They came to a very wicked man’s house, where they had very untoward entertainment.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Earth, III. (1723), 179. Some Men there are who have made a very untoward Use of this.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., I. i. 44. The popish priests … took frequent occasion … to speak very untoward words against the Queen.
1802. Wordsw., Resolutions & Indep., 53. When I with these untoward thoughts had striven.
† b. Marked by lack of reason or fitness. Obs.
1682. H. More, Annot. Glanvill’s Lux O., 95. If you paraphrase (me) thus, My Hypostasis consisting of my Humane and Divine Nature, it will be as untoward sence.
1701. Norris, Ideal World, I. v. 225. It seems … untoward, to inquire whether a thing be,… before we know what it is we inquire about.
1733. Berkeley, Th. Vision Vind., § 6. Such is the ill effect of untoward defences and explanations of our faith.
† 6. Of taste: Disagreeable; unpleasant. Obs.–1
1662. J. Davies, trans. Mandelslo’s Trav., 245. It had so untoward a taste, that the Sea-men would not take it for their … drink.
