a. and sb. [UN-1 7. Cf. older Flem. onheylsaem (Kilian), MHG. (G.) unheilsam, ON. úheilsamr (MSw. ohelsamber).]
A. adj. 1. a. Not beneficial, salutary, or conducive to morals, etc.; detrimental or prejudicial to health of mind.
c. 1200. Ormin, 7177. And tatt iss eȝȝþerr himm & hemm Unnhalsumm to þe sawle.
1554. T. Sampson, Lett. to Trew Professors, A vi b. Where haue ye your ground in the scripture for this your vnholsome housell.
1657. Hobbes, Absurd Geom., 16. You … can not expect to publish any unholesome doctrine without some Antidotes from me.
1888. H. M. Stanley, in Standard (1889), 6 April, 5/8. I send my earnest prayer that you are, despite all unwholesome and evil conjectures, where you ought to be.
1889. Times, 8 April, 9/1. The GENERAL [Boulanger] is a mischievous demagogue who has acquired an unwholesome popularity by discreditable methods.
1900. Lucy B. Walford, One of Ourselves, xiv. They are keen on doing anything they shouldn’t, anything improper and unwholesome.
b. Not promoting or conducive to, harmful or prejudicial to, well-being, good condition, soundness, etc.; hurtful, noxious.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 4337. Þe kind of þire customs we kepe euire-mare, Þe quilk, I hope, ser, þe to hald vnhalesom it ware.
1628. May, Virg. Georg., I. 6. Nor is’t unwholesome to subdue the Land By often exercise.
1664. Butler, Hud., II. i. 794. I’d be loath … To free your heels by any course, That might b’ unwholesome to your Spurs.
1787. Winter, Syst. Husb., 84. When waters remain … on the ground which … produce rank unwholesome weeds.
1812. Byron, Ch. Har., I. liii. And must they fall … To swell one bloated Chiefs unwholesome reign?
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xiii. Perhaps farther stay were unwholesome for my safety.
2. Not favorable to or promoting good health; not salubrious, wholesome, or healthful; injurious to health: a. Of food, etc.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 9115. He willede of an lampreye to ete, Ac is leches him vorbode vor it was vnholsom mete.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 475. Þe mynging of þes þingis is vnholsum to man to take.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., IX. 187. The water that gooth thorgh the leden penne Is rust corrupt, vnholsum.
c. 1455. Pecock, Folewer, 22. To men is ȝouun þe witt of smellyng, bi which þei schulen knowe sumwhat afer what bodies ben vnholsom to be take vnto her nurischyng.
1482. Caxton, Polycron., III. xxxi. 152 b. That vnholsomme mete that he hadde eten at soper.
1528. Paynell, Salerne’s Regim., E ij b. Salte meate … is vnholsome for sicke folkes.
1577. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., 146. A grosse vnholsome kinde of milke.
1622. Peacham, Compl. Gent., xv. 193. Hauing your … reputation abased, while you sit taking your vnwholesome healthes.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low C. Wars, 473. Their flesh they found to be unwholsom for food.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., I. 65. Its water is unwholsom to drink.
1774. Pennant, Tour Scotl. in 1772, 305. Fever … originating from unwholesome food.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xii. III. 233. Leprosies, such as strange and unwholesome diet engenders.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U.S., III. viii. 122. Sick at heart, and enfeebled by unwholesome diet.
transf. 1855. Orr’s Circ. Sci., Inorg. Nat., 202. The water cannot be in any other than an unwholesome state, and unfit for general use.
b. Of places, conditions, etc.
c. 1455. Pecock, Folewer, 32. Þe witt of smellyng, bi which þei schulen knowe … what bodies ben vnholsom if with hem þei maken her nyȝ dwellyng.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), Q j b. For meate corrupteth in an vnholsome potte.
1579. Stevens, in Hakluyt, Voyages (1589), 160. Raine so vnholesome, that if the water stand a little while, all is full of wormes.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage, 486. Alexandria is very vnholesome, as the graue of that Alexandria we before mentioned.
1653. in Verney Mem. (1904), I. 551. Unwholesome smells … and most noysome stinks.
1718. Berkeley, Jrnl. Tour Italy, Wks. 1871, IV. 592. A small river seemed to render it marshy and unwholesome.
1779. Mirror, No. 41, ¶ 5. The vicinity of the lake … she was sure must be extremely unwholesome.
1847. G. Harris, Life Ld. Hardwicke, I. 207. The walls [of the dungeon] were not dry, but very damp and unwholesome.
1859. Dickens, T. Two Cities, I. ii. As the waves of an unwholesome sea might do.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., 707. Unwholesome ship,… sugar ship diverted from her former trade, and not properly cleansed.
c. Of climate, air, etc.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 87. The great heate and vnholsome ayer.
1592. Breton, Pilgr. Paradise, Wks. (Grosart), I. 14/1. Shee bit her taile, with such vnholsome breath, As … stung her selfe to death.
1653. W. Ramesey, Astrol. Restored, 267. It shews … unwholsom infectious Mists.
c. 1690. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. I. 139. The air is most unwholesome, and agrees very ill with him.
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., I. 64. Any very deep Valley reaking with unwholsome Steams.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 750. The atmosphere is very hot, moist and unwholesome.
1825. Scott, Talism., vi. The alternations of the unwholesome climate.
1859. Landor, Hellenics, 26. Why should we stand beneath This hollow tree’s unwholesome breath?
3. a. Of persons: Not sound in respect of morals, character, etc.; morally tainted or corrupted.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, IV. 330. O olde, vnholsom and mysbyleued man.
1602. Shaks., Ham., IV. v. 82. The people muddied, Thicke and vnwholsome in their thoughts and whispers.
b. Not sound in health; diseased, infirm, sick.
1656. Osborn, Adv. Son, I. 33. Fly, with Joseph, the Embraces of great Ladyes; lest you … see your leggs rot in the stocks of the Physitian: they being often unwholsome.
1732. Arbuthnot, Rules of Diet (1736), 415. Children born healthy, often contract the Disease from an unwholsom Nurse.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, lxi. An unwholesome little Miss of seven years of age.
transf. 1847. C. Brontë, J. Eyre, i. Large and stout,… with a dingy and unwholesome skin.
1889. Mrs. Oliphant, Poor Gentleman, xliv. Those white, unwholesome, greasy hands.
Comb. 1858. Household Words, XVIII. 519/2. A middling-sized man, with a sharp, unwholesome-looking face.
† c. Naut. (See quot.) Obs.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., xi. 52. If she draw little water and be long, she may try and ride well, but neuer hull well, which is called an vnwholsomne ship.
[1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., 707.]
† 4. Sc. Ugly; repulsive. Obs.–1
c. 1480. Henryson, Fables, Paddock & Mouse, 64. Thocht I vnhailsum be to luke vpon.
5. Impaired; defective. rare–1.
1604. Shaks., Oth., IV. i. 124. Prythee beare Some Charitie to my wit, do not thinke it so vnwholesome.
B. sb. An unwholesome thing.
1858. Brit. Q. Rev., LVI. 358. We find him [Lilly] … leaving … Neve and Wodehouse to provide, as usual, tables of the wholesomes and unwholesomes.
Hence Unwholesomely adv.
c. 1455. Pecock, Folewer, 50. It is science to knowe … what metis … wole nurische vs vnholsomli.
1563. Foxe, A. & M., 1712/2. Madam, you were best to come out of the raine. For you sit vnwholesomlye.
1628. Wither, Brit. Rememb., VIII. 199. Thy Children oft unwholsomly are fed.
1768. J. Kirkpatrick, trans. Tissot’s Advice Health, 37. Those who are accustomed to the Smell, become insensible of it: but the Cause nevertheless, does not cease to be unwholesomely active.
1825. Examiner, 2 Jan., 11/1. That the hands [workpeople] are not crowded unwholesomely together, will be evident, when it is stated that there are nearly twelve feet square and ten feet high allotted to each individual.
1860. Flor. Nightingale, Nursing, 10. The air … unwholesomely close and foul.
1875. Helps, Soc. Press., xiii. 174. The eyes of an unwholesomely curious world.
