Obs. [OE. unweorþ, unwurþ, etc. (UN-1 7.), = OHG. unwērd (MHG. unwērt, G. unwerth), MLG. unwert, MDu. onwert, onwerd, etc. (Du. onwaard), ON. úverðr. Cf. WANWORTH a.]
1. = UNWORTHY a. 1–3: a. Of persons.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., IV. vii. § 4. Æt þæm feorðan cirre hie sendon Hannan heora þone unweorðestan þeʓn, & he hit abæd.
c. 1000. Rule of Chrodegang, 70. Preost þe bið cypa & of þam arist of wædlan to rican men, & of unwurðum men to wurðfullum.
c. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 5. Sume oðre forlæteþ ðe world … and sone hem seluen healdeð for hali, and unwurð healdeþ of oðre.
c. 1205. Lay., 3464. He biðe vnworð & lah Þe mon þe litul ah.
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 33. Ȝif þu iwurðest him unwurð, & he ase unwurð þe.
c. 1375. Prov. Ælfred, 316 (Trin. Coll. MS.). Swo is moni gadeling godelike on horse, wlanc on weiȝe, and unwurþ on wike.
1340. Ayenb., 132. Þeruore þe uerþe stape is of þise uirtue: wylni to by y-knawe, and y-healde uor uyl and onworþ.
c. 1425. in Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., 641/143. For þou vnworthe resawes me [= Christ], Þu belewys noȝt þat I suld be he.
1603. M. M., Ane Godlie Dreame, xviii. O wretch vnworth, my dayes ar vainlie spent.
b. Of things.
c. 960. Æthelwold, Bened. Rule (Schröer), 138. Þæt heora heortan furþum mid wacum mettum and unweorþum ne syn ofersymede.
c. 1205. Lay., 24656. And elche untuhtle Heo talden vnwurðe.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 770. Vuel strengþe is lutel wrþ Ac wisdom ne wrþ neuer vnwrþ.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 1112. Woldestou þi finger ȝeue … So vnworth and so vyl chaffare to bugge?
1340. Ayenb., 215. Ase þe werm is uoul, and lite, þing onworth.
c. With dative, or with preps. (esp. to).
c. 888. K. Ælfred, Boeth., xxviii. Hu ne wes he þeah ælcum witum lað & unweorð?
c. 1000. Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xvi. 367. Se idela ʓylp us beo æfre unwurð.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 19. His broden beoð aweriede and unwurðe gode.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 89. Þe alre unwurþeste wig one to riden.
a. 1125. Leg. Kath., 1531. Stille þine wordes, for ha beoð me unwurð.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 50. Þe blake cloð bitockneð þæt ȝe beoð blake & unwurðe toward þe worlde wiðuten.
c. 1300. Beket, 653. Unworth ich am of holi churche wardeyn forto beo.
1340. Ayenb., 49. Þis zenne is zuo onworþ to gode, þet he dede rine uer berninde … ope þe cite of sodome.
2. Undeserved; = UNWORTHY a. 4 a. rare–1.
a. 1240. Lofsong, in O. E. Hom., I. 207. Bi þe herde hurtes and þe unwurðe wowes ðet he … willeliche þolede.
Hence † Unworthhead, contempt. Obs.
1340. Ayenb., 17. Þe uerste boȝ of prede is ontreuþe, þe oþer onworþhede, þe þridde ouerweninge. Ibid., 29. Þe uerþe [sin] is onworþhede of penonce.
