[f. as prec., or UN-1 12.]

1

  1.  The character or quality of being unworthy; lack of worth, absence of merit. † Occas. with to.

2

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter, ci. 18. Þat knawis Þaire frelte & vnworthynes.

3

c. 1400.  Love, Bonavent. Mirr. (1908), 119. With grete drede of hir vnworthinesse that hir teres schulde touche oure lordes feete.

4

1447.  Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 2. The unwurthynesse Bothe of hys persone and eek hys name.

5

1485.  Rolls of Parlt., VI. 274/1. The aforesaid Actes of Atteindre or Forfeiture, disableing, unworthi[n]esse, and unableing.

6

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 169 b. The vylenesse, vnkyndnesse, & vnworthynesse of man to that loue.

7

1582.  Bentley, Mon. Matrones, III. 278. Not remembering, good Lord, mine vnworthinesse … nor frailtie of my passed yeeres.

8

1631.  Gouge, God’s Arrows, III. § 22. 223. Mans unworthinesse and unfitnesse to appeare in Gods sight.

9

1675.  Dryden, Aurengz., IV. i. 1784. You will be kind to my Unworthiness.

10

1712.  Steele, Spect., No. 448, ¶ 1. For Men … do not keep up a lively Abhorrence of the least Unworthiness.

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1771.  Junius Lett., xlvi. (1772), II. 173. The people … would probably overlook his immediate unworthiness.

12

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xvii. IV. 60. It would be absurd to reject, on account of his unworthiness, the inestimable services which it was in his power to render.

13

1884.  A. R. Pennington, Wiclif, viii. 255. The unworthiness of the ministers hinders not the effect of the Sacrament.

14

  b.  With an (and pl.), that, this.

15

1533.  Bellenden, Livy, II. vi. (S.T.S.), I. 149. Traisting to revenge this vnwourthynes be sum … hardy Interprise.

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1653.  Jer. Taylor, Serm. for Year, I. xxiii. 304. If it [sc. jesting] mingles with any sin, it puts on the nature of that new unworthinesse.

17

1856.  F. W. Faber, Creator & Creature, III. i. The very unworthinesses and short-comings of the creature.

18

1880.  ‘Ouida,’ Moths, II. 85. I think such a marriage a great unworthiness, a great disgrace.

19

  c.  With poss. pron., as a fictitious title.

20

1853.  Kingsley, Hypatia, I. 239. Pambo asked his name … ‘My unworthiness is called Peter the Reader.’

21

  † 2.  Inappropriate or improper action. Obs.–1

22

1608.  in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 76. It was unworthiness in your Majesty’s officers to find him for a Ward.

23