Search the Dictionary

Not worthy; wanting merit, value, or fitness; undeserving; worthless; unbecoming; -- often with of. -- Un*wor"thi*ly, adv. -- Un*wor"thi*ness, n.

To regard or hold; to judge; to deem. He adjudged him unworthy of his friendship. Knolles.

btful or wrong, and hence, in general literature, has commonly a bad sense; as, to impute unworthy motives. The theological sense of impute is not here taken into view. More than good-will to me attribute naught. Spenser. Ascribes his gettings to his parts and merit. Pope. And fairly quit him of the imputed blame. Spen…

To trade or exchange in the way of barter; to exchange (frequently for an unworthy consideration); to traffic; to truck; -- sometimes followed by away; as, to barter away goods or honor.

Morally low. Hence: Low-minded; unworthy; without dignity of sentiment; ignoble; mean; illiberal; menial; as, a base fellow; base motives; base occupations. "A cruel act of a base and a cowardish mind." Robynson (More's Utopia). "Base ingratitude." Milton.

Unworthy of; unbefitting; beneath. They beheld, with a just loathing and disdain, . . . how below all history the persons and their actions were. Milton. Who thinks no fact below his regard. Hallam.

ce than; as, brutes are beneath man; man is beneath angels in the scale of beings. Hence: Unworthy of; unbecoming. He will do nothing that is beneath his high station. Atterbury.

Defiance; challenge. Childish, unworthy dares Are not enought to part our powers. Chapman. Sextus Pompeius Hath given the dare to Cæsar. Shak.

former state; having declined in worth; having lost in goodness; deteriorated; degraded; unworthy; base; low. Faint-hearted and degenerate king. Shak. A degenerate and degraded state. Milton. Degenerate from their ancient blood. Swift. These degenerate days. Pope. I had planted thee a noble vine . . . : how then art t…

ce; to divert from a sacred purpose; to violate the sanctity of; to profane; to put to an unworthy use; -- the opposite of consecrate. The [Russian] clergy can not suffer corporal punishment without being previously desecrated. W. Tooke. The founders of monasteries imprecated evil on those who should desecrate their do…

A feeling of contempt and aversion; the regarding anything as unworthy of or beneath one; scorn. How my soul is moved with just disdain! Pope.

To deprive of that which ennobles; to degrade. An unworthy behavior degrades and disennobles a man. Guardian.

rive of honor; to disgrace; to bring reproach or shame on; to treat with indignity, or as unworthy in the sight of others; to stain the character of; to lessen the reputation of; as, the duelist dishonors himself to maintain his honor. Nothing . . . that may dishonor Our law, or stain my vow of Nazarite. Milton.…

Not noble; unbecoming true honor or dignity; mean; unworthy; as, disingenuous conduct or schemes.

To lay aside or reject as unworthy of attentions or regard, as a petition or motion in court.

Rejection; a setting aside as trivial, invalid, or unworthy of consideration.

regard; to pay no heed to; to omit to take notice of; to neglect to observe; to slight as unworthy of regard or notice; as, to disregard the admonitions of conscience. Studious of good, man disregarded fame. Blackmore.

To refuse to worship; to treat as unworthy. [Obs.] Sir T. More.

f others; a lazy, idle fellow; a sluggard. By living as a drone,to be an unprofitable and unworthy member of so noble and learned a society. Burton.

price etc.; to become less; as, the falls; stocks fell two points. I am a poor falle man, unworthy now To be thy lord and master. Shak. The greatness of these Irish lords suddenly fell and vanished. Sir J. Davies.