† improsperousadj.
Obsolete.
1. Not prosperous or thriving; unfortunate, unlucky, unsuccessful. (Of persons, enterprises, etc.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > [adjective] > not prospering or flourishing
ill-faringa1400
thriftlessc1400
unthendec1400
unthriftyc1400
thriveless1521
unthriving1600
improsperous1602
unflourishing1764
unprosperous1776
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [adjective]
unseelyOE
ungraciousa1387
infortunatec1390
unhappy1390
haplessa1400
mischancefula1400
unfortunedc1403
infortuneda1413
maleurousa1460
infortunable?a1475
mal-infortunedc1475
unselc1480
mischanced1488
misadventurousa1500
unhap1509
misfortunate1510
mischancya1522
unuredc1525
maleureda1529
unlucky1530
unfortunate1548
luckless1563
unluckly1564
unfortunable1567
untoward1570
unable?1572
sinister1576
unsonsy1578
disaster1584
disastereda1586
disastrous1586
unweirdedc1590
wanhappy?1590
misbefallen1591
fortuneless1596
infelicious1598
misadventured1599
improsperous1602
untoward1632
unhandsome1640
ill-fated1715
donsie?1719
swarthy1756
infelicitous1835
bad luck1872
stiff1919
spooked1937
jinxed1972
1602 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) xii. lxxiiii. 308 Ah, falsed Matches, finished in wrong of Others, might, By still improsprous Presidents, deterre from wronging Right.
1634 W. Tirwhyt tr. J. L. G. de Balzac Lett. 168 That he no longer imploy those improsperous persons.
1727 R. Bradley Chomel's Dictionaire Oeconomique (Dublin ed.) at Fences The improsperous Condition of Wood~land and Plantations.
1829 T. L. Peacock Misfortunes Elphin viii. 109 The household of Elphin was sufficiently improsperous during the absence of its chief.
2. Of fortune, etc.: Adverse to prosperity, unpropitious.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > [adjective] > unfavourable
contrariousc1320
bada1325
contraryinga1340
adversea1393
frowarda1400
contrairc1400
fremd1423
adversant?a1425
sinister1432
perversea1450
undisposed1456
sinistral?a1475
contrary1477
favourless1509
unfriendlya1513
thwarting1530
wayward?1544
contrariant1548
disfavourable1561
cross1565
unindifferent1565
sinistrous1566
haggard1578
unkindly1579
backward1582
awkward1587
improsperous1598
thwart1610
unpropitious1613
averted1619
untoward1621
averse1623
impropitious1638
sinister1726
unfavourable1748
untowardly1756
unfavouring1835
1598 R. Grenewey tr. Tacitus Annales iii. v. 70 As fortune was fauourable to Augustus in gouernment of state: so in household matters vnluckie and improsperous.
1603 C. Heydon Def. Iudiciall Astrol. ii. 101 The action of the starres..became vnluckie and improsperous.
a1656 J. Hales Golden Remains (1659) i. 51 Bring upon them some improsperous Disease.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > [adverb]
unhappily1533
unluckily?1544
unprosperously1564
improsperously1605
unsuccessfully1649
successlessly1652
insuccessively1657
unsuccessively1707
unkindly1743
1605 M. Drayton Poems sig. Gg6 Where like a rose..The withered leaues improsp'rously doth cast.
a1691 R. Boyle Wks. (1772) I. 336 This experiment has been but very improsperously attempted.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > [noun] > lack of prosperity or thriving
illfarea1425
improsperity1528
improsperousness1647
ill-being1841
unprosperitya1843
illth1862
1647 H. Hammond Of Power of Keyes iii. 39 The improsperousnesse of the cause of late in this kingdome hath moved some of them.
1658 R. Allestree Pract. Christian Graces; or, Whole Duty of Man xii. §9. 248 The strange improsperousness of ill gotten estates.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online September 2019).
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adj.1598