unboundadj.1
/(ˌ)ʌnˈbaʊnd/, U.S. /ˌənˈbaʊnd/ 1.
a. Not bound or tied up; unfastened. Also with up.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > separation > separation or detachment > loosening or unfastening > [adjective] > loose, unfastened, or untied > not bound
unboundeOE
abstricted1727
unfilleted1802
α.
β. c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1905) II. 357 With þe ta syde of hur heade vnbun vpp sho ran to feght agayn þaim of Babilon.1570 P. Levens Manipulus Vocabulorum sig. Sii/1 Vnbound, liber.1600 E. Fairfax tr. T. Tasso Godfrey of Bulloigne xvi. xviii. 284 Her lockes vnbound, wau'd in the wanton winde.1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost iii. 603 Though..they binde Volatil Hermes, and call up unbound In various shapes old Proteus from the Sea. View more context for this quotation1757 W. Wilkie Epigoniad ii. 47 Now, tam'd by age, his coursers stood unbound.1808 W. Scott Marmion iv. iv. 189 Some damsel flying fast, With hair unbound, and looks aghast.1892 A. C. Gunter Miss Dividends (1893) 248 The moonlight shining through the car window gets into her unbound hair.eOE Laws of Ælfred (Corpus Cambr. 173) c. 35 Gif he hine to preoste bescire unbundenne, mid xxx scill. gebete.
a1000 Ags. Riddles xxiii. [xxiv.] 15 Nelle ic unbunden ænigum hyran, nymðe searosælod.
c1480 (a1400) St. Euphemia 49 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) II. 418 Vnbundine [he] gert hir cum þare ymang þame þat bundyn var sar.
?1523 J. Fitzherbert Bk. Husbandry f. xvi So the barley lyeth vnbounden thre or foure dayes.., and than to bynde it.
b. figurative. Unconfined, unconstrained; not bound by any engagement, vow, etc.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > lack of subjection > freedom or liberty > freedom of action or from restraint > [adjective] > free from obligations or ties
freeOE
loosec1374
unbound1390
unobligedc1580
footloose1650
free-floating1927
1390 J. Gower Confessio Amantis II. 393 It helpeth more..than forto crave Of othre men and make him bounde, Wher elles he mai stonde unbounde.
1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. cvi Bot ilk berne has bene vnbundin with blame.
1532 T. More Confut. Tyndale in Wks. 684/1 God..hauing his power absolute, fre, and vnbounden vnto any maner of hys ordinary course.
1603 J. Davies Microcosmos 165 To court bright beauty match'd, as t'were vnbound.
1790 W. Cowper On Receipt Mother's Picture 87 I should ill requite thee to constrain Thy unbound spirit into bonds again.
1859 Ld. Tennyson Elaine in Idylls of King 219 Yet thee She fail'd to bind, tho' being, as I think, Unbound as yet.
c. Not bound as apprentice. rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > worker > workers according to status > [adjective] > apprenticed > not
unbound1497
unapprenticed1809
unindented1881
1497–8 Old City Acct. Bk. in Archæol. Jrnl. (1886) 43 168 A fyne lost by R. Bancrofte for..settyng to werk a child vnbound & vnablid.
2. Not secured with a band or border of some strong material.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > separation > separation or detachment > loosening or unfastening > [adjective] > loose, unfastened, or untied > not bound > with a band or border
unbound1531
bandless1648
1531 in H. Littlehales Medieval Rec. London City Church (1905) 38 viij kettelles bound and vnbond.
1547 in A. Feuillerat Documents Office of Revels Edward VI (1914) 17 One Black chest bounde with Irone & ij other Chestes vnbounde.
3. Of books: Not provided with a binding or cover. Also with up.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > book > manufacture or production of books > book-binding > [adjective] > bound > unbound
in (loose) quires1437
unbound1541
in sheets1693
ungathered1888
1541 Acts Privy Council 25 Apr. Anthony Marler..might sell the bibles of the Gret volume unbounde for x. s sterl[ing].
1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) (colophon) f. xxxvii*v That no maner of person do sell this present booke vnbounde, aboue the price of .ii. Shyllynges the piece.
1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding iii. x. 249 A Book-seller, who had in his Ware-house Volumes that lay there unbound, and without Titles.
1720 T. Hearne Remarks & Coll. (1906) VII. 161 The Textus..will be sent unbound as desired.
1834 T. Carlyle Sartor Resartus i. xi. 27/2 One other leaf of that mighty Volume..left to fly abroad, unprinted, unpublished, unbound up.
1896 T. L. De Vinne in Moxon's Mech. Exerc.: Printing (new ed.) II. 401 The complete book on printing, unbound, then cost 14s. 4d.
4. Of substances: In a loose or free state. Also of a particle: = free adj. 11b.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > atomic physics > particle physics > particle avoiding strong interaction > electron > [adjective] > of electron: able to move unrestrictedly
unbound1697
free1895
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Georgics i, in tr. Virgil Wks. 52 While the Turf lies open, and unbound, Succeeding Suns may bake the Mellow Ground. View more context for this quotation
1902 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 14 June 146 Their methods..would only extract and precipitate the unbound purin.
1971 Sci. Amer. June 25/1 Once a few unbound electrons are produced on the surface of the solid hydrogen isotope, these free electrons rapidly pick up energy from the incident oscillating electric field.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
unboundadj.2
/(ˌ)ʌnˈbaʊnd/, U.S. /ˌənˈbaʊnd/ rare.
Unprovided, destitute.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > non-possession > [adjective] > devoid of something > lacking or without > not provided or equipped with something
unbounda1300
unpurveyed?1397
unprovided1513
unprovided1530
unbestoweda1535
improvided1569
dispurveyed1574
unsupplied1599
unaccommodated1608
unprepared1608
disprovided1864
a1300 Cursor Mundi 24034 I stakerd sua i moght not stand, Bot als þai me up-held wit hand Vn-bun was i o bote.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† unboundadj.3
Obsolete.
Unbounded; boundless.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > [adjective] > unlimited
endless1413
perpetual1578
limitlessa1586
unbound1593
unbounded1598
boundless1599
spaceless1616
society > authority > lack of subjection > freedom or liberty > freedom of action or from restraint > [adjective]
freeeOE
unneedc1175
easyc1200
untiedc1374
unhemmeda1400
largec1400
unrefraineda1500
rampanta1540
unmuzzleda1541
unyoked1573
yokeless1584
licensed1593
unbound1593
wild1599
broad1604
fetterless1604
unconfined1607
ungyved1607
ungaged?1617
unboundeda1625
unfettereda1631
vagabond1635
unmanacled1686
unrestricted1750
haggard-wild1786
unconstrained1796
unshackled1796
chainless1816
rioty1819
untethered1826
unwithholdena1834
bondless1845
fancy-loose1850
constraintless1865
unpressured1879
undammed1896
balls-to-the-wall1967
balls-out1968
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > [adjective] > infinite or unlimited
finitea1400
infinite1413
unmeasuredc1429
immoderatec1508
unbounded1646
unhoopable1672
ensophic1693
unlimited1702
unboundc1725
unpartial1787
1593 Queen Elizabeth I tr. Boethius De Consolatione Philosophiæ in Queen Elizabeth's Englishings (1899) ii. pr. vii. 53 The lasting of any longest tyme, if it be matcht with vnbounde eternitie, not small but none shall seeme.
a1620 M. Fotherby Atheomastix (1622) ii. ii. §1. 198 The vnlimited and vnbound extension of the Appetites of Man.
1687 Elegy on Cleveland in J. Cleveland Wks. 284 Such was the Fate of my weak Streams, that ran To drown themselves in th' unbound Ocean.
c1725 A. Ramsay Some of Contents Ever-green ii Dunbar does with unbound ingyne, In satyre, joke, and in the serious schyne.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
unboundv.
/(ˌ)ʌnˈbaʊnd/, U.S. /ˌənˈbaʊnd/ rare.
transitive. To deprive of bounds or limits.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > extension in space > extend [verb (transitive)] > deprive of bounds
unbound1605
1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. ii. ii. 443 The thirst of Vengeance, and that puffing breath Of Eluish Honour..Vn-bound all Countries.
1612 M. Drayton Poly-olbion v. 77 Gowre, Whose Promontorie (plac't to check the Oceans powre) Kept in Severne yet her selfe, till beeing growne too great, Shee with extended armes vnbounds her ancient seat.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1eOE
adj.2a1300adj.31593v.1605