† unleefuladj.
Obsolete.
Unlawful; not in accordance with law; forbidden; illicit, improper.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > rule of law > illegality > [adjective]
unleefula1382
unlawfula1387
wrongfulc1386
unleesomec1400
unlisible?c1425
wrong1480
unlegitimate1602
illicit1606
illegal1626
non licet1628
adulterine1640
unlegal1640
illegitimate1645
illegitime1669
wrongous1671
contraband1686
illicitous1693
sly1829
unprocedural1929
bent1930
bust-out1934
bandulu1980
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1961) Lev. xx. 17 He þat takeþ his soster..& seeþ þe fulþhede of hure & sche byholde þe schensheep of þe broþer, a fol vnlefful þyng [L. nefariam rem] þei han wrouȝt.
?c1400 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (BL Add. 10340) (1868) v. pr. iii. l. 4456 Þe whiche þinge to trowen on god I deme it felonie and vnleueful.
a1425 (?a1350) Seven Sages (Galba) (1907) l. 2537 (MED) Sho lered hir lord vnlefeful lawes, To sla his py for hir soth sawes.
1493 Chastysing Goddes Chyldern (de Worde) ix. sig. Bv/2 Her rest was full short by cause it was..vn-lefull.
1529 T. More Dyaloge Dyuers Maters i. xxv. f. xxivv/1 The thyngis now forbeden vs and therfore to vs vnlefull.
1547 A. Borde Breuiary of Helthe i. f. xix Desyre to eate rawe and vnleful thynges as women with chylde doth.
1567 in J. H. Burton Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1877) 1st Ser. I. 524 That pretendit and unlefull mariage.
1581 J. Studley tr. Seneca Hercules Oetæus ii. in T. Newton et al. tr. Seneca 10 Trag. f. 194 Vnleeful thinges that should be shund we gredely desyre.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.a1382