unsweetadj.
1.
a. Unpleasant, disagreeable, distasteful.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > displeasure > [adjective] > unpleasant
loatha700
unsweetc890
grimlyc893
unquemeOE
un-i-quemeOE
evila1131
sourc1175
illc1220
unhightlyc1275
unwelcomec1325
unblithec1330
unnetc1330
unrekena1350
unagreeablec1374
uncouthc1380
unsavouryc1380
displeasantc1386
unlikinga1398
ungaina1400
crabbedc1400
unlovelyc1400
displeasing1401
eschewc1420
unsoot1420
mislikinga1425
unlikelya1425
unlustya1425
fastidiousc1425
unpleasantc1430
displicable1471
unthankfulc1475
displeasant1481
uneasy1483
unpleasinga1500
unfaring1513
badc1530
malpleasant?1533
noisome1542
thanklessa1547
ungrate1548
untoothsome1548
ungreeable1550
contrary1561
disagreeable1570
offensible1575
offensive1576
naughty1578
delightlessa1586
undelightful1585
unwisheda1586
unpleasurable1587
undelightsomec1595
dislikeful1596
disliking1596
ungrateful1596
unsweet?a1600
distastive1600
impleasing1602
distasting1603
distasteful1607
unsightly1608
undelectable1610
disgustful1611
unrelishing1611
waspisha1616
undeliciousa1618
unwished-for1617
disrelishing1631
unenjoyed1643
unjoyous1645
mirya1652
unwelcomed1651
unpleasivea1656
sweet1656
injucund1657
insuave1657
unpalatable1658
unhandsome1660
undesirable1667
disrelishablea1670
uncouthsome1684
shocking1703
nasty1705
embittering1746
indelectable1751
undelightinga1774
nice and ——1796
unenjoyablea1797
ungenial1796
uncomplacent1805
ungracious1807
bitter1810
rotten1813
uncongenial1813
quarrelsome1825
grimy1833
nice1836
unrelished1863
bloody1867
unbewitching1876
ferocious1877
displeasurable1879
rebarbative1892
charming1893
crook1898
naar1900
peppery1901
negative1902
poisonous1906
off-putting1935
unsympathetic1937
piggy1942
funky1946
umpty1948
pooey1967
minging1970
Scrooge-like1976
sucky1984
stank1991
stanky1991
c890 Wærferth tr. Gregory's Dial. iv. xxxvii. 318 Þæt..of þære ea wære reocende se mist..unswetes stences.
c1000 Saxon Leechd. II. 48/14 Þonne ne biþ he to unswete to gestincanne.
c1330 (?a1300) Sir Tristrem (1886) l. 968 Tristrem, y telle it þe, A þing, is me vnswete.
c1384 G. Chaucer Hous of Fame i. 72 A floode of helle vnswete.
1412–20 J. Lydgate tr. Hist. Troy ii. 895 Þe meschef of her vnhappy fyne, And how Fortune was to hem vnswete—Al þis was tolde..of þe poete.
1412–20 J. Lydgate tr. Hist. Troy iii. 3928 I hope..so mortally to greue Þe Grekis alle,..Þat þei & þou shul fele ful vnswete.
1509 Bp. J. Fisher Wks. i. 279 Worldly pleasures were to hym vnswete.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. vii. sig. S3 The troublous stormes, that tosse The priuate state, and make the life vnsweet.
1603 J. Davies Microcosmos 72 Wakfull thoughts..That make their sleepes vnsweet, and yet as short.
1633 T. Adams Comm. 2 Peter (ii. 8) 673 Yet how unsweet were our sacrifice, the bran and dregs of our dotage.
1848 L. Hunt Jar of Honey i. 7 Provided the result..be not un-sweet to the reader.
1876 G. Meredith Beauchamp's Career III. i. 2 Certain terms in the letters.., unsweet to ladies, began to trouble his mind.
b. Of a person. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > displeasure > [adjective] > unpleasant
loatha700
unsweetc890
grimlyc893
unquemeOE
un-i-quemeOE
evila1131
sourc1175
illc1220
unhightlyc1275
unwelcomec1325
unblithec1330
unnetc1330
unrekena1350
unagreeablec1374
uncouthc1380
unsavouryc1380
displeasantc1386
unlikinga1398
ungaina1400
crabbedc1400
unlovelyc1400
displeasing1401
eschewc1420
unsoot1420
mislikinga1425
unlikelya1425
unlustya1425
fastidiousc1425
unpleasantc1430
displicable1471
unthankfulc1475
displeasant1481
uneasy1483
unpleasinga1500
unfaring1513
badc1530
malpleasant?1533
noisome1542
thanklessa1547
ungrate1548
untoothsome1548
ungreeable1550
contrary1561
disagreeable1570
offensible1575
offensive1576
naughty1578
delightlessa1586
undelightful1585
unwisheda1586
unpleasurable1587
undelightsomec1595
dislikeful1596
disliking1596
ungrateful1596
unsweet?a1600
distastive1600
impleasing1602
distasting1603
distasteful1607
unsightly1608
undelectable1610
disgustful1611
unrelishing1611
waspisha1616
undeliciousa1618
unwished-for1617
disrelishing1631
unenjoyed1643
unjoyous1645
mirya1652
unwelcomed1651
unpleasivea1656
sweet1656
injucund1657
insuave1657
unpalatable1658
unhandsome1660
undesirable1667
disrelishablea1670
uncouthsome1684
shocking1703
nasty1705
embittering1746
indelectable1751
undelightinga1774
nice and ——1796
unenjoyablea1797
ungenial1796
uncomplacent1805
ungracious1807
bitter1810
rotten1813
uncongenial1813
quarrelsome1825
grimy1833
nice1836
unrelished1863
bloody1867
unbewitching1876
ferocious1877
displeasurable1879
rebarbative1892
charming1893
crook1898
naar1900
peppery1901
negative1902
poisonous1906
off-putting1935
unsympathetic1937
piggy1942
funky1946
umpty1948
pooey1967
minging1970
Scrooge-like1976
sucky1984
stank1991
stanky1991
?a1600 in Percy Folio (1867) I. 114 Alle the contraye had wonder greatt Fro whens she com, that foule vnswete; They sawe neuer of so fowlle a thyng.
2. Not sweet or pleasant to the taste.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > taste and flavour > unsavouriness > [adjective] > unpalatable
unsweetc1440
boisterous1483
untasty1566
untoothsome1576
twice sod1601
coarse1607
irrelishable1608
asper1626
insuave1657
untoward1662
physicala1665
asperous1670
unpalatable1682
woolly1687
inelegant1708
smoked1761
impalatable1782
brassy1789
soddena1800
metallic1800
inky1805
unsweetened1817
weedy1851
tinny1873
tangy1875
raw1881
unappetizing1884
twangy1887
stavy1888
toasty1890
soapy1892
stewy1895
gloppy1976
c1440 Pallad. on Husb. ix. 72 Slak sonde [yields water] lymous and lene, vnswete & depe.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 328/2 Unswete, mal sauouré.
1547 Certain Serm. or Homilies Falling from God ii. ⁋3 We..bring forth wild grapes, that is to say, sour works, unsweet, unsavoury, and unfruitful.
a1643 J. Shute Judgem. & Mercy (1645) 201 God will poure him out of his mouth as a man doth that that is unsavory and unsweet that troubles his tongue.
1661 R. Lovell Πανζωορυκτολογια, sive Panzoologicomineralogia 202 But the flesh is soft, unsweet, ferine, mucous.
3. Not smelling sweetly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > smell and odour > fetor > [adjective]
foul-stinkingOE
poignantc1387
rammishc1395
rank1479
reekya1500
puanta1529
unsavoury1539
uglyc1540
contagious1547
noisome1559
fulsome1576
fetid1599
nasty1601
unsweet1605
rammy1607
stenchful1615
stinkardly1616
rancid1627
reeking1629
pungent1644
olidous1646
stenching1654
graveolent1657
maleolent1657
virous1661
olid1680
ranciduous1688
feculent1703
virose1756
stenchy1757
infragrant1813
inodorous1823
nosy1836
malodorous1850
unfragrant1858
smelly1862
cacodorous1863
stinky1888
funked out1893
niffya1903
whiffy1905
pongy1936
fresh1966
minging1970
bogging1973
bowfing1983
honking1985
1605 N. Breton Olde Mans Lesson sig. F4 Chre. Which is the sweetest Beast of the world? Pam. A Ciuit Cat. Chre. And which is the moste vnsweet? Pam. A dogge when he hath eaten carrion.
1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 110 Tame conies which are kept in a close and vnsweet ayre.
1825 Q. Rev. 31 381 Edinburgh has been (to use a gentle term) unsweet in former times.
1860 W. M. Thackeray in Cornhill Mag. Nov. 635 The canals not unsweet, and busy and picturesque with old-world life.
1879 Pall Mall Budget 17 Oct. 12 That damp, chill, and unsweet little cluster of rooms.
4. Unpleasant to the ear.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > unpleasant quality > [adjective]
foula1398
uglyc1400
unsweet1579
absonant1600
teeth-edging1603
horrisonous1631
horrisonant1656
ungrateful1659
common sounding1676
lacerant1785
cacophonous1797
uncadencedc1838
cacophonic1847
unlistenable1872
uneuphonious1880
ineuphonious1887
1579 G. Harvey Commend. Let. in E. Spenser Poet. Wks. (1912) 641/1 The sweetest Farewell..that so vnsweete a Tong, and so sowre a paire of Lippes can affoorde.
a1586 Sir P. Sidney Astrophel & Stella lxxxiv My Muse, to some eares not vnsweet, Tempers her words [etc.].
1589 A. Fleming in tr. Virgil Bucolikes Ep. sig. A2v How vnsweete a sound so euer they seeme to make in the eare.
1616 B. Jonson Epigrammes cxxxiii, in Wks. I. 817 When the noise doth beate Vpon your eares, of discords so vn-sweet.
1875 Clodd Childhood Relig. i. 2 If you wish to open..your ears to the sounds that give forth no unsweet notes.
1894 Mrs. H. Ward Marcella I. ii. iv. 312 A little laugh, which..was not unsweet.
5. Not sweetly attractive.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > lack of beauty > [adjective] > unattractive
unlustya1425
favourless1594
unpersonable1601
unpromising1632
untaking1683
uninviting1686
uncharming1687
charmless1710
plain-looking1744
unengaging1749
unattracting1776
unprepossessing1790
unattractive1813
attractionless1832
unappealing1846
unsweet1866
unwinning1890
unfaceable1899
unenticing1914
schlubby1968
mug2009
1866 D. M. Mulock Noble Life xiv Nor was her face unsweet now; but it bore tokens of what she had gone through.
Derivatives
unˈsweetly adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > unpleasant quality > [adverb]
unsweetly1842
cacophonically1864
cacophonously1864
1842 E. B. Browning Greek Christian Poets (1863) i. ⁋1 The voice..sang not unsweetly, if more faintly than before.
unˈsweetness n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > smell and odour > fetor > [noun] > quality or condition
stenchc1175
stinka1325
stinkingness1382
crueltyc1420
contagya1513
dain1574
unsweetness1596
contagion1662
pungency1663
poignancy1677
sulphureousness1690
fetidness1704
poignance1782
pungence1810
fetidity1829
piquance1867
malodorousness1886
smelliness1892
niffiness1942
1596 P. Barrough Method of Phisick (ed. 3) viii. 425 Which deceit..you may easilie find out by the vnsweetnes of smelling.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.c890