A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1643
[0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0]
Unkind, -kynd, adj. Also: unkinde, -kynde, -kend, wnkynd(e, onkynd. [ME and e.m.E. vnkinde (c1250), vnkynde (1297), vnkynd (a1400), onkynd (1435), OE un(ᵹe)cynde; Kind adj.]
1. Unmindful of kinship; lacking in feeling for, not kind towards, one's friends or kin. Also transf.(a) c1420 Wynt. v 5798.
He dowtyd for to be Reprowyd wnkynd [C. wnkynde] gyff that he Suld wyth-draw hym … Fra hys kyn till ane wncouth lede c1460 Thewis Wysmen 388.
[Fools] fynd sone fautis to thar frend, And fenȝeis caus to be vnkind. Thar pur frendis thai vyl nocht ken, Bot clamys of kyne to mychtty men a1500 Quare of Jelusy (1976) 306.
Ane noble hert … Haith to enquere of ladis nor espye Nor thame misdeme in to thair treuth vnkinde c1536 Lynd. Compl. Bagsche 145.
Wes neuer sa vnkynd ane corce, As quhen I had authorite: Of my freindis I tuke na force 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 7506.
Ane … knicht … To quhome … [his wife] … was richt vncourtes And richt vnkinde, for all his greit kindnes a1568 Bannatyne MS 147a/8.
Quhen I len I am a freynd And quhen I craif I am vnkynd(b) c1460 Consail Vys Man 216.
Thow may tell it till a frend Quhilk eftyr may be vnkend And chang his loue and be thi fatransf. a1500 Henr. Fab. 817.
Fy, couetice, vnkynd and venemous! The sone wes fane he fand his father deid
2. Lacking in gratitude, ungrateful (to another). a1400 Legends of the Saints xii 220.
That he, as a wykyt man & vnkynd, Had slane hyr sone, that of the flud Hyme tuke 1450-1510 Gray MS iv 24.
Quhy arttow to thi freind vnkynd? c1520-c1535 Nisbet Luke vi 35.
He is benigne on vnkyndmen [W., P. vnkynde men, AV unthankful; L. ingratos] and evile men 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 65.
Lord prent in to my hart and mynde Thy haly Spreit … That I to Thé be nocht vnkynde Bot lufe Thé without fenȝeitnes 1570 Satirical Poems xxiv 10.
Mair I lament the great ingratitude Of cruell catiues, kankirt and vnkynde 1596 Dalr. I 76/7.
Thinkand it war a mater of gret ingratitude to be vnkynd, to gyue for gude na gude agane 1624 Edinb. Univ. MS La.ii.319.
I howpe newer to prowe vnkynd Vnto thy greit magnificence 1643 Acts VI i 49/2.
Least they sould ather be thocht ingraite or wnkynd to yow
b. Lacking in generosity of spirit, mean-minded. a1585 Maitland Quarto MS 192/65.
Fals mischeant Mortoun febill and vnkynd Thy wretchit hairt could neuer schame eschew
3. Cruel, savage. 1513 Doug. i i 44.
Ful deip engravyn in hir [sc. Juno's] breist onkynd [Sm. vnkynd, Ruddim. unkynd] The iugement of Parys 1513 Doug. iv xi 22.
Now art thou hyt with frawart werdis onkynd?
4. Of a period of time, in respect of the weather: Characterised by lack of mildness, unfavourable. 1456 Hay II 112/13.
Ane unkynde ȝere of distresse of cornis and vittailis
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Unkind adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/unkind>
