Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

(Unsele,) Unsell, n. Also: wnsele, unseill, -sale. [ME unsele (c1200), unsel (Layamon), OE unsǽl, ON úsæla; Sele n.¹]

1. Misfortune; undoing. 1375 Barb. x 220.
Sum … within the pele War ischyt on thar awne wnsele [C. vnseill] To wyn thar herwyst 1375 Barb. (1571) xvii 376.
And thame abone defendand weill Tombland thame doun to thair unseill Arundel MS 262/23.
Tua theifis I was hangit betuen … This mekill vnseill thou seis me feill

2. Wretch; villain. Cf. Katy unsell n., Kittie unsell n. (a girl or woman of bad character).Quot. Polwart may belong in Unsele adj. 1. 1540 Lynd. Sat. 963 (B).
Swyth, pas thé hence, vnhappy vnsale [Ch. vnsell] a1605 Montg. Flyt. 276 (T).
Thair ane elph, and ane aip, ane vnsell begate a1585 Polwart Flyt. 622 (T).
He was ane fals schismatik notor[ious]lie namit; Baith hurdome & homeceid vnsell he vsit