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.
(Unsely,) Un-, Onsilly, adj. Also: unseli, -cely, -seilly, -sylly, wnsely, onsylly, -syllé. [ME and e.m.E. unseli (a1200), vnsely (c1275), vnceli (Wyclif); Sely adj.]
1. Of persons: Unfortunate, wretched, ‘unhappy’. Also transf.(a) c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 2.
Now can the unseli man … [here] nathing [more confor]tabile than sic gude swete tythingis of Christ 1460 Hay Alex. 6850.
For wist vncely man … quhat mysfortoun in his [t]yme sould fall, He sould neuer hafe blaith honoure in all his dayis(b) 1513 Doug. i xi 36.
The fey onsylly [Sm. wnsely, Ruddim. vnsilly] Dydo For the myscheif to cum predestinat 1513 Doug. v viii 86.
Onsylle [Sm., Ruddim. vnsilly] wight, quhou dyd thi mynd invaid Sa gret wodnes?transf. 1513 Doug. ix xiii 18.
Of ȝour onsilly [Sm. onsylly, Ruddim. vnsilly] cuntre haue ȝhe na rewth 1513 Doug. xi v 33.
Thar onsilly [Ruddim. vnsilly; L. non felicia] scheildis, Quhilk mycht thame nocht defend into the feildis
2. Of conditions or events: Causing or attended by misfortune.1513 Doug. iv Prol. 230.
Lo! with quhat thocht, quhat byttyrnes and pane, Lufe onsylly [Sm. vnseilly] bredis in euery wight! 1513 Doug. ix iv heading.
Til vndyrtak ane aventur onsilly [Ruddim. vnsylly]
