unkindly

English

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʌnˈkaɪndli/
Audio (UK) (file)

Etymology 1

From un- +‎ kindly.

Adjective

unkindly (comparative more unkindly, superlative most unkindly)

Not kindly.
1. Not kind, lacking in friendliness, warm-heartedness or sympathy.
  - 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, chapter 2, in The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, OCLC 223202227:
    Preceded by the beadle, and attended by an irregular procession of stern-browed men and unkindly visaged women, Hester Prynne set forth towards the place appointed for her punishment.
  - 1906, E. Nesbit, The Railway Children, Chapter 4,
    […] she had seen a not unkindly wink pass between the two.
2. (archaic) Rough, unfavourable, bad.
  - 1658, Thomas Browne, Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial, London: Henry Brome, “Cyrus-Garden, or The Quincunx Naturally Considered,” p. 130,
    From this superfluous pulp in unkindely, and wet years, may arise that multiplicity of little insects, which infest the Roots and Sprouts of tender Graines and pulses.
  - 1789, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Anthem for the Children of Christ’s Hospital” in The Poetical Works of S. T. Coleridge, London: William Pickering, 1834, Volume 1, p. 5,
    Unkindly cold and tempest shrill
    In life’s morn oft the traveller chill,
3. (obsolete) Unnatural, contrary to the natural or proper order of things.
  - 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, OCLC 960102938, page 10:
    That detestable sight him much amazde,
    To see th’vnkindly Impes of heauen accurst,
    Deuoure their dam;
  - 1678, Robert Sanderson, Nine Cases of Conscience Occasionally Determined, London: H. Brome et al., p. 128,
    […] the want of mercy in a Father, is more unkindly, more unseemly, more unnatural than in another man […]

Derived terms

unkindliness

Etymology 2

From unkind +‎ -ly.

Adverb

unkindly (comparative more unkindly, superlative most unkindly)

In an unkind manner.
- c. 1590–1592, William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act III, scene i]:
  Good master, take it not unkindly, pray,
  That I have been thus pleasant [i.e. joking] with you both.
- 1722 (indicated as 1721), [Daniel Defoe], The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, &c. […], 3rd edition, London: […] W[illiam Rufus] Chetwood, […]; and T. Edlin, […]; W[illiam] Mears, […]; J. Brotherton, […]; C. King, and J. Stags, […], published 1722, OCLC 745118774:
  […] I had over-heard them several times talking very Unkindly about me;
- 1868, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, Little Women: Or, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, (please specify |part=1 or 2), Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, OCLC 30743985:
  If she and John love one another, they can wait, and test the love by doing so. She is conscientious, and I have no fear of her treating him unkindly.
- 1918, Rose Macaulay, What Not, London: Constable, Chapter 11, p. 222,
  Chester and Prideaux were dragged firmly but not unkindly down the stairs and out through the door.
(obsolete) In an unnatural manner.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554, lines 455-458:
  All th’ unaccomplisht works of Natures hand,
  Abortive, monstrous, or unkindly mixt,
  Dissolvd on earth, fleet hither, and in vain,
  Till final dissolution, wander here,

Antonyms

kindly