Unkempt — Un*kempt (?; 215), a. [Pref. un not + kempt, p. p. of kemb.] 1. Not combed; disheveled; as, an urchin with unkempt hair. [1913 Webster] 2. Fig.; Not smoothed; unpolished; rough. [1913 Webster] My rhymes be rugged and unkempt. Spenser. [1913… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
unkempt — [unkempt′] adj. [ UN + kempt, pp. of dial. kemben, to comb < ME < OE cemban < camb, a COMB1] 1. tangled, disheveled, etc., as if from not having been combed 2. not tidy or neat; messy 3. not polished or refined; crude; rough unkemptness… … English World dictionary
unkempt — index disordered, inelegant Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
unkempt — 1570s, from UN (Cf. un ) (1) not + kempt well combed, neat, from variant pp. of O.E. cemban to comb, from P.Gmc. *kambijan, from *kamb comb (see COMB (Cf. comb)). Form unkembed is recorded from late 14c. The verb kemb … Etymology dictionary
unkempt — slovenly, sloppy, *slipshod, disheveled Analogous words: frowzy, *slatternly, blowsy, dowdy: *negligent, neglectful, lax, slack, remiss … New Dictionary of Synonyms
unkempt — [adj] shabby, sloppy bedraggled, coarse, crude, dilapidated, dirty, disarranged, disarrayed, disheveled, disordered, grubby*, grungy*, messed up, messy, mussed up*, neglected, rough, rumpled, scruffy, shaggy, slipshod, slovenly, tousled, unclean … New thesaurus
unkempt — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ having an untidy or dishevelled appearance. ORIGIN from archaic kempt «combed» … English terms dictionary
unkempt — adjective Etymology: Middle English unkemd, unkempt, from un + kembed, kempt, past participle of kemben to comb, from Old English cemban; akin to Old High German chempen to comb, Old English camb comb more at comb Date: 14th century 1. not combed … New Collegiate Dictionary
unkempt — [[t]ʌ̱nke̱mpt[/t]] ADJ GRADED If you describe something or someone as unkempt, you mean that they are untidy, and not looked after carefully or kept neat. His hair was unkempt and filthy. ...the unkempt grass. ...an unkempt old man. Syn: messy … English dictionary
unkempt — unkemptly, adv. unkemptness, n. /un kempt /, adj. 1. not combed: unkempt hair. 2. uncared for or neglected; disheveled; messy: unkempt clothes; an unkempt lawn. 3. unpolished; rough; crude. [1590 1600; var. of unkembed; see UN 1, KEMPT] * * * … Universalium
