aweless

English

WOTD – 23 December 2016

Etymology

From Middle English awles; equivalent to awe +‎ -less, cognate with Old English ęgeléas (“aweless”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɔːlɪs/, /-ləs/
• IPA^(key): /ˈɔlɪs/, /-ləs/
• Hyphenation: awe‧less

Adjective

aweless (comparative more aweless, superlative most aweless)

1. Without fear; fearless, unafraid.
   • 1911, Arthur S[anders] Way, transl., “How Siegfried Rode to the City of Worms”, in The Lay of the Nibelung Men: Translated from the Old German Text, Cambridge: At the University Press, →OCLC, page 11:

     New-wrought were the knights' broad bucklers, bright without fleck or stain, / And their helms were a flashing splendour, as rode that gallant train / After the aweless Siegfried through the heart of Burgundia-land; / Never therein did heroes so goodly-apparelled stand.

   • 1913, Quintus Smyrnaeus, Arthur S[anders] Way, transl., “Book VI. How Came for the Helping of Troy Eurypylus, Hercules’ Grandson”, in The Fall of Troy: With an English Translation (Loeb Classical Library; 19), London: William Heinemann; New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Co., →OCLC, page 265:

     […] In the town / The aweless Trojans armed themselves the while / War-eager, praying to the Gods to grant / Respite from slaughter, breathing-space from toil.

2. Wanting reverence; void of respectful fear; irreverent.
   • [1841?], James Fergusson, “chapter VI”, in A Brief Exposition of the Epistles of Paul to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians, London: Thomas Ward and Co., Paternoster-Row, →OCLC, page 257, column 1:

     A proud heart, evidencing itself in a saucy, malapert, aweless, and careless carriage, is most unbeseeming the condition of servants, and highly displeasing to God in them, as being opposite to that property of fear and trembling which ought to accompany their obedience: "Be obedient with fear and trembling."

   • 1848, John Forster, “Book IV. 1767 .. 1774. The Friend of Johnson, Burke, and Reynolds: Dramatist, Novelist, and Poet”, in The Life and Adventures of Oliver Goldsmith. A Biography: In Four Books, London: Bradbury & Evans, 11, Bouverie Street; and Chapman & Hall, 186, Strand, →OCLC, pages 600 and 601:

     What Miss Anna Seward called 'the wit and aweless impoliteness of the stupendous creature' [Samuel Johnson] bore down every one before it. […] And Dean Barnard, invoking the aid of his friends against the aweless impoliteness, and submitting himself to be taught by their better accomplishments, has told us in lively verse with what good humour it was borne by [Joshua] Reynolds.

   • 2010, Iva-Marija Znaor, “Number Thirteen”, in The Sea of Bitterness: Amulet, [Bloomington, Ind.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, page 33:

     She wasn't the woman for me, she wasn't my happiness, she was my misfortune. I wonder if I was too brutal and aweless. Have I right to call the mother of my children my misfortune?

3. (obsolete) Inspiring no awe.
   • c. 1591, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: With the Landing of Earle Richmond, and the Battel at Bosworth Field”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies, London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, Act II, scene iv, page 185:

     Aye me! I ſee the ruine of my Houſe: / The Tyger now hath ſeiz'd the gentle Hinde, / Inſulting Tiranny beginnes to Jutt / Vpon the innocent and aweleſſe throne: […]

   • c. 1596, William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies, London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 3:

     Needs muſt you lay your heart at his diſpoſe, / Subiected tribute to commanding loue, / Againſt whoſe furie and vnmatched force, / The awleſſe Lion could not wage the fight, / Nor keepe his Princely heart from Richards hand: […]

Alternative forms

• awless (archaic)

Synonyms

• (without fear): see Thesaurus:brave
• (wanting reverence): presumptuous, rude; see also Thesaurus:impolite

Antonyms

• awesome
• awful (now rare), awefull (obsolete)

Derived terms

• awelessly
• awelessness

Anagrams

• weasels