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Origin and history of unready

unready(adj.)

early 14c., unredi, "not prepared," from un- (1) "not" + ready (adj.). By 1590s as "not quick or prompt." Related: Unreadily; unreadiness.

In English history, as the sobriquet of Anglo-Saxon king Ethelred the Unready, it is a different word, Middle English unredi, equivalent of Old English ungeræd "ill-advised, 'rede-less,' no-counsel." Old English ræd "advice, counsel" is related to read (v.).

By c. 1200 it was used (Etheldredus Unrad, Eilred Unred) in connection with King Æðelræd II (968-1016), whose ineffectual reign was marked by viking incursions. The original title was Unred "folly, imprudence; bad counsel, foolish or wicked advice" and it plays on the name Ethelred, which means "good-counsel." As Unready, it is attested by 1580s.

Rede "counsel" (q.v.) survived in poetic usage to 17c. and is preserved in other names (Alfred). An attempted revival by Scott (19c.) failed, though Tolkien put it in "Lord of the Rings."

also from early 14c.

Entries linking to unready

Alfred

masc. proper name, Old English Ælfræd, literally "elf-counsel," from ælf (see elf) + ræd "counsel" (see rede). Alfred the Great was king of the West Saxons 871-899. Related: Alfredian (1814).

Ethelred

Anglo-Saxon masc. given name, Old English Æðelræd, literally "noble counsel," from æðele "noble" (see atheling) + ræd, red "advice" (see rede).

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godspeed
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obvious
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