unsceptre

English

Etymology

From un- +‎ sceptre.

Verb

unsceptre (third-person singular simple present unsceptres, present participle unsceptring, simple past and past participle unsceptred)

1. To deprive of a sceptre; to deprive of the status of monarch or of authority.

   Synonyms: decrown, depose, descepter, dethrone, discrown, disenthrone, uncrown, unking, unthrone

   • 1634, William Wood, “Of Their Kings Government, and Subjects Obedience”, in New Englands Prospect. A True, Lively, and Experimentall Description of that Part of America, Commonly Called New England; […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Bellamie, […], →OCLC, 2nd part (Of the Indians, […]), page 79:

     It is the cuſtome for their Kings to inherite, the ſonne alvvayes taking the Kingdome after his fathers death. If there be no ſonne, then the Queene rules; if no Queene, the next to the blood-royall, vvho comes in othervvise, is but counted an uſurping intruder, and if his faire carriage beare him not out the better, they vvill ſoone unſcepter him.

   • 1818–1819, John Keats, “Hyperion, a Fragment”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], published 1820, →OCLC, page 146:

     Upon the sodden ground / His [the god Saturn’s] old right hand lay nerveless, listless, dead, / Unsceptred; and his realmless eyes were closed; […]

   • 1870, John Leicester Warren, “Pandora”, in Rehearsals‎^[1], London: Strahan, page 23:

     Ye hate, shall hatred then unsceptre Zeus, / Or anger empty any throne in heaven?

   • 1967, John Cairncross (translator), Berenice by Jean Racine, Act 3, Scene 1, in Andromache and Other Plays, Penguin, 1982, p. 255:^[2]

     I can make kings and unsceptre them, / Yet cannot give my heart to whom I choose.

Alternative forms

• unscepter

See also

• unsceptred (adjective)

Anagrams

• unrespect