Dictionary

unparadise en · VERB

Etymology

From un- + paradise.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To make (something paradisaical) less like paradise; To spoil the joy of.
   • It is true that they threaten to unparadise England, but there is one undeniable benefit for which we are indebted to them —every now and then they prevent the weather from being the most detestable subject of common conversation. 1845, John Peace, A Descant upon Weather-wisdom, page 16:
   • Those joys perchance may pass; a stronger hand May wrest my sceptre, and unparadise The Swerga; 1812, Robert Southey, The curse of Kehama -, page 69:
   • It would be the most desirable of human abodes, but for a number of evils which infest it, and which are sufficient to unparadise any earthly Eden. 1873, Edward Fontaine, “Contributions to the Physical Geography of the Mississippi River, and its Delta”, in Bulletin of the American Geographical Society of New York, page 365:
   • Could you, so rich in rapture, fear an end, That ghastly thought would drink up all your joy, And quite unparadise the realms of light. 1742, Edward Young, The Complaint: or Night-Thoughts on Life, Death & Immortality, Night I:
   • Of what avail is learning?—What? But to unparadise man's lot! 1823 October, New Ward, “A Chit Chat Letter on Men and Other Things”, in The London Magazine, volume 8, page 361:
2. (transitive) To expel from or prevent from entering heaven.
   • Thus when some chief persons in Israel were so admirably sinful, that their very righteousness was abominable, their very obedience as bad as rebellion, and their very sacrifices to be expiated' when they delighted in their abominations, as if they would unparadise themselves in hell; and had chosen their own ways as more lovely and eligible than the ways of God; God did threaten to be revenged in these plain words: 'I also will choose their delusions;' or, as the margin that it, 'their devices.' (Isai. lxvi, 3, 4.) 1862, Thomas Jackson, The providence of God viewed in the light of holy Scripture, page 308:
   • It were to put a stumbling-block in the way of many weak brethren, to falsify the admissions of the most extended pastoral experience, yea, to unparadise the souls of many, whom all our charities oblige us to regard as now asleep in Jesus, —to say , that no man could be saved, who had not at all times, perceptibly to himself, the witness of the Spirit bearing witness with his spirit that he belonged to the children of God. 1883, Daniel Moore, Sunday Meditations, page 218:
   • Archangels guard the gates with flaming swords, The same, 'tis said, who at an earlier day Did man unparadise; 1858, Edward Caswall, The Masque of Mary and Other Poems, page 170:
   • We hear thy pleading, cry the dark in vain, And know each day that, even as of yore, Some poor Eve weeps—unparadised once more. 1908 December, Isabel S. Mason, “The Unparadised”, in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, volume 82, page 768:

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