The spelling of "more unready" may seem confusing at first glance, but it becomes clearer with IPA phonetic transcription. The word is pronounced /mɔːr ʌnˈrɛdi/, with the stress on the second syllable of "unready." The -more- prefix means "additional" or "extra," while unready means "not prepared" or "ill-prepared." Therefore, "more unready" can mean even less prepared or less ready than before. Despite its uncommon use today, the spelling of "more unready" remains consistent with English morphology and syntax.
"More unready" does not have a standard dictionary definition as it is a comparative phrase formed by combining the adverb "more" and the adjective "unready." However, we can break down the meaning of each component to understand the phrase.
The word "unready" is an adjective that describes something or someone who is not prepared or lacking in readiness. It suggests a lack of readiness either mentally, physically, or emotionally for a particular situation or task. Unreadiness can be attributed to a lack of knowledge, experience, skills, or resources necessary to engage or deal with a particular matter efficiently or effectively.
The addition of the comparative adverb "more" intensifies the state of being unready, implying a higher degree or greater extent of lacking preparation. It suggests a comparison between two or more entities, indicating that one is even less ready than another. The use of this phrase indicates a relative lack of preparedness, signifying a stark contrast between the unpreparedness levels of different individuals, objects, or circumstances.
It is worth noting that while the phrase "more unready" captures the comparative aspect of unreadiness, it might not be as commonly used as alternative phrases like "less ready" or "even more unprepared" due to its less conventional structure.
The phrase "more unready" is not a specific word; it is a combination of two words, "more" and "unready", that are used together to convey a particular meaning. Let's look at the etymology of each word individually:
1. More: The word "more" originates from the Old English word "māra", which means "greater" or "longer". It can also be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "maizô". The word "more" has been used in the English language for centuries and predominantly serves as a comparative or superlative form of "much" or "many".
2. Unready: The word "unready" comes from the Old English word "unrǣd", which is a combination of "un-" (meaning "not") and "rǣd" (meaning "counsel" or "advice").