different between priceless vs unpriced

English

Etymology

price +? -less

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?a?sl?s/

Adjective

priceless (comparative more priceless, superlative most priceless)

1. So precious as not to be sold at any price; invaluable. [1590s]
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece,^[1]

     For he the night before, in Tarquin’s tent,

     Unlock’d the treasure of his happy state;

     What priceless wealth the heavens had him lent

     In the possession of his beauteous mate;

   • 1933, George Orwell, Down and Out in Paris and London, Chapter 15,^[2]

     Mario told me of a hotel in which he had been, where a chambermaid stole a priceless diamond ring from an American lady.

2. Treasured; held in high regard.
   • 1850, Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, Chapter 45,^[3]

     I do not hope that any love and duty I may render in return, will ever make me worthy of your priceless confidence […]

   • 1950, Philip Larkin, letter to J. B. Sutton dated 18 June, 1950, in Anthony Thwaite (ed.), Selected Letters of Philip Larkin, 1940-1985, New York: Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1993, p. 165,^[4]

     If we part I shall be tormented by remorse at not having married. If we marry I shall spend my life mentally kicking myself for having so carelessly given up priceless liberty.
3. (informal) Excellent, wonderful, fantastic (often ironic).
4. (informal) Ridiculous, absurd, rich.
   • 1946, Kenneth Fearing, The Big Clock, New York: Harcourt, Brace, “Earl Janoth II,”^[7]

     “You son of a bitch,” she exploded. “You talk. You, of all people. You. That’s priceless.”

   • 1951, Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, New York: Harcourt Brace, Part 1, Chapter 4, p. 110,^[8]

     Where the concrete approach of the realistic nationalists eventually led them is illustrated by the priceless story of how Charles Maurras had “the honor and pleasure,” after the defeat of France, of falling in during his flight to the south with a female astrologer who interpreted to him the political meaning of recent events and advised him to collaborate with the Nazis.

   • 1986, Edna O’Brien, The Country Girls Trilogy and Epilogue, New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, “The Lonely Girl,” p. 333^[9]

     “Duty, har, har,” Simon laughed, as if some laughing machine had been wound up inside him. “Laura would love that. Jesus, that’s priceless; he’s good on propaganda. Duty! God, Laura will love that when she comes.”

5. (informal) Very amusing, hilarious. [1907]
   • 1936, Lloyd C. Douglas, White Banners, New York: Pocket Books, 1959, Chapter 1, p. 17,^[10]

     Paul laughed heartily and said she was priceless, but Hannah remained so contritely straight-faced that his laughter sounded to himself as if it had just a trace of incipient madness in it, and he suddenly sobered, blinking rapidly.

   • 2011, Esi Edugyan, Half Blood Blues, London: Serpent’s Tail, “Berlin 1939,” Chapter 2, p. 142,^[11]

     Hell, those jacks was laughing and laughing like to wet themselves. Even Ernst had a smile on his face, shaking his head like he ain’t believed what he just seen.

     ‘Aw, Sid,’ Chip gasped. ‘Holy hell, Sid, you priceless.’

6. (obsolete) Of no value; worthless.
   • 1648, Robert Herrick, “Upon Silvia, a Mistresse” in Hesperides, London: John Williams and Francis Eglesfield, p. 20,^[12]

     When some shall say, Faire once my Silvia was;

     Thou wilt complaine, False now’s thy Looking—

     Which renders that quite tarnisht, w[hi]ch was green; (glasse:

     And Priceless now, what Peerless once had been:

     Upon thy Forme more wrinkles yet will fall,

     And comming downe, shall make no noise at all.

   • 1905, Mrs. John Van Vorst & Marie Van Vorst, Mrs. Evremond, in Ainslee's Magazine, Vol XVI, September 1905, No. 2:

     "… he thought of his late friendship with anger and held it cheap, a priceless imitation for which perhaps he had given a pure jewel in stupid exchange."

7. (uncommon) Without a price assigned.

   Synonym: unpriced

Derived terms

• pricelessly
• pricelessness

Translations

Anagrams

• eclipsers, preslices, resplices

References

English

Etymology

un- +? priced

Adjective

unpriced (not comparable)

1. Not having a price set or shown; not priced.
2. (archaic) Valuable beyond price; priceless.

See also

• priceless