unking

Verb

unking (third-person singular simple present unkings, present participle unkinging, simple past and past participle unkinged)

1. (archaic) To remove (a king) from power.
   • God save King Harry, unking’d Richard says,
     And send him many years of sunshine days!1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to...
   • […] the Scots were a free Nation, made King whom they freely chose, and with the same freedome un-Kingd him if they saw cause, by right of ancient laws and Ceremonies yet remaining,1649, J[ohn] M[ilton], The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates: […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], published 1649 (2nd printing), →OCLC, page 28

   Synonyms:

   depose, dethrone, discrown, disenthrone, uncrown, unthrone

2. (archaic) To deprive (a king) of his royal qualities.
   • But if a Prince shall deign to be familiar and to converse with those upon whom he might trample, shall His condescension therefore Unking Him? And His familiarity rob Him of His Royalty?1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London, page 371
   • My swelling rage, in privacy I’le shrowd,
     And not un-King my self before the Crowd.1677, Charles Davenant, Circe, London: Richard Tonson, Act III, Scene 6, p. 31
3. (archaic, figuratively) To remove (something) from a position of power or paramount importance.
   • —Oh ’tis well y’are come,
     there was within me fresh Rebellion,
     and reason was almost unking’d agen.1638, John Suckling, Aglaura, London: Thomas Walkley, act I, scene 1, page 9