|ən+ adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English unefen, from un- (I) + efen even
1.
a. archaic : not equal in size, number, or quantity : unequal 1a
two pipes of glass very uneven in length — Robert Boyle
b. : not divisible by two without a remainder : odd 3
2.
a. : not even : not level or flat : rugged
proceeding slowly over the uneven ground
miles of uneven country — American Guide Series: Pennsylvania
: having irregularities of surface (as breaks, indentations, or roughnesses) : ragged
large, uneven teeth
uneven ranks
uneven handwriting
b. : varying from the straight or parallel
a building with uneven vertical lines
c. : varying or inconsistent : not uniform : spotty , irregular
uneven earnings
uneven combustion
uneven subway traffic — New York Times
a stove at one end … gave very uneven heat — American Guide Series: California
germination may be uneven or poor — Farmer's Weekly (South Africa)
d. : varying markedly in quality
an uneven performance
an uneven achievement … its writing ranges from the human and impassioned to the dully academic — David Hall
3. obsolete : unjust , inequitable
complains of the bishops' uneven hand over these pamphlets — John Milton
4. : unequal 3a
vaudeville troupes … waged an uneven battle against the church — American Guide Series: New Jersey
Synonyms: see rough