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unˈmeasurable, a., n., and adv. ? Obs.
[un-1 7 b, 5 b, 12, and 11 b.]
1. Incapable of being measured on account of great size, extent, or amount; immense, vast:
a. Of material things, dimensions, time, etc.
c1386Chaucer Man of Law's T. 934 O Golias, vnmesurable of lengthe. 1513Douglas æneid vi. vi. 71 Cerberus,..Vnmesurable in his cave quhar he lay. a1541Wyatt in Tottel's Misc. (Arb.) 70 Lyke vnto these vnmesurable mountaines, So is my painefull life, the burden of yre. 1585T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. iii. 33 The walles..are made of grauen stone..of length and bignesse vnmeasurable. 1610Healey St. Aug. Citie of God iii. xxxi. 152 A most huge and vnmesurable cloud. 1691Norris Pract. Disc. 243 Truth and Falshood..are removed from each other by an unmeasurable distance. 1754Edwards Freed. Will iv. viii. 240 Unlimited and Unmeasureable Periods of Time. 1774J. Bryant Mythol. I. 398 The tower..was of an unmeasurable height.
b. Of actions, qualities, feelings, etc.
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 69 (W.), Ye moeven materes un⁓mesurable [v.rr. vn-, inmesurables] To tellen of the Trinite. c1450Merlin xx. 329 He..yaf hym soche a stroke with the brasen betell so vn-mesurable, that [etc.]. 1542Becon News Heaven H iij b, Your ioy can not be expressed, your gladnes is vnmeasurable. 1588in Harl. Misc. (1808) I. 143 An unmeasurable deep despair. 1648Sanderson Serm., Ad Aul. (1681) II. 242 We..shall have an unmeasurable reward..for the good we have done. a1677Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 I. 345 He did by unmeasurable communications of divine virtue assist his humanity. 17..Watts Hymns, ‘Come, dearest Lord’ ii, The Heighth, and Breadth, and Length, Of thine unmeasurable Grace. 1760–72H. Brooke Fool of Qual. (1809) II. 120 This..parade of sanctity gave him..unmeasurable credit.
c. Used with reference to God.
1535Coverdale Baruch iii. 25 Greate is he,..hye and vnmeasurable. 1551Veron Godly Saiyngs E viii, Touchinge his godheade, and vnmeasurable substaunce. 1581Marbeck Bk. of Notes 126 The same one man is locall..as touching his manhood, which is also God unmeasurable from the Father.
2. Immoderate, inordinate, unbounded:
a. Of persons (or other agents).
1388Wyclif Prov. xv. 4 The tunge which is vnmesurable, schal defoule the spirit. c1400Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483) iii. ix. 55 These haue ben so vnmesurable in their expensys. c1450Mirour Saluacioun 3936 Nabal..made to hym kyng Dauid his vnmesurable enemy. c1520Barclay Jugurth xxvii. 37 b, Their myndes were greatly immoderate and vnmeasurable in their desyre to ouercome thestates. 1597Breton Auspicante Jehoua Wks. (Grosart) II. 6/2 So great and vnmeasurable a sinner. 1629J. Maxwell tr. Herodian 155 An vnmeasurable Louer of Money. 1667South Serm. (1697) 32 He..shall find [sin]..an Unmeasurable Exactor.
b. Of desires or the gratification of these.
c1386Chaucer Pars. T. ⁋818 Glotonye is vnmesurable Appetit to ete or to drynke. 1388Wyclif 1 Pet. iv. 3 Whiche walkiden..in myche drinking of wyn, in vnmesurable etyngis and drynkyngis. 1422Yong tr. Secreta Secret. 194 Hit is dedly syn whan that concupiscens is so vnmessurable that [etc.]. 1482Monk of Evesham xxi. (Arb.) 49 Y was..ageyne bonde yn to luste and custome of the same sinne, that was yn mine owne onmeserabulle taking and appetite. 1583Babington Commandm. 176 So euil an example of vnmeasurable sotting in bed. 1594T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. ii. 269 Other carnall pleasures.., especially when they are excessiue and vnmeasurable. a1648Ld. Herbert Hen. VIII (1683) 220 His Cardinal['s]..unmeasurable Ambition and Covetousness. 1788Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 371 The unmeasurable ambition of the Emperor.
c. In miscellaneous applications.
c1425in Anglia VIII. 139/11 Vnmesurabil laghter or vnsem and vnmanerly berynge of body. 1461Rolls of Parlt. V. 493/2 The inordynat and unmesurable Enditementz and Presentementz..of Felonye. 1535Coverdale Ecclus. xxxvii. 30 Glotony commeth at the last to an vnmeasurable heate. 1592Timme Ten Eng. Lepers H 2 Through unmeasurable abstinence, the moysture of the bodie is dried up. 1638Penkethman Artach. K j, Great Tempests, unmeasurable Windes and Raines. 1674Temple Let. to Ld. Treas. Wks. 1720 II. 311 The unmeasurable Burden of their Taxes. 1709Swift Adv. Relig. Wks. 1755 II. i. 97 The lustre of that most noble family..which the unmeasurable profusion of ancestors..had too much eclipsed.
3. Not admitting of measurement; immensurable.
1652Zeal Examined Add. §9. 40 Which rendered the true Church unmeasureable by any outward Formes. 1714Barrow's Euclid Pref. p. ii, Both measurable and unmeasurable Magnitudes.
b. n. An immensurable thing.
1652Benlowes Theoph. v. lxxxvi, Can measures such Unmeasurables hold? Can time Infinity unfold?
4. adv. = unmeasurably adv.
c1440Alph. Tales 343 When he saw any yong monk lagh vnmesurable. c1445Pecock Donet 85 God is..vnmesurable greet in goostly greetnes. 1586T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. 671 So that great heede is to be taken, that none grow to be unmeasurable great. 1650Bulwer Anthropomet. 202 An huge unmeasurable great Ring.
Hence † unˈmeasurableness. Obs.
1533Frith Book Answ. More's Lett. H ij, Shewynge the vnmeasurablenes of his Godhead. 1571Golding Calvin on Ps. xxxix. 3 To give himself the brydle to anye unmeasurablenesse of greefe. 1634T. Johnson Parey's Chirurg. Wks. xxi. i. 776 The unmeasurablenesse of the manifest..qualities whereof they [sc. poisons] consist. 1656Jeanes Fuln. Christ 204 The unmeasurablenesse of his affection unto us. 1724Welton Chr. Faith & Pract. 185 His judgments are as the great deep for their obscurity and unmeasurableness. |