释义 |
unˈsensible, a. Obs. exc. dial. or as nonce-wd. [un-1 7, 5 b.] 1. = insensible a. 1.
c1380Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 55 It was bigynnyng of tyme unsensible to mannis witt. Ibid. 148 Þei trowen to sensible wordis, and oþer signes þat men maken, but unsensible wordis of Goddis Sone..þei trowen litil or nouȝt. c1400Apol. Loll. 100 To a-wowe is, a resonable creature to obey him to his souereyn, to kep sum hard þing þat is sensible, or vns[ens]ible. 1534More Treat. Passion Wks. 1335/2 Vnder anye of the twoo outwarde sensible Sacramentes..the whole inwarde vnsensyble Sacramente..is..fullye conteyned. 1581E. Campion in Confer. iii. (1584) Q j b, That you say vnsensible, it is true, if you meane the spirituall grace, which is not subiect to sense. 1587Golding De Mornay xv. 285 To extend reason from..things sensible to things vnsensible,..from bodily to spirituall. 1656M. Casaubon Enthus. To Rdr., Neither do I think so meanly of any truth, that can be reduced to any reality, whether sensible or unsensible. b. = insensible a. 1 b.
1545T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde Y vj, The blud the whiche daylye and hourely, by vnsensyble swettinge euaporatith. a1586Sidney Arcadia i. xiii, It being set upon such an unsensible rising of the ground, as you are come to a prety height before almost you perceive that you ascend. 1614Brerewood Lang. & Relig. 12 For which reason, the corruption of speech growing upon them, by little and little, the change hath been unsensible. 1633Prynne Histrio-m. 957 No man becomes extreamely vitious on a sudden, but by unsensible gradations. c. Imperceptible by reason of minuteness.
1551Recorde Pathw. Knowl. i. Def., A Poynt..is named of Geometricians that small and vnsensible shape, whiche hath in it no partes. 1571Digges Pantom. i. xv. E ij, The angle..groweth so acute, and vnsensible, that great errour ensueth the least mistakyng. 1602W. Fulbecke Pandectes 9 The present time is so small and unsensible, that it is almost of no continuance. 2. = insensible a. 2.
1555Eden Decades (Arb.) 53 If the greefes of them bee to thee vnsensible by reason of thy..longe sickenes. 3. = insensible a. 3 a.
c1532Tindale Answ. More Wks. (1572) 279/1 [Christ] dyed not to purchase such honour vnto vnsensible thinges, that [etc.]. c1555Harpsfield Divorce Hen. VIII (Camden) 252 Unless he be as unsensible as a man that will put and hold his finger in the hot fire and say the fire burneth not. 1583B. Melbancke Philotimus S ij, The two vnsensible pictures. 1611Cotgr., Cal, a thicke, and vnsensible skin, or brawnie hardnesse of skin. 1627Lisander & Cal. i. 11 The secret places of Calista's affection, which were not marble, nor of any unsensible matter. 1677W. Hubbard Narrative Postscr. 10 The unsensible and hardhearted Monster answered, he liked it very well. b. = insensible a. 3 b, 3 c.
1568Turner Herbal iii. 50 Rasis in his Simples writeth that the Methel maketh num or vnsensible. a1616Beaum. & Fl. Wit without M. ii. iv, Your Land has lain long bedrid, and unsensible. 1632J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 191 Her often swounding kept her alive by making her become unsensible of the sharpenesse of the paine which shee felt. 1669Worlidge Syst. Agric. 160 When the doors are shut..they [sc. bees] are dark, and unsensible of so small a heat. 1891in G. L. Gower Surrey Words (1893) 44, I was unsensible for loss of blood. 4. = insensible a. 4 a. (a)1610Heywood Gold. Age iv. i, Vnsensible of loue, or amorous pitty. 1621G. Sandys Ovid's Met. viii. (1626) 167 They the time beguile with speech: Vnsensible of stay. 1692South Serm. (1697) I. 498, I mean not, that he is unsensible of the good it self, but that..he is wholly unsensible..of the Benignity of him that does it. a1804in Matilda Betham Biog. Dict. Celebrated Women 452 She thought herself..too unsensible of our Lord's love to her. (b)1663Gerbier Counsel a ij, It would doubtlesse make me pass for uncensible, how your Majesty..inherited that same clemency. 1664N. Ingelo Bentiv. & Ur. v. 39 One not altogether unsensible that he hath over-charg'd his Vocation with burthensome Cares. 1719W. Wood Surv. Trade 224, I am not unsensible, how very disadvantagious it is for us [etc.]. 1735J. Price Stone-Br. Thames 16, I am not unsensible that it may be suggested [etc.]. b. = insensible a. 4 b.
1619J. King Serm. 2, I thinke there is none so unsensible that is not moved hereat. 1650O. Sedgwick Christ the Life 26 Dull and unsensible men; of such did one long since complain, That [etc.]. 1676G. Etherege Man of Mode ii. i, Town. Methinks you speak very feelingly, Brother. Old Bell. I am but Five and Fifty, Sister, you know, an Age not altogether unsensible! a1699J. Kirkton Hist. Ch. Scot. (1817) 65 Many a sober man was tempted to exceed, lest he should be condemned as unnatural, disloyal, unsensible. 5. = insensible a. 5.
1560Pilkington Expos. Aggeus Dd ij, Lyke vnreasonable beastes and vnsensyble. 1565Stapleton Fortr. Faith 136* What is now more reuiled of vnsensible protestants then the shauen crowne of reuerent priesthood? a1586Sidney Arcadia i. iv, He found some of his aunswers..not unsensible. 1814[Mary Brunton] Discipline xxii. III. 26 The poor lad was not so unsensible, but he knew to do his bidding. 1861Geo. Eliot Silas M. xiv, When the drink's out of 'em, they aren't unsensible. 6. Not showing good or sound sense.
a1586Sidney Arcadia iii. xix, For nothing can be more unsensible, then to thinke what one doth, & to forget the end why it is done. 1858Bagehot Lit. Stud. (1879) II. 154 The strongest unsensible feeling in Scott was perhaps his Jacobitism. |