conceivableadj.n.

Brit.

/kənˈsiːvəbl/, U.S.

/kənˈsivəb(ə)l/

Forms: late Middle English conceyuabil, late Middle English–1500s conceyuable, 1500s–1600s conceiuable, 1500s–1600s conceiueable, 1500s–1600s conceiveable, 1600s– conceivable.

Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: conceive v., -able suffix.

Etymology: < conceive v. + -able suffix.

A. adj.

Capable of being conceived, comprehended, or imagined; imaginable, supposable.

a. In ordinary (frequently predicative) use.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > [adjective] > capable of being perceived

presenta1393

conceivablec1443

perceptible1567

discoverable1572

conceptible1641

entertainable1658

cogitablea1688

perceptive1740

thinkable1764

the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [adjective] > edible

conceivablec1443

serviceablea1475

comestible1483

eatable1483

consumable1547

receptible1574

meatable1577

consumptible1579

devourable1603

food-fit1608

edible1611

manducable1614

esculent1626

cibarious1656

mandible1656

deglutible1661

eduliousa1682

edule1699

swallowable1818

christena1838

touchable1845

munchable1868

gorgeable1883

noshable1966

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > possibility > [adjective] > of possible occurrence

contingentc1400

conceivablec1443

possible1582

conceptible1641

inventible1641

entertainable1658

earthly1679

possible1780

contingency1931

c1443 [implied in: R. Pecock Reule of Crysten Religioun (1927) 82 (MED) Aȝens al conceyuabilnes of vndirstonding it is þat eny persoone schulde brynge forþ and make hym silf in beyng. (at conceivableness n.)].

c1454 R. Pecock Folewer to Donet 52 (MED) Science is vpon trouþis of þingis..biholdable, vndirstondable, or conceyuable of vs.

1579 T. North tr. Plutarch Liues 185 Certeine Geometrical conclusions, whereof a man can not finde out the conceiueable demonstrations, by enforced reasons and proofes.

1586 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. I. 76 The ancients..have diuided science for vs into diuers parts..that..we might finde therein apt and conceiueable foode [Fr. pasture propre & intelligible].

1656 tr. T. Hobbes Elements Philos. i. vi. 59 Such things as have some conceiveable Cause.

1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding ii. xxiii. 145 What conceivable Hoops, what Bond he can imagine to hold this mass of Matter.

1720 Interest Nation Asserted 14 It being no otherways conceivable how wrought Silks imported in Return for Goods, are a Damage to the Nation.

1770 R. Hill Pietas Salopiensis 8 Is it conceivable that the intrepid Socrates..would have prevaricated on this great occasion?

1858 H. L. Mansel Bampton Lect. (ed. 4) ii. 32 Consciousness..is only conceivable as a relation.

1870 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (ed. 2) I. vi. 446 It is just conceivable that..Duncan refused homage to Cnut on the ground that the Dane was an usurper of the English Kingdom.

1921 F. Hurst Star-dust xi. 434 It was almost conceivable that he had not seen.

2001 FourFourTwo Aug. 113/1 It is even conceivable that Frank de Boer and Davids might never play for Holland again.

b. In predicative use after a noun preceded by all, all the, or a superlative, and in attributive use after all, any, every, or no, used to emphasize the absolute or universal nature of a statement. Cf. imaginable adj.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > wholeness > the whole or all > [adjective] > emphatically

whole1553

imaginable1614

conceivable1615

1615 T. Jackson Justifying Faith i. vi. 39 The greatest good conceiueable.

1671 Bp. S. Parker Def. Eccl. Politie 253 There is no conceivable way of governing Men that are either proud, or peevish, or ignorant.

1714 S. Smith Mission & Duty Civil Governours 31 Authority, precedence, and subordination are so necessary, that society could not subsist without them under any conceivable regulation.

1776 Mod. Couple xlvii. 163 All the assiduities conceivable, all the sighs, tears, and protestations in the world.

1802 W. Paley Nat. Theol. xxvii. 581 A particle..minuter than all assignable, all conceivable dimension.

1879 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times II. xxviii. 327 He never seemed to have a moment's doubt on any conceivable question.

1918 D. Haig Diary 26 Sept. in War Diaries & Lett. 1914–18 (2005) 465 His men have to cross the Canal: for this every conceivable device has been provided.

1998 Technol. Rev. May 68/2 Ventilation equipment large enough to handle the smoke from the biggest fire conceivable.

B. n.

A conceivable thing.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > [noun] > object of perception

ideatea1629

conceivable1659

conceptiblea1676

cogitable1678

ideatumc1708

percepta1856

cognitum1875

perceptum1887

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > possibility > [noun] > a possible thing or circumstance

possibilityc1460

perhapsa1535

potential1587

potentiality1587

maybe1598

contingencya1626

contingent1655

conceivable1659

possiblea1674

conceptiblea1676

cogitable1678

chance1778

it's an idea1841

may1849

might1850

thought1857

possibly1881

shot1923

1659 H. More Immortality of Soul i. i. 113 These are the first conceivables in Matter.

1829 C. Knowlton Elem. Mod. Materialism v. 43 The question, What is it that thinks? is not to be determined by conceivables or inconceivables.

1865 J. S. Mill Exam. Hamilton's Philos. vi. 64 Inconceivables are incessantly becoming Conceivables as our experience becomes enlarged.

1919 Engin. & Contracting 26 Nov. 609/2 Engineers and scientists..are actually reasoning with conceivables if they are reasoning at all.

1998 M. Peters & H. A. Giroux Naming the Multiple vii. 178 The possibilities or the conceivables created by the imagination have to be understandable.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	conceivable
释义	conceivableadj.n. Brit. /kənˈsiːvəbl/, U.S. /kənˈsivəb(ə)l/ Forms: late Middle English conceyuabil, late Middle English–1500s conceyuable, 1500s–1600s conceiuable, 1500s–1600s conceiueable, 1500s–1600s conceiveable, 1600s– conceivable. Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: conceive v., -able suffix. Etymology: < conceive v. + -able suffix. A. adj. Capable of being conceived, comprehended, or imagined; imaginable, supposable. a. In ordinary (frequently predicative) use. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > [adjective] > capable of being perceived presenta1393 conceivablec1443 perceptible1567 discoverable1572 conceptible1641 entertainable1658 cogitablea1688 perceptive1740 thinkable1764 the world > food and drink > food > qualities of food > [adjective] > edible conceivablec1443 serviceablea1475 comestible1483 eatable1483 consumable1547 receptible1574 meatable1577 consumptible1579 devourable1603 food-fit1608 edible1611 manducable1614 esculent1626 cibarious1656 mandible1656 deglutible1661 eduliousa1682 edule1699 swallowable1818 christena1838 touchable1845 munchable1868 gorgeable1883 noshable1966 the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > possibility > [adjective] > of possible occurrence contingentc1400 conceivablec1443 possible1582 conceptible1641 inventible1641 entertainable1658 earthly1679 possible1780 contingency1931 c1443 [implied in: R. Pecock Reule of Crysten Religioun (1927) 82 (MED) Aȝens al conceyuabilnes of vndirstonding it is þat eny persoone schulde brynge forþ and make hym silf in beyng. (at conceivableness n.)]. c1454 R. Pecock Folewer to Donet 52 (MED) Science is vpon trouþis of þingis..biholdable, vndirstondable, or conceyuable of vs. 1579 T. North tr. Plutarch Liues 185 Certeine Geometrical conclusions, whereof a man can not finde out the conceiueable demonstrations, by enforced reasons and proofes. 1586 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. I. 76 The ancients..have diuided science for vs into diuers parts..that..we might finde therein apt and conceiueable foode [Fr. pasture propre & intelligible]. 1656 tr. T. Hobbes Elements Philos. i. vi. 59 Such things as have some conceiveable Cause. 1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding ii. xxiii. 145 What conceivable Hoops, what Bond he can imagine to hold this mass of Matter. 1720 Interest Nation Asserted 14 It being no otherways conceivable how wrought Silks imported in Return for Goods, are a Damage to the Nation. 1770 R. Hill Pietas Salopiensis 8 Is it conceivable that the intrepid Socrates..would have prevaricated on this great occasion? 1858 H. L. Mansel Bampton Lect. (ed. 4) ii. 32 Consciousness..is only conceivable as a relation. 1870 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (ed. 2) I. vi. 446 It is just conceivable that..Duncan refused homage to Cnut on the ground that the Dane was an usurper of the English Kingdom. 1921 F. Hurst Star-dust xi. 434 It was almost conceivable that he had not seen. 2001 FourFourTwo Aug. 113/1 It is even conceivable that Frank de Boer and Davids might never play for Holland again. b. In predicative use after a noun preceded by all, all the, or a superlative, and in attributive use after all, any, every, or no, used to emphasize the absolute or universal nature of a statement. Cf. imaginable adj. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > wholeness > the whole or all > [adjective] > emphatically whole1553 imaginable1614 conceivable1615 1615 T. Jackson Justifying Faith i. vi. 39 The greatest good conceiueable. 1671 Bp. S. Parker Def. Eccl. Politie 253 There is no conceivable way of governing Men that are either proud, or peevish, or ignorant. 1714 S. Smith Mission & Duty Civil Governours 31 Authority, precedence, and subordination are so necessary, that society could not subsist without them under any conceivable regulation. 1776 Mod. Couple xlvii. 163 All the assiduities conceivable, all the sighs, tears, and protestations in the world. 1802 W. Paley Nat. Theol. xxvii. 581 A particle..minuter than all assignable, all conceivable dimension. 1879 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times II. xxviii. 327 He never seemed to have a moment's doubt on any conceivable question. 1918 D. Haig Diary 26 Sept. in War Diaries & Lett. 1914–18 (2005) 465 His men have to cross the Canal: for this every conceivable device has been provided. 1998 Technol. Rev. May 68/2 Ventilation equipment large enough to handle the smoke from the biggest fire conceivable. B. n. A conceivable thing. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > perception or cognition > [noun] > object of perception ideatea1629 conceivable1659 conceptiblea1676 cogitable1678 ideatumc1708 percepta1856 cognitum1875 perceptum1887 the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > possibility > [noun] > a possible thing or circumstance possibilityc1460 perhapsa1535 potential1587 potentiality1587 maybe1598 contingencya1626 contingent1655 conceivable1659 possiblea1674 conceptiblea1676 cogitable1678 chance1778 it's an idea1841 may1849 might1850 thought1857 possibly1881 shot1923 1659 H. More Immortality of Soul i. i. 113 These are the first conceivables in Matter. 1829 C. Knowlton Elem. Mod. Materialism v. 43 The question, What is it that thinks? is not to be determined by conceivables or inconceivables. 1865 J. S. Mill Exam. Hamilton's Philos. vi. 64 Inconceivables are incessantly becoming Conceivables as our experience becomes enlarged. 1919 Engin. & Contracting 26 Nov. 609/2 Engineers and scientists..are actually reasoning with conceivables if they are reasoning at all. 1998 M. Peters & H. A. Giroux Naming the Multiple vii. 178 The possibilities or the conceivables created by the imagination have to be understandable. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2015; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.n.c1443
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