| 释义 |
inabilityn. Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French inhabilité; Latin inhabilitas. Etymology: Partly (i) < Anglo-Norman and Middle French inhabilité (French inhabileté and (in the sense ‘legal incapacity’) inhabilité ) lack of qualification, disqualification from holding an office, legal incapacity, state or condition of being unable to do something, physical infirmity (all 14th cent.; < in- in- prefix4 + habilité ability n.), and partly (ii) < post-classical Latin inhabilitas unsuitability, incapability (from 12th cent. in British sources), disability, incapacity, disqualification (from 13th cent. in British sources) < classical Latin in- in- prefix4 + habilitāt- , habilitās ability n. Compare later disability n., non-ability n., unability n.Compare Catalan inhabilitat (1344), Spanish inhabilidad (a1417, earliest in the sense ‘weakness, infirmity’), Italian inabilità (a1540). The β. forms show remodelling after the β. forms at ability n. α. 1441 in J. Raine (1841) 117 (MED) Na monke of seynt Benett ordour, be mediacion of secular personez suld be promote to priore dignite or office, of payn of cursyng and inhabilite. 1488 in (2007) 1488/10/50 The ordinaris dispoune apoune thar utheris beneficis for the inhabilite of thar personis. 1588 W. Allen 52 The sentence declaratory of Pius Quintus against the said Elizabeth..concerning her illegitimation and vsurpation and inhabillite to the Croune of England. 1670 H. Stubbe 28 If Mr. Cross did urge this otherwise than to try the Intellectuals of Mr. Glanvill (concerning whose Inhability he might be well satisfied). 1757 J. Erskine (ed. 2) I. iv. ii. §15. 452 Law allows the party who suspects a witness..to bring evidence of his enmity, or other inhability. 1856 9 Aug. 3/3 The Senate adopted a resolution in the following words:—Whereas the constitution of the United States provides that Congress may, by law, provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or inhability, both of the President and Vice President, [etc.]. 1920 C. Augustine IV. iii. (Canon 938) 446 Irregularity is derived from the Latin contra regulam... It signifies general inhability established by law... The effect of this inhability consists in ‘forbidding’ one from being licitly ordained and from exercising the orders received. 1976 F. McGurk tr. in 126 All stain and inhability contracted through this by Celestine is now abolished by Papal authority. 2. the world > action or operation > ability > inability > [noun] 1500 T. Betson sig. biij Beholde not myn Inhabylyte & Ignoraunce. Wauerynge of mynde & neclygence. 1589 ‘M. Marprelate’ (title page) Very insufficiently furnished, with notable inabilitie of most vincible reasons. 1644 W. Walwyn 9 I would the like frailty and inabilities were not to be found in many of us. 1684 T. Pittis 13 We..supply the wants of those, whose necessitous inability, or present misfortunes, cannot make provision for themselves. 1754 J. Edwards i. iv. 25 The Word Inability..has Respect to some stated Defect. 1877 tr. H. W. von Ziemssen et al. XIV. 770 This morbid inability we will style..word-deafness. 1908 E. Worcester 115 Psychasthenic patients find it difficult to come to a decision..and this inability troubles them. 1986 R. B. Morrison & C. R. Wilson xii. 258 Individuals whose humility and control are mistaken by others to be a sign of inability and powerlessness. 2000 J. M. Gerson & K. Peiss in M. S. Kimmel & A. Aronson 128 Because of their perceived inabilities and the existence of real threats, women learn fear. 1525 J. Gough tr. J. Ryckes v. sig. C.jv Consyderynge myne vnworthynes & inhabylyte to come therby. 1569 T. Stocker tr. Diodorus Siculus iv. i. f. 138 The reste whiche stood to the defence, after they see their inabilitie to withstand, fled. 1660 R. Coke 4 He tells you of childrens inability of judging. 1712 R. Steele No. 437. ⁋3 Good Nature is only an Inability of observing what is faulty. 1769 D. Hume 5 May (1932) II. 202 Her good sense, and her frank easy humour, with her utter inability to dissemble, render her the best companion. 1867 C. Dickens 21 Jan. (1999) XI. 301 My distressing inability to sleep at night. 1903 13 417 The intense pressure of the ‘team’ system has led to women falling out owing to their inability to stand the pace. 1993 S. J. Ettinger cv. 634 Disadvantages of prostatic massage include the inability of knowing whether prostatic fluid has been obtained. 2000 Z. Smith (2001) ix. 211 Born of a green and pleasant land,..the English have a basic inability to conceive of disaster. 1576 G. Whetstone 29 Although my sight in Poetrie be but small, yet will I..supply my inabilitie of skill, with the abilitie of good will. 1603 R. Mavericke ii. f.15 I know mine own insufficiency..and also acknowledge mine owne saplesse barrennes, and inabilitie for such a purpose. 1692 R. South I. 459 Their Inability for, and frequent contrariety to the bringing about such designs. 1754 J. Edwards iii. vi. 182 Every pre-possessing fix'd Bias on the Mind brings a Degree of moral Inability for the contrary. 1872 N. Hawthorne in Apr. 363 It seemed not improvidential that such an inimical state of mind towards the human race was accompanied with an almost inability of motion. 1923 13 566 When something occurs which proves undeniably an inability for full self-direction, the family is forced to face its responsibility. 1976 P. A. Ballanoff vi. 79 Past and present inability of prediction by the usual techniques were early demonstrated by Pearl. 2012 28 960/1 This form [sc. bulbar progressive paralysis] is characterized by the patient's initial inability to pronounce consonant phonemes and evolves to a total inability of tongue protrusion. the world > health and disease > ill health > [noun] 1547 in J. Stuart (1842) II. 203 Throw his aige and inhabilitie of his persone. 1640 in J. Grant (1876) ii. xii. 368 In regaird of his old aige and inhabilitie of bodie. 1696 B. Coole 17 His great Indisposition and Inability of Body..continued and encreased upon him to the terminating of his Days. 1798 C. Lamb Let. 3 Nov. in (1975) I. 141 A good field for dwelling on sickness & inabilities & old age. 1824 X. Griffiths 127 His wounds and inabilities arise from this servitude. 1908 4 270 He was a member of The Presbyterian Historical Society..until 1907, when the inabilities of old age compelled him to retire. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022). <  n.1441 |
