obstinateadj.n.

Brit.

/ˈɒbstᵻnət/, U.S.

/ˈɑbstənət/

Forms: Middle English obstanat, Middle English obstenate, Middle English obstinatt, Middle English obstynat, Middle English–1500s obstinat, Middle English–1500s obstynate, Middle English– obstinate, 1700s obst'nate; Scottish pre-1700 abstinat, pre-1700 obstienat, pre-1700 obstinat, pre-1700 obstinayt, pre-1700 obstinet, pre-1700 obstynate, pre-1700 obystynate, pre-1700 1700s– obstinate.

Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymon: Latin obstinātus.

Etymology: < classical Latin obstinātus stubborn, resolute, also as noun, a stubborn person, past participle of obstināre to persist < ob- ob- prefix + a derivative form of stāre to stand (see stand v.). Compare Anglo-Norman and Middle French obstinat (c1450; c1350 as osteinat).

A. adj.

1. Firmly adhering to an opinion or chosen course of action despite argument, persuasion, or entreaty; inflexible, resolute, stubborn, self-willed; indicative of or characterized by inflexibility or stubbornness. Usually with pejorative connotation. Also with †against, †in.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [adjective]

starkOE

moodyOE

stithc1000

stidyc1175

stallc1275

harda1382

stubbornc1386

obstinate?1387

throa1400

hard nolleda1425

obstinant?a1425

pertinacec1425

stablec1440

dour1488

unresigned1497

difficultc1503

hard-necked1530

pertinatec1534

obstacle1535

stout-stomached1549

hard-faced1567

stunt1581

hard-headed1583

pertinacious1583

stuntly1583

peremptory1589

stomachous1590

mulish1600

stomachful1600

obstined1606

restive1633

obstinacious1649

opinionated1649

tenacious1656

iron-sided1659

sturdy1664

cat-witted1672

obstinated1672

unyielding1677

ruggish1688

bullet-headed1699

tough1780

pelsy1785

stupid1788

hard-set1818

thick and thin1822

stuntya1825

rigwiddie1826

indomitable1830

recalcitrant1830

set1848

mule-headed1870

muley1871

capitose1881

hard-nosed1917

tight1928

?1387 T. Wimbledon Serm. (Corpus Cambr.) (1967) 107 (MED) Among alle þe abusiones of þe world, most is a olde man þat is obstinat.

Remonstr. against Romish Corruptions (Titus) (1851) 744 (MED) Þough it be leful in caas to werre & sleen euele cristene men obstinat [L. obstinatos] in synnis.

a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Gen. xlix. 7 Curside be the woodnesse of hem, for it is obstynat [a1425 E.V. stedfast; L. pertinax].

a1438 Bk. Margery Kempe (1940) i. 38 (MED) Sche schewyd hym..how vnkynd sche had ben a-geyn owyr Lord Ihesu Crist..how obstynat a-geyns þe lawes of God.

1463 in S. Tymms Wills & Inventories Bury St. Edmunds (1850) 24 And he be obstinat or froward, I wil he haue noon of all.

1512 Act 4 Hen. VIII c. 19 Preamble Erronyously defendyng & maynteynyng his seid obstynate opynyons agayne the unitye of the holye Churche.

1588 J. Harvey Discoursiue Probl. conc. Prophesies 127 The..obstinatest or desperatist Aristotelians.

1616 R. Sheldon Suruey Miracles Church of Rome 327 They..doe obfirmate and make obstinate their mindes for the constant suffering of death.

a1680 S. Butler Genuine Remains (1759) II. 422 The obstinate Man does not hold Opinions, but they hold him.

1717 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 30 Jan. (1965) I. 301 It yeilded..after an obstinate defence.

1788 A. Hamilton in Federalist Papers lxxxv. 359 Let him beware of an obstinate adherence to party.

1819 W. Scott Ivanhoe I. xii. 237 He had only received that sort of answer usually given by those who are more obstinate in following their own course, than strong in justifying it.

1854 H. H. Milman Hist. Lat. Christianity III. vii. iv. 203 His obstinate humility resisted their flattering importunities.

1889 ‘M. Twain’ Connecticut Yankee xxviii. 365 It was an obstinate pair of shoulders; they could not seem to learn the trick of stooping.

1922 J. Galsworthy Forsyte Saga i. ii. 27 He had no hope of shaking her resolution; she was as obstinate as a mule.

1949 A. Koestler Promise & Fulfilm. ii. iv. 251 The victory of the new type of Israelis grown on Palestine soil over the obstinate fanaticism of ghetto-bred politicians.

2002 N. Drury Dict. Esoteric 302/1 Those born under the sign of Taurus are often considered to be obstinate, practical, and even lazy.

†2. Reluctant. Obsolete. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > will > wish or inclination > unwillingness > [adjective]

argha1000

slowOE

unwillyc1200

sweera1300

unfain1338

loathc1374

dangerousc1386

eschewc1386

squeamous1387

obstinate?a1439

unpresta1500

ill-willing?1520

evil-willing1525

untowards1525

untowarda1530

unwilling1533

strange1548

ill-willed1549

dainty1553

relucting1553

squeamish?1553

nicea1560

loathful1561

coyish1566

coy1576

unhearty1583

costive1594

unready1595

tarrowinga1598

undisposed1597

involuntary1598

backward1600

retrograde1602

unpregnant1604

scrupulous1608

unprone1611

refractory1614

behindhanda1616

nilling1620

backwards1627

shya1628

retractable1632

reluctant1638

loughta1641

tendera1641

unapt1640

uninclinable1640

unbeteaming1642

boggling1645

averse1646

indisposed1646

aversant1657

incomposed1660

disinclined1703

unobliging1707

unconsenting1713

uninclined1729

tenacious1766

disinclinable1769

ill-disposed1771

unaffectioned1788

scruplesomec1800

back-handed1817

sweert1817

tharf1828

backward in coming forward1830

unvoluntary1834

misinclined1837

squeamy1838

balky1847

retractive1869

grudging1874

tharfish1876

unwishful1876

safety first1917

a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) ix. 2219 (MED) Thei wer so indurat..To axe mercy verray obstynat.

1619 Rec. Perth Kirk Session 19 Jan. James Corbie..ordane to pay xx s. of penaltie, and becaus he wes obstinat to do the same [etc.].

1748 W. Hamilton To C'tess Eglintoun in Poems 44 Sincere and equal to thy neighbour's fame, How swift to praise, how obstinate to blame.

3. Unyielding, stiff, rigid; difficult to deal with or eradicate; (Medicine) persistent despite treatment, refractory.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [adjective] > inflexible

ironOE

stour1303

strange1338

unmovablea1382

inflexible1398

stoutc1410

unpliablea1425

intreatable1509

stiff1526

stiff-necked1526

unpliant1547

stout-hearted1552

inexorable1553

obstinate1559

strait-laced1560

impersuasible1576

unflexiblea1586

hard-edged1589

adamantive1594

unyielding1594

adder-deaf1597

steeled1600

irrefragable1601

rigid1606

unpersuadable1607

imployable1613

unswayablea1616

uncompellable1623

inflexive?1624

over-rigid1632

unlimbera1639

seta1640

incomplying1640

uncomplying1643

stiff-girt1659

impersuadable1680

unbendinga1688

impracticable1713

unblendable1716

stiff-rumped1728

unconvinciblea1747

uncompounding1782

unplastic1787

unbending1796

adamant1816

uneasy1819

uncompromising1828

cast iron1829

hard-hitting1831

rigoristic1844

ramrod1850

pincé1858

anchylosed1860

unbendable1884

tape-bound1900

tape-tied1900

hard line1903

tough1905

absolutist1907

hard-arsed1942

go-for-broke1946

hardcore1951

hard-arse1966

hard-ass1967

hardball1974

1559 P. Morwyng tr. C. Gesner Treasure of Euonymus 172 No disease of the eyes is so obstinate and great, but it will vanish awai and geue place to this medicin.

1583 P. Barrough Methode of Phisicke v. xxv. 269 A harde and stonie tumour, verie obstinate and resisting touching.

?a1591 King James VI & I Poems (1955) I. 169 Of those so obstinat euillis quho are abusairis by thaire guyles.

1638 W. Rawley tr. F. Bacon Hist. Nat. & Exper. Life & Death 40 Boots, growne hard and obstinate with age.

a1682 Sir T. Browne Certain Misc. Tracts (1683) v. 115 This, if any, may probably destroy that obstinate Disease.

1784 S. Johnson Let. 9 Feb. (1994) IV. 283 I have been forced to sit up many nights by an obstinate sleeplesness.

1871 G. H. Napheys Prevention & Cure Dis. iii. xii. 1048 An obstinate diarrhœa sometimes sets in.

1891 ‘S. C. Scrivener’ Our Fields & Cities 13 The Nottinghamshire clays—obstinate red clay, good for bricks and oak trees.

1949 H. Bailey Demonstr. Physical Signs Clin. Surg. (ed. 11) xix. 211 In some cases where there is a history suggesting colitis, or one of obstinate constipation, the pelvic colon can be felt tonically contracted.

1975 Nursing 5 25 (title) Conquering those obstinate decubiti.

1986 T. Stevenson Champagne ii. 35 The obstinate particles of sediment which refused to fall easily.

1998 P. O'Brian Hundred Days vi. 160 They amounted to a couple of obstinate gleets and a tenesmus.

B. n.

An obstinate person or animal. Now rare.In quot. 1992 in a game-theoretic explanation of animal behaviour.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [noun] > obstinate or stubborn person

obstinate1435

mumpsimus1530

obstinant1581

ram-head1605

sitfast1606

stiff-stander1642

obduratea1665

ironface1697

sturdy1704

stiffrump1709

sturdy-boots1762

stickfast1827

impracticable1829

mule1846

bullet-head1848

hardshell1849

die-hard1857

hog on ice1857

last-ditcher1862

thick-and-thinnite1898

jusqu'auboutiste1916

stiff-neck1921

dead-ender1956

toughie1960

R. Misyn tr. R. Rolle Fire of Love 11 (MED) Obstinate [L. Obstinati] treuly in warkis vnclene, þe lufe of criste knawes noȝt for þai with fleschly likynge ar byrnd.

c1475 (c1445) R. Pecock Donet (1921) 72 (MED) How hise parischens lyven toward þi lawe enqueryng..rebellis, heretikis, and obstynatis aȝens þi lawe punyschyng.

1502 tr. Ordynarye of Crysten Men (de Worde) iii. iii. sig. p.iiii ^v Promyttynge correccion..vnto obstynates & perseuerynge theyr malyce.

1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. Pref. Out of the bosome of these heretikes, rebelles, and obstinates.

?1609 J. Healey tr. Bp. J. Hall Discouery New World 25 Let mee therefore hold you for incredulous obstinates if you confesse not that America was knowne long before Senecaes time.

1633 T. Scot God & King 6 These obstinates be of two sorts..The Dogmaticall obstinates are such as erre in judgement.

1781 J. O. Justamond tr. B.-F.-J. Mouffle d'Angerville Private Life Lewis XV I. 67 There were, as the Regent called them, some obstinates, that is to say, persons who could not persuade themselves, that paper was of greater value than money.

1866 Catholic World Dec. 303/2 Intellectual obstinates who wilfully shut their eyes and maintain there is no light.

1992 Amer. Naturalist 140 Suppl. 75 Obstinates fare very poorly when playing against another obstinate, much more poorly than either a coercer or a maximizer.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

† obstinatev.

Forms: late Middle English obstynatyde (past participle), 1500s–1600s 1800s obstinate.

Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymons: Latin obstināt-, obstināre.

Etymology: < classical Latin obstināt-, past participial stem (compare -ate suffix³) of obstināre (see obstinate adj.).In sense 2 after Middle French, French obstiner (1531 in reflexive use, 1535 in transitive use). N.E.D. (1902) gives the pronunciation as (ǫ·bstineⁱt) /ˈɒbstɪneɪt/.

Obsolete. rare.

1. transitive (in passive). To be made obstinate; to be caused to persist stubbornly.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > make obstinate or stubborn [verb (transitive)]

obstinatea1450

stiffen?a1500

obfirm1570

obfirmate1616

stubborn1820

a1450 St. Edith (Faust.) (1883) 4980 Þey ben obstynatyde so meche in couetyse.

1663 Case Mary Carleton 19 My resolutions of forsaking that melancholy and silent abode, were so far advanced, and so obstinated in me.

2. transitive (reflexive). To be obstinate; to stand firm or set oneself against.

ΚΠ

1588 tr. M. Hurault Disc. Present Estate France 31 Being no great likelihood that the Suitzers woulde obstinate themselues against such great forces.

a1603 T. Cartwright Confut. Rhemists New Test. (1618) 536 One that hath obstinated himselfe against the Church.

1864 J. R. Lowell Fireside Trav. 308 If he still obstinates himself, he is finished by being made to measure one of the marble putti, which look like rather stoutish babies, and are found to be six feet.

Derivatives

obstinated adj. obstinate.

ΘΚΠ