unattainableadj.n.

Brit.

/ˌʌnəˈteɪnəbl/, U.S.

/ˌənəˈteɪnəb(ə)l/

Etymology: un- prefix¹ 1b, 6

A. adj.

That cannot be attained or reached.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > practical impossibility > [adjective] > unattainable

unachievable1657

unattainable1662

uncome-at-able1694

1662 Bp. E. Hopkins Funeral Serm. (1685) 52 Those thirty or forty years, which were judged by thee in thy childhood an unattainable age.

1694 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding (new ed.) ii. xxi. 138 The will..cannot at any time be moved towards what is judg'd at that time unattainable.

1736 A. Pope Corr. 25 Mar. (1956) IV. 5 A View of the useful and therefore attainable, and of the un-useful and therefore un-attainable, Arts.

1771 in ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra (1772) II. lxiii. 295 This, though a wicked purpose, is neither absurd nor unattainable.

1809 Edinb. Rev. 14 283 The great body of the people never yet engaged eagerly in the pursuit of an unattainable object.

1862 J. Ruskin Unto this Last iii. 80 Though absolute justice be unattainable, as much justice as we need for all practical use is attainable.

B. n.

1. An unattainable thing. rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > practical impossibility > [noun] > condition of being unattainable > that which is

unattainable1661

unattainable1857

blue dahlia1880

1661 J. Glanvill Vanity of Dogmatizing 112 Temperamentum ad pondus, may well be reckon'd among the three Philosophical unattainables.

1786 W. Cowper Let. 10 Apr. (1981) II. 516 Range and jack [in a kitchen] are not unattainables; they may be easily supplied.

2. With the: That which is not attainable.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > practical impossibility > [noun] > condition of being unattainable > that which is

unattainable1661

unattainable1857

blue dahlia1880

1857 F. D. Maurice Epist. St. John xx. 340 In one sense I can admit that man is always striving after the unattainable.

1882 M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal I. iii. 101 All women sigh for the unattainable.

Derivatives

unaˈttainableness n.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > practical impossibility > [noun] > condition of being unattainable

unattainableness1690

unacquirableness1768

unattainability1850

1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding ii. xx. 114 Despair is the thought of the unattainableness of any Good.

1863 N. Hawthorne Our Old Home II. 285 A strange repulsion and unattainableness in the very spell that made her beautiful.

unaˈttainably adv.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > difficulty > practical impossibility > [adverb] > unattainably

unattainably1894

1894 H. Caine Manxman iii. xxv She would be with him always;..the more reproachfully and unattainably, because she would be the wife of another man.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

单词	unattainable
释义	unattainableadj.n. Brit. /ˌʌnəˈteɪnəbl/, U.S. /ˌənəˈteɪnəb(ə)l/ Etymology: un- prefix¹ 1b, 6 A. adj. That cannot be attained or reached. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > practical impossibility > [adjective] > unattainable unachievable1657 unattainable1662 uncome-at-able1694 1662 Bp. E. Hopkins Funeral Serm. (1685) 52 Those thirty or forty years, which were judged by thee in thy childhood an unattainable age. 1694 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding (new ed.) ii. xxi. 138 The will..cannot at any time be moved towards what is judg'd at that time unattainable. 1736 A. Pope Corr. 25 Mar. (1956) IV. 5 A View of the useful and therefore attainable, and of the un-useful and therefore un-attainable, Arts. 1771 in ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra (1772) II. lxiii. 295 This, though a wicked purpose, is neither absurd nor unattainable. 1809 Edinb. Rev. 14 283 The great body of the people never yet engaged eagerly in the pursuit of an unattainable object. 1862 J. Ruskin Unto this Last iii. 80 Though absolute justice be unattainable, as much justice as we need for all practical use is attainable. B. n. 1. An unattainable thing. rare. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > practical impossibility > [noun] > condition of being unattainable > that which is unattainable1661 unattainable1857 blue dahlia1880 1661 J. Glanvill Vanity of Dogmatizing 112 Temperamentum ad pondus, may well be reckon'd among the three Philosophical unattainables. 1786 W. Cowper Let. 10 Apr. (1981) II. 516 Range and jack [in a kitchen] are not unattainables; they may be easily supplied. 2. With the: That which is not attainable. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > practical impossibility > [noun] > condition of being unattainable > that which is unattainable1661 unattainable1857 blue dahlia1880 1857 F. D. Maurice Epist. St. John xx. 340 In one sense I can admit that man is always striving after the unattainable. 1882 M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal I. iii. 101 All women sigh for the unattainable. Derivatives unaˈttainableness n. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > practical impossibility > [noun] > condition of being unattainable unattainableness1690 unacquirableness1768 unattainability1850 1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding ii. xx. 114 Despair is the thought of the unattainableness of any Good. 1863 N. Hawthorne Our Old Home II. 285 A strange repulsion and unattainableness in the very spell that made her beautiful. unaˈttainably adv. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > difficulty > practical impossibility > [adverb] > unattainably unattainably1894 1894 H. Caine Manxman iii. xxv She would be with him always;..the more reproachfully and unattainably, because she would be the wife of another man. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online June 2022). < adj.n.1661
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