unfitnessn.
/(ˌ)ʌnˈfɪtnᵻs/, U.S. /ˌənˈfɪtnᵻs/ 1.
a. Want of fitness (in various senses).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > disharmony or incongruity > unsuitability or inappropriateness > [noun]
inconvenience1413
uncompetence?1541
unaptness1548
improperty1555
unaptness1557
unproperness1561
impertinency1573
unmeetness1574
disagreement1580
unfitnessa1586
unsuitablenessa1586
incongruity1597
inconvenientness1600
improperness1612
indispositiona1613
insuitability1612
ineptitude1615
impertinence1616
inconcinnity1616
infelicity1617
unbeseemingness1623
ineptness1633
impertinentness1645
incompatibility1659
incompetibilitya1660
disaccommodationa1676
indecorousness1681
indisposednessa1684
inaptitudea1688
impropriety1697
wrongness1726
ineligibility1795
inaptness1814
unsuitability1814
unappropriateness1838
unadaptedness1846
inappropriateness1847
unfittingness1861
unbefittingness1865
ineligibleness1881
a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) iii. xxiv. sig. Xx5 Hauing impatiently borne the delay of the nights vnfitnesse, this morning he gat vp.
1624 Ld. Kensington Let. 31 Aug. in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1824) 1st Ser. III. 173 I represented to her the unfitnesse of the seventh article.
1644 J. Milton Doctr. Divorce (ed. 2) 7 What greater..unfitnes of mind then that which hinders ever the solace..of the maried couple.
1736 Bp. J. Butler Analogy of Relig. i. iii. 69 A Proof from Fact,..which is deduced from..the Fitness and Unfitness of Actions.
1750 tr. C. Leonardus Mirror of Stones 31 A bad commixture..sometimes happens..from the unfitness of the place, which gives a diversity to stones.
1824 R. Southey Sir Thomas More (1831) II. 94 There is a natural unfitness in distant dominion.
1863 H. Cox Inst. Eng. Govt. iii. iii. 636 The rule..has no respect to the fitness or unfitness of the persons.
b. Const. for, or to with infinitive.
ΚΠ
1619 in W. Foster Eng. Factories India 1618–21 (1906) 70 The unfitnesse of those comodityes for the Dabulleers.
1631 W. Gouge Gods Three Arrowes iii. §22. 223 Mans unworthinesse and unfitnesse to appeare in Gods sight.
1750 Secker Eight Charges (1771) 124 I have too much Cause, in every Thing, to be sensible of my own Unfitness to direct.
1811 Gen. Regulations & Orders Army 283 The Causes of their unfitness for further Military Service.
1885 Manch. Examiner 18 Mar. 5/2 There was..evidence of his unfitness to take care of himself.
2. With plural. An instance of lack of fitness.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > disharmony or incongruity > unsuitability or inappropriateness > [noun] > instance of
impertinency1588
impertinence1603
solecism1603
incongruitya1626
unfitness1645
misfit1823
malapropos1854
1645 J. Milton Tetrachordon 37 Law..cannot make equal those inequalities, it cannot make fit those unfitnesses.
1674 N. Fairfax Treat. Bulk & Selvedge 32 If they could be brought in without other unfitnesses.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.a1586