Obs. [ad. med.L. acrasia, which seems to confuse Gr. ἀκρᾱσία ill-temperature, badly-mixed quality (f. ἄκρᾱτος unmixed, untempered, intemperate) applied by Hippocr. to meats, with ἀκρᾰσία impotence, want of self-command (f. ἀκρᾰτής powerless, without authority, without self-command, incontinent).] Irregularity, disorder, intemperance. In Spenser’s Faerie Queene, intemperance or incontinence personified as an enchantress.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., II. xii. motto. Guyon … Doth overthrow the Bower of Blis, And Acrasy defeat.
1617. S. D[aniel], Hist. Eng. (1617), 156. A time [reign of Henry III.] that hath yeelded notes of great varietie with many examples of acrasie, and diseased State, bred both by the inequality, of this Princes manners, and the impatience of a stubborne Nobility.
1698. Life of Firmin, 84. A little prone to anger, but never excessive in it, either as to measure or time; which acrasies, whether you say of the body or mind, occasion great uneasiness.
1707. Phillips, Acrasia, Indisposition, Disorder. [Also as in Bailey.]
1731. Bailey, vol. II., Acrasy (with Physicians) the Excess or Predominancy of one Quality above another in Mixture, or in the Constitution of a Human Body.
1818. Todd, Acrasy, Excess, irregularity.
