a. [ad. L. vincibilis, f. vincĕre to overcome: see -IBLE. So obs. F. vincible, It. vincibile, Sp. vencible, Pg. vencivel.]
In the 15th-cent. version of Higden (Rolls), IV. 167 vincible occurs as an error for invincible.
1. Of persons: That may be overcome or vanquished in battle or conflict, or in some contest; susceptible of defeat or overthrow.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Matt. iv. 33 b. Christ ouercame hymn to shewe vnto vs that he was vincible.
1590. R. Adams in Harl. Misc., I. 120. The English fleet … dispersed that invincible Navy, and made it vincible.
1630. J. Hayward, Edw. VI., 75. He not easily vincible in spirit … drew his sword and caused others to doe the like.
1680. C. Nesse, Ch. Hist., 483. That Spanish Armado (which was stiled Invincible, but proved Vincible).
1736. Ainsworth, Lat. Dict., II. Vincibilis, vincible, conquerable.
1852. Wilks, Hist. Half Cent., 68. The allies … could scarcely believe that the Napoleon who had so often conquered them was really vincible.
1899. S. E. Herrick, in W. H. Salmon, Culture Chr. Manhood, 240. And the heart is so exultant, so vigorous, and the man is so feeble and so vincible.
transf. 1882. Atlantic Monthly, XLIX. 418. He [Peel] was vincible by the truth.
2. Of material or immaterial things, obstacles, arguments, etc.: That may be overcome; conquerable, surmountable.
c. 1568. Coverdale, Bk. Death (1579), 110. To heare howe vnhurtfull, yea wholesome and vincible death is become thorow Christ.
1589. Marprel. Epit., Title-p., Very insufficiently furnished, with notable inabilitie of most vincible reasons.
1631. Fuller, David’s Sin, xxxv. (1868), 49. Nought is so hard but vincible by paines.
1666. J. Smith, Old Age (1676), 153. All imminent evil is looked upon either as vincible or invincible.
1686. Plot, Staffordsh., 191. A Pox-stone, i. e. a stone scarce vincible by fire.
1753. Richardson, Grandison (1781), III. xxviii. 315. Were this great difficulty to be vincible.
1786. Mrs. A. M. Bennett, Juvenile Indiscr., V. 130. He dreaded … her sense of duty, her obedience to her parents, had their objections been vincible.
1824. Blackw. Mag., XVI. 581. The form of faith that Lydia held (a vincible objection in other circumstances) was made a reason.
1872. Chr. World Pulpit, II. 183. It is because these influences are vincible … that we are exhorted not to grieve the Spirit of God.
b. Vincible ignorance, an ignorance the means of overcoming which are possessed by the ignorant person himself. Cf. INVINCIBLE a. 1 c.
c. 1626. Donne, Serm., lxxvi. (1640), 775. God forgives none of that which is left undone, out of a wilfull and vincible ignorance.
1689. Dial. betw. Timothy & Titus, 5. Though I must tell you, Tim, ’tis vincible ignorance; for that you have not read them, is your own fault.
1724. A. Shields, Life J. Renwick, Ep. Rdr. (1827), p. vii. Their Ignorance also proved vincible, when they had got that One Minister, whom he so reproaches.
1884. Cath. Dict. 424/2. All vincible ignorance of the things a man’s duty requires him to know is in itself sinful.
1891. Cath. News, 31 Jan., 3/4. Violation of duty attended by culpable or vincible ignorance.
Hence Vincibleness; Vincibly adv.
1654. Bramhall, Just Vind., vi. (1661), 157. Such Papists as they count vincibly ignorant of Roman errours. Ibid. (1656), Replic., viii. 325. The Roman Church … doth not excommunicate all the Christians of Africk, Asia,… but only such as do erre vincibly or sinfully.
1727. Bailey (vol. II.), Vincibleness, Capableness or Liableness to be conquered or overcome.
