Obs. Also 5–6 unabilite, 6 -itie, -itye; 6–7 unhabilitie, 6 -habylytee, Sc. wnhabilietie. [UN-1 12, after OF. inhabilité (14th c.) or med.L. inhabilitas INABILITY.] The quality of being unable; inability. Freq. const. for, of, to, etc.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 28. Þer ontrowþ, and vndisposicoun, and vnabilite to reseyue.
1509. Fisher, Serm., Wks. (1876), 268. I knowe well myne vnworthynes & vnhabylytees to this so grete a mater.
1565. Stapleton, Fortr. Faith, 122 b. S. Basill excuseth him selfe of vnabilite to extoll sufficiently the vocation of couent Monkes.
1617. R. Wilkinson, Barwick Bridge, 31. The highest stile of praise is to professe our unability of expressing.
1644. Quarles, Barnabas & B. (1651), 223. Thy unability for the work prophesies the impossibility of the reward.
1711. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 152. They alleadge for their justification an unability in stopping the foe.
1769. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ. (1914), XIV. 149. Not admitting any Solace but when constrain’d by an absolute Unability.
