Forms: α. 4–7 uphable, (6 Sc. wnhable, unhabil). β. 4– unable, 5 unabille, -abyll(e, -abull, 5–6 unabil(l; 5 onable, 6 -abil. [UN-1 7 + ABLE a., after OF. inhabile or L. inhabilis INHABILE a. Cf. MDu. onabel.]
1. Not able, not having ability or power, to do or perform (undergo or experience) something specified. (Chiefly of persons.)
α. c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 422. Al þes þat han chirchis aproprid faylen of þis trewe seruyss herfore, & þus þei ben vnhable to preye, but preyen aȝen þer oune hed.
1552. Latimer, Serm. Gosp., vi. 190. The person of the Church is ignoraunt and unable to teach the word of God.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. iv. 23. Vnfit he was for any worldly thing And eke vnhable once to stirre or go. Ibid. (1596), V. i. 16. Me first he tooke, vnhable to withstond.
β. 1382. Wyclif, Isaiah xl. 20. The stronge tree, and the vnable to roten ches the wise craftes man.
c. 1420. Lydg., Ballad Commend. Our Lady, 15. Alas! unworthy I am and unable To love suche con.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VII. 119. My witt vnabill is To runsik sic, for dreid I say off myss.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 98. Thou shalte make thy selfe vnable to ryse and growe in goostlynesse.
1598. Yong, Diana, 57. To tell you now the life, that I led in his absence,… my toong is far vnable.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxx. 181. Many men … become unable to maintain themselves by their labour.
1700. Prior, Carm. Sec., xxiii. Lost in trackless Fields of shining Day, Unable to discern the Way.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1776), III. 402. As they are unable to escape by flight, the hunters … easily overpower them.
1836. Thirlwall, Greece, III. xvii. 3. The Persian governor, unable to hold out, and disdaining to surrender, set fire to the town.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, xx. Panting with wrath, he was unable even to return the greeting of Nero.
b. Const. for or to (with sbs.).
(a) 1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 109. Gif he be ane unworthy persone, and unhable tharto,… he degradis him.
a. 1470. H. Parker, Dives & Pauper (W. de W., 1496), V. xviii. 220/1. Though his woodnes passe yet he is yrreguler & unable to goddes aulter.
1513. Life Henry V. (1911), 83. The Kinge his father, who at that time was lymited, was vnable to the charge of the realme.
(b) 1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 382. He was maymed with the stroke of an horse in his youth, and so made unhable for the governaunce of the Realme.
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus, Ann., I. i. (1622), 2. Agrippa they accounted … yoong, and raw in state matters; vnable for so great a charge.
1668. Wilkins, Real Char., II. i. § 4. 41. Either by restoring what is due, or by being rendred unable for it.
1841. Chambers, Pop. Rhymes Scotl. (1870), 76. She could not spin at all, and found herself quite unable for it.
† c. Used attributively with to following the noun. Obs. rare.
1560. Pilkington, Expos. Aggeus (1562), 59. An unable priest to teach, is good to nothinge in that kynde of lyfe or ministerye.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, I. xii. (1912), 80. Those troblesome effects … be not the faults of love, but of him that loves; as an unable vessel to beare such a licour.
c. 1640. J. Smyth, Lives Berkeleys (1883), II. 141. I stand an unable man to determine of either opinion.
d. Not knowing, ignorant, rare–1.
a. 1721. Eusden, in Addison’s Cato, A.’s Misc. Wks. 1721, I. 267. Silent we stand, unable where to praise.
2. Of persons: Lacking ability in some implied respect; incompetent, inefficient.
1395. Purvey, Remonstr. (1851), 112. It is gouernid by symonient bisshopis and vnable curatis.
1407. William of Thorpe, in Foxe, A. & M. (1570), I. 648/2. These vnable priestes haue bene, and yet are, and shalbe, chiefe cause of pestilence of men.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron. (1811), 548. Weale I wote, and knowlege, and deme myselfe to be and haue ben vnsuffycyent and vnable and also vnprofytable.
1544. Betham, Precepts War, I. cxcviii. I vj b. To sende forth thyne vnable souldyours … to be as a bayte … to thyne enemyes.
1612. Brinsley, Lud. Lit., p. iv. This indeuor … thus vndertaken by me the vnablest of many thousands.
1668. R. Steele, Husbandman’s Calling, v. (1672), 139. What if I leave a shiftless wife, and unable children behind me?
1710. Shaftesb., Charac., Adv. Author (1737), I. 224. The greatest actions lose their force, and perish in the custody of unable and mean writers.
a. 1774. Goldsm., Hist. Greece, II. 167. No hopes of succour from such unable protectors.
1856. Emerson, Eng. Traits, Manners, ¶ 8. I hesitated to read and threw out for its impertinence many a disparaging phrase … about poor, thin, unable mortals.
1877. Owen, Wellesley’s Desp., p. xxvii. What would become of the system in unable hands?
b. Of faculties, actions, etc.: Characterized by want of ability; inefficient, ineffectual.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, III. i. (Skeat), I. 171. If any thing be insufficient or els mislyking, wyte that the leudnesse of myne unable conning.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xxxi. 315. I … have ben … at many a faire Dede of Armes (alle be it that I dide none my self, for myn unable insuffisance).
1584. Constable, Diana, VII. vi. A dombe restraint Breakes forth in teares from mine unable mind.
1633. Cowley, Constantia & Philetus, To Rdr. ii. As shee my vnabler quill did guide, Her briny teares did on the paper fall.
a. 1699. J. Beaumont, Psyche, XXI. lxxv. I … see thee more By this unable and denying Sight, Than they [etc.].
1795. Burke, Abridgm. Eng. Hist., Wks. 1842, II. 523. Vortigern … opposed a mixture of timid war and unable negociation.
† 3. a. Of persons: Incapable of, not qualified for, some position. Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 365. Þat pope þat fayliþ heere oþer for kunnyng or for wille is vnhable to take to pope & lede his floc.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 202. His nase of and his lippes bothe He kutte, for he wolde him lothe Unto the poeple and make unable.
1426. Lydg., De Guil Pilgr., 5108. But I sawh ther in presence, Somme pressen to the table That wer vnworthy & vnhable.
† b. Of things: Unfit or unsuitable for some purpose. Obs.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 104. Which of the poeple be forlete As lond desert that is unable, For it mai boght ben habitable.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., I. 222. Diuide hit thus: that fatte & bering, able, Let plowe hit vp, & leef the lene, vnable, Couert in woode.
1444. Maldon (Essex) Rec. Liber ‘A.’ fol. 32 b. Item, that no bocher sle, ne selle, none vnhable flessh.
† 4. a. Not able to be (done); impossible. Obs.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, Prol. 46. How goddes foght in the filde, folke as þai were, And other errours vnable þat after were knowen, That poyetis of prise have preuyt vntrew.
1548. Geste, Pr. Masse, 78. The wyche, as it is an attempte too unreasonable and unable, so passynge wycked, presumptuouse and detestable.
1567. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 512. How unabill it salbe to the nobilitie … alwayis to abyde and continew at Court.
† b. Awkward; unlucky. Obs.–1
1572. Satir. Poems Reform., xxxi. 94. Sen Fortoun, with a Reill, Hes wrocht thame ane vnabill charr.
5. Lacking in physical ability or strength; incapable of much bodily exertion; weak, feeble. In later use Sc.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., III. (1586), 144 b. Hee waxeth feeble, and vnable, before he bee sixe yeeres olde.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., IV. v. 4. When saplesse Age, and weake vnable limbes Should bring thy Father to his drooping Chaire.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., III. iii. I. ii. I haue an old grimme sire to my husband as bald as a gourde, as little and as vnable as a child.
1685. Baxter, Paraphr. N. T., Matt. xxv. 46. This doth not extend to condemn Infants or poor unable persons for not doing what they could not.
1764. Goldsm., Hist. Eng. in Lett. (1772), I. 168. Though unable by disease, yet they recompensed the defect by valour.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xv. Those unarmed and unable Mephibosheths, that are sure to be a burden to every one that takes them up.
1858–61. J. Brown, Horæ Subs. (1863), 163. No one could have suffered from … the misery of an unable body.
1896. Crockett, Grey Man, iv. He … was ever thereafter unable of his legs.
transf. 1601. Yarington, Two Lament. Trag., i. ii., in Bullen, O. Pl., IV. We do assure us of your love And care to guide his weake unhable youth In pathes of knowledge.
1607. Heywood, Wom. Killed w. Kindn. (1617), C 2 b. Sir I accept it, and remaine indebted Euen to the best of my vnable power.
