a. [UN-1 7 b.] Unendurable, intolerable.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., V. v. 507. This man hath a bodili sijknes … bi which he schal lyue in huge vnberable peine or be deed.
1601. Sir W. Brown, in A. Collins, Lett. & Mem. State (1746), II. 228. The hurt Men … make such a noysom Smell in the Towne, that is allmost vnberable.
1690. C. Nesse, O. & N. Test., I. 175. The first covenant … hath impossible as well as unbearable conditions.
1791–3. in Spirit Public Jrnls. (1799), I. 159. The consumption of provisions in such an army as this, may be objected to as unbearable.
1812. J. Henry, Camp. agst. Quebec, 212. He was almost unbearable to many men.
1875. C. L. Kenney, Mem. M. W. Balfe, 60. This state of mind was heightened to an almost unbearable strain of suspense.
1918. Amy Lowell, Before War Is Declared, 6, in Pan-Amer. Mag., XXVI, April, 326.
| Intolerable pounding and beating of guns, | |
| Unbearable crashing crepitation of guns. |
Hence Unbearableness, Unbearably adv.
1730. Bailey (fol.), Insupportableness, *unbearableness.
1867. Miss Broughton, Cometh up like a Flower, vi. This bearableness or unbearableness of the various burdens laid on the shoulders of poor humanity.
1873. Daily News, 26 Aug. An ordinary mortal would have found the beach in the middle of the day hot to unbearableness.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, VII. i. ¶ 11. You are become so *unbearably hateful to her.
1862. C. H. Aidé, Carr of Carlyon, II. 112. Since her dog’s death she had been more unbearably silly and impertinent than ever.
