Chiefly in a religious or moral sense, after Rom. ii. 1. (Gr. ἀναπολογητος, L. inexcusabilis).
1382. Wyclif, Rom. ii. 1. For which thing thou ert vnexcusable, thou ech man that demest.
a. 1425. St. Elizabeth of Spalbeck, in Anglia, VIII. 118/39. Þou, man, arte vnexcusabil, if so quik argumentz … stir þe not to strengthe of feith.
c. 1561. Veron, Free-will, 47. That they may … be made vnexcusable agaynst the day of iudgement.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut. i. 4. Therefore are we too unexcusable if we cannot tell what God saith to us there.
1642. G. Mountagu in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 298. To leave them altogether unexcusable, [he] sent them a licence … for their absence.
1685. Baxter, Paraphr. N. T., Matt. x. 17. That both Jews and Gentiles … may … be unexcusable in their sin.
b. Of faults, offences, etc.
1550. Latimer, Last Serm. bef. Edw. VI., Sermons (1580), 113 b. An irremissible sinne, an vnexcusable sinne.
1602. T. Fitzherbert, Apol., 12. Whereby their martyrdome was far more glorious,… the iniury donne into them vnexcusable.
1659. Bp. Walton, Consid. Considered, 3. The unexcusable negligence of the Greek church.
1685. J. Scott, Chr. Life, II. i. 32. As gross and unexcusable a Stupidity as if [etc.].
Hence † Unexcusableness; -ably adv. Obs.
1611. Cotgr., Inexcusablement, vnexcusably.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. § 25. The Prince Electour … had unexcusably, and directly against his Advice, incurred the Ban of the Empire in an Imperial Dyet.
a. 1660. Hammond, Serm., xii. Wks. 1684, IV. 642. We will … rip up to you the unexcusableness of the heathen ignorance in general.
