Unexpressible

a. (and sb.). Now rare or Obs. [UN-¹ 7 and 5 b.] = INEXPRESSIBLE a.

1

1621. [see UNEXPRESSABLE a., quot. a. 1586].

2

1626. Donne, Serm., 746. That unexpressible worke of the Redemption.

3

1675. Traherne, Chr. Ethics, 73. The first of these is occasioned by a secret and unexpressible agreement of tempers.

4

1731. Hist. Litteraria, II. 267. The many, almost unexpressible, Calamities he suffered, during his Captivity.

5

1826. Southey, Vind. Eccl. Angl., 177. An unexpressible, uncomparable, unimaginable stench … filled that whole place of darkness.

6

b. sb. = INEXPRESSIBLE sb. 2.

7

1810. S. Green, Reformist, I. 92. No, we called ’em ‘fie-for-shames,’ ‘unexpressibles,’ ‘inspeakables’; for ‘small-clothes’ has been long out of wogue.

8

Hence Unexpressibleness. Also -ibility.

9

1649. Ambrose, Media, iii. (1652), 56. An hearty survey of the Infiniteness, and unexpressibleness of Gods Bounty, Blessings, and compassionate forbearance towards us.

10

a. 1672. Sterry, Freed. Will (1675), 7. The unexpressibleness of the Divinity, and the Divine Vnity.

11

1816. Bentham, Chrestom., Wks. 1843, VIII. 117. Of impracticability, in this case two causes present themselves…: viz. uncognoscibility and unexpressibility.

12