1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. XI. 225. Poul prouiþ it is vnpossible riche men in heuene.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 153. Þer is no þing vnpossible to stalworþe nature.
1453. in Wars Eng. in France (1864), II. 488. It is unpossible unto us so sone to purvey for the saide socours.
1471. Fortescue, Wks. (1869), 535. The forsayd minor is now clerely proved unpossible.
1523. Ld. Berners, trans. Froiss., I. cxlv. 173. The frenchemen coude natte passe no way, without they wolde haue gone through the marshes, the whiche was vnpossyble.
1570. T. Wilson, Demosth. Orat., Life, 127. Vnpossible it is for anye one to deceyue him.
1610. Fletcher, Faithful Shepherdess, II. i. Whose grief … to anothers eye May seem unpossible of remedy.
1697. Burghope, Disc. Relig. Assemb., 169. There’s nothing requir’d of us … which is unpossible.
1773. Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., II. i. By the laws, your worship, that’s parfectly unpossible.
1825. Brockett, N. C. Words, Unpossible, for impossible. The word is frequent with the vulgar in the North.
1844–. in Sc. and dialect use (Eng. Dial. Dict.).
1866. Flo. Marryat, For Ever & Ever, II. 194. That is an unpossible thing, Sir.
absol. 1581. Mulcaster, Positions, iv. 17. Nothing giuen to the vnpossible, where possibilitie must take place.
Hence † Unpossibleness; † Unpossibly adv.
1561. T. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, IV. Ss ii. The vnpossiblenes of ye matter.
1658. Osborne, Adv. Son, Wks. (1673), 175. Therefore not unpossibly the cause why the Devil was so earnest … to make them commit it [sc. a sin]. Ibid. (1659), Misc. Ess. Paradoxes, 176. I confesse the Party may not unpossibly be very Rich.
