Unprovable

a. [UN-¹ 7 b.]

  1.  Incapable of being proved.

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., IX. xix. 2042. Eftyr þat he had beyn … in exile Be fenȝheid fals suspicion, And all wnprowabil be resson.

1553.  Grimalde, Cicero’s Offices, II. (1556), 65. So we, dissenting from them, do saie again some thinges be prouable, some vnprouable.

1609.  Bp. Hall, Dissuas. Poperie, 35. A Religion, that depends wholly vpon nice and poore vncertainties, and vnproueable supposals.

1677.  Gilpin, Demonol., II. vii. 325. Though Satan’s injections of Non-election be altogether unproveable.

1825.  Bentham, Offic. Apt. Maximized, Indic. (1830), 79. By an unpunishable and unprovable, though solemn act of insincerity.

1883.  Myers, Ess. Mod., Mazzini (1885), 60. Unprovable speculations about the firmament.

  † 2.  Incapable of succeeding. Obs.^–1

1653.  Blithe, Eng. Improver Impr., xxiv. 156. Avoid the getting of Eaten, Bitten, Rough, and Brushy, all being unproveable sets.

  Hence Unprovability, -ableness.

a. 1881.  Barratt, Phys. Metempiric (1883), 23. The unproveability of the hypothesis.

1883.  Contemp. Rev., Nov., 697. There is always a great deal of vagueness, and … of unprovableness, in charges of immorality against a whole race.