1. = INSENSIBLE a. 1.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. II. 55. It was bigynnyng of tyme unsensible to mannis witt. Ibid., 148. Þei trowen to sensible wordis, and oþer signes þat men maken, but unsensible wordis of Goddis Sone … þei trowen litil or nouȝt.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 100. To a-wowe is, a resonable creature to obey him to his souereyn, to kep sum hard þing þat is sensible, or vns[ens]ible.
1534. More, Treat. Passion, Wks. 1335/2. Vnder anye of the twoo outwarde sensible Sacramentes … the whole inwarde vnsensyble Sacramente … is … fullye conteyned.
1581. E. Campion, in Confer., III. (1584), Q j b. That you say vnsensible, it is true, if you meane the spirituall grace, which is not subiect to sense.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xv. 285. To extend reason from … things sensible to things vnsensible,… from bodily to spirituall.
1656. M. Casaubon, Enthus., To Rdr. Neither do I think so meanly of any truth, that can be reduced to any reality, whether sensible or unsensible.
b. = INSENSIBLE a. 1 b.
1545. Raynald, Byrth Mankynde, Y vj. The blud the whiche daylye and hourely, by vnsensyble swettinge euaporatith.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, I. xiii. It being set upon such an unsensible rising of the ground, as you are come to a prety height before almost you perceive that you ascend.
1614. Brerewood, Lang. & Relig., 12. For which reason, the corruption of speech growing upon them, by little and little, the change hath been unsensible.
1633. Prynne, Histrio-m., 957. No man becomes extreamely vitious on a sudden, but by unsensible gradations.
c. Imperceptible by reason of minuteness.
1551. Recorde, Pathw. Knowl., I. Def., A Poynt … is named of Geometricians that small and vnsensible shape, whiche hath in it no partes.
1571. Digges, Pantom., I. xv. E ij. The angle … groweth so acute, and vnsensible, that great errour ensueth the least mistakyng.
1602. Fulbecke, Pandectes, 9. The present time is so small and unsensible, that it is almost of no continuance.
2. = INSENSIBLE a. 2.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 53. If the greefes of them bee to thee insensible by reason of thy … longe sickenes.
3. = INSENSIBLE a. 3 a.
c. 1532. Tindale, Answ. More, Wks. (1572), 279/1. [Christ] dyed not to purchase such honour vnto vnsensible thinges, that [etc.].
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (Camden), 252. Unless he be as unsensible as a man that will put and hold his finger in the hot fire and say the fire burneth not.
1583. Melbancke, Philotimus, S ij. The two vnsensible pictures.
1611. Cotgr., Cal, a thicke, and vnsensible skin, or brawnie hardnesse of skin.
1627. Lisander & Cal., I. 11. The secret places of Calista’s affection, which were not marble, nor of any unsensible matter.
1677. W. Hubbard, Narrative, Postscr. 10. This unsensible and hardhearted Monster answered, he liked it very well.
b. = INSENSIBLE a. 3 b, 3 c.
1568. Turner, Herbal, III. 50. Rasis in his Simples writeth that the Methel maketh num or vnsensible.
a. 1616. Beaum. & Fl., Wit without M., II. iv. Your Land bas lain long bedrid, and unsensible.
1632. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Eromena, 191. Her often swounding kept her alive by making her become unsensible of the sharpenesse of the paine which shee felt.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric., 160. When the doors are shut … they [sc. bees] are dark, and unsensible of so small a heat.
1891. in G. L. Gower, Surrey Words (1893), 44. I was unsensible for loss of blood.
4. = INSENSIBLE a. 4 a.
(a) 1610. Heywood, Gold. Age, IV. i. Vnsensible of loue, or amorous pitty.
1621. G. Sandys, Ovid’s Met., VIII. (1626), 167. They the time beguile with speech: Vnsensible of stay.
1692. South, Serm. (1697), I. 498. I mean not, that he is unsensible of the good it self, but that … he is wholly unsensible … of the Benignity of him that does it.
a. 1804. in Miss Betham, Biog. Dict. Celebrated Women, 452. She thought herself … too unsensible of our Lord’s love to her.
(b) 1663. Gerbier, Counsel, a ij. It would doubtlesse make me pass for uncensible, how your Majesty … inherited that same clemency.
1664. Ingelo, Bentiv. & Ur., V. 39. One not altogether unsensible that he hath over-charg’d his Vocation with burthensome Cares.
1719. W. Wood, Surv. Trade, 224. I am not unsensible, how very disadvantagious it is for us [etc.].
1735. J. Price, Stone-Br. Thames, 16. I am not unsensible that it may be suggested [etc.].
b. = INSENSIBLE a. 4 b.
1619. J. King, Serm., 2. I thinke there is none so unsensible that is not moved hereat.
1650. O. Sedgwick, Christ the Life, 26. Dull and unsensible men; of such did one long since complain, That [etc.].
1676. Etheredge, Man of Mode, II. i. Town. Methinks you speak very feelingly, Brother. Old Bell. I am but Five and Fifty, Sister, you know, an Age not altogether unsensible!
a. 1699. J. Kirkton, Hist. Ch. Scot. (1817), 65. Many a sober man was tempted to exceed, lest he should be condemned as unnatural, disloyal, unsensible.
5. = INSENSIBLE a. 5.
1560. Pilkington, Expos. Aggeus, Dd ij. Lyke vnreasonable beastes and vnsensyble.
1565. Stapleton, Fortr. Faith, 136*. What is now more reuiled of vnsensible protestants then the shauen crowne of reuerent priesthood?
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, I. iv. He found some of his aunswers … not unsensible.
1814. [Mary Brunton], Discipline, xxii. III. 26. The poor lad was not so unsensible, but he knew to do his bidding.
1861. Geo. Eliot, Silas M., xiv. When the drink’s out of ’em, they aren’t unsensible.
6. Not showing good or sound sense.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. xix. For nothing can be more unsensible, then to thinke what one doth, & to forget the end why it is done.
1858. Bagehot, Lit. Stud. (1879), II. 154. The strongest unsensible feeling in Scott was perhaps his Jacobitism.
