| 释义 |
imaginable, a.|ɪˈmædʒɪnəb(ə)l|
Also 4 ym-.
[ad. late L. imāginābilis (Boethius), f. imāgināre to imagine: see -ble.]
Capable of being imagined; conceivable. a. In ordinary adjectival (chiefly predicative) use.
c1374Chaucer Boeth. v. pr. iv. 128 (Camb. MS.) Reson..comprehendeth the thinges ymaginable & sensible. 1532More Confut. Tindale Wks. 547/1 Hys worde, whych he by a meane to vs not imagynable continually speaketh vnto them. 1638Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 265 Such a dreadfull noyse, as is scarce imaginable. 1651Hobbes Govt. & Soc. x. §2. 150 Nor is it imaginable which way publick treasures can be a grievance to private subjects. 1750tr. Leonardus' Mirr. Stones 51 The human understanding extends itself to things intelligible and the imagination to things imaginable. 1852H. Rogers Ecl. Faith (1853) 76 Miracles are, at least, imaginable.
b. Frequently used to emphasize the absolute or universal nature of a statement, being placed after a n. preceded by all the or a superlative, esp. the greatest, or between all, every, or no, and the n.
1647Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §23 Urged with all the artifice and address imaginable. 1656–9B. Harris Parival's Iron Age (ed. 2) 98 The People..held him still, for the Authour of all imaginable mischief to the Kingdom. 1692Washington tr. Milton's Def. Pop. v. M.'s Wks. (1847) 376/1 Guilty of the greatest crimes imaginable. 1709Steele Tatler No. 41 ⁋9 The Elector of Cologne is making all imaginable Hast to remove from hence to Rheims. 1711Addison Spect. No. 123 ⁋4 He had all the Duty and Affection imaginable for his supposed Parent. 1798Malthus Popul. (1817) II. 379 Under the best form of government imaginable. 1880L. Stephen Pope iii. 73 ‘Ass’ is the vilest word imaginable in English or Latin. 1884Law Rep. 25 Ch. Div. 491 There is no imaginable reason why the Court should not have power to sanction them.
Hence iˈmaginableness (Bailey vol. II, 1727). |