| 释义 |
inability|ɪnəˈbɪlɪtɪ|
Also 6–7 inhab-.
[f. in-3 + ability: cf. It. inabilità, F. inhabileté.]
The condition of being unable; want of ability, physical, mental, or moral; lack of power, capacity, or means.
14..Goodly Ballad L'Envoye, I haue besought my ladies Sapience Of thy behalfe, to accept in game Thine inabilite. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 130 Knowynge our owne fraylty & inabilite, we shall thynke our selfe vnworthy. 1651tr. Life Father Sarpi (1676) 23 The temperament and complexion have a great part in the habilities or inhabilities of men. 1684T. Burnet Th. Earth i. 214 The cause of that driness and decay, or other inhability in the solid parts. 1754Edwards Freed. Will i. iv. 25 The word Inability..has Respect to some stated Defect. 1843Carlyle Past & Pr. i. i, Instead of noble thrift and plenty, there is idle luxury alternating with mean scarcity and inability.
†b. spec. Bodily infirmity. Obs.
1640in Grant Burgh Sch. Scotl. ii. xii. (1876) 368 In regaird of his old aige and inhabilitie of bodie. a1834Lamb Let. to Southey in Talfourd Lett. (1837) I. iv. 107 A good field for dwelling on sickness, and inabilities, and old age.
c. Const. for († to) something; to do, of doing something.
1644Direct. Publ. Worship 6 Their own inability to so great a Worke. 1660R. Coke Justice Vind. 4 He tells you of childrens inability of judging. 1676South Serm. (1697) I. 407 Their Inability for, and frequent contrariety to the bringing about such designs. 1697Ibid. (1698) III. 41 That Infinitely Greater Inability..to present Him with any Thing, which they were not first Beholden to Him for. 1712Steele Spect. No. 437 ⁋3 Good Nature is only an Inability of observing what is faulty. 1805N. Nicholls Let. in Corr. w. Gray (1843) 49 A want of love for general society, indeed an inability to it. 1867Dickens Let. to Miss Hogarth 21 Jan. (1880) II. 272 My distressing inability to sleep at night. |