improbableadj.

/ɪmˈprɒbəb(ə)l/

Etymology: < Latin improbābilis, < im- (im- prefix²) + probābilis probable, likely: compare French improbable (1611 in Cotgrave).

a. Not probable; not likely to be true; not easy to believe; unlikely.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > improbability, unlikeliness > [adjective]

unlikec1450

incredible1482

unlikely1529

unlike1559

improbable1598

unsupposable1650

unprobable1684

weak1853

1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Improbabile, that cannot be prooued, improbable.

1600 E. Blount tr. G. F. di Conestaggio Hist. Uniting Portugall to Castill 90 They pleaded against the most Christian Queene, that her pretention was improbable.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) iii. iv. 126 If this were plaid vpon a stage now, I could condemne it as an improbable fiction.

1710 R. Steele & J. Addison Tatler No. 254. ⁋2 Were they not so well attested, [they] would appear altogether improbable.

1770 ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra (1772) II. xxxix. 91 I think it was highly improbable.

1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps ii. xxx. 407 I agree..in regarding the explanation as improbable.

b. Qualifying a clause, usually introduced by it.

ΚΠ

1617 F. Moryson Itinerary i. 30 Though it bee improbable that there should be any want of waters.

1674 A. Cremer tr. J. Scheffer Hist. Lapland 24 It is very improbable that so many Christian Kings should take no care of propagating their Religion.

1790 W. Paley Horæ Paulinæ Rom. i. 11 It is in the highest degree improbable that it should have been the effect of contrivance and design.

1836 T. B. Macaulay Sir William Temple in Ess. (1887) 448 When two armies fight, it is not improbable that one of them will be very soundly beaten.

1899 N.E.D. at Improbable Mod. That he will succeed is highly improbable.

c. With complement. rare.

ΚΠ

1655 Ld. Orrery Parthenissa II. i. viii. 364 His Love could not be more improbable of successe than Perolla's had bin.

1703 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion II. viii. 431 Nor was the design improbable to succeed.

2. In pregnant sense: Unlikely to ‘do’, suit, etc. Also, that does not ‘look the part’.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > order > disorder > disharmony or incongruity > unsuitability or inappropriateness > [adjective] > unlikely to suit

improbable1659

the world > relative properties > order > disorder > disharmony or incongruity > unsuitability or inappropriateness > [adjective]

unkinOE

un-i-feieOE

unbecomelyc1200

amissc1325

wrongousa1350

uncovenablec1374

unsitting1390

undue1398

ungainanda1400

unquemea1400

inconvenientc1400

unlikelyc1405

disconvenienta1425

impertinenta1425

discovenablec1436

unmeetc1440

wrongc1440

unjustc1443

unbehovablec1450

inconvenientc1460

uncordial1488

unmeetly1534

unapt1539

unfit1548

incommodious1553

ungreeing1560

impertinent1565

stravagant1565

unproper1566

improper1570

unhovable1570

unapt1579

unbeseeming1583

unsuitablea1586

unappliable1588

unapt1588

unlikely1590

unfittinga1592

unfitted1592

unsuiting1596

unbefitting1598

unsorted1598

unsuited1598

contrary1600

impair1609

unfitty1613

incompetible1621

incongruous1623

infita1626

uncompetiblea1628

inaccommodatea1657

inapplicable1656

inconcinnate1657

inconcinnous1662

inept1675

unaccommodatea1676

incommode1678

indecorous1681

untoward1682

unapplicable1690

insuitable1692

unsuit1704

malapropos1709

inapt1744

out of place1748

uncongenial1788

unfit-like1796

ungain-like1796

inappropriate1804

unadapted1805

dissuitable1807

dissuited1819

ineligible1828

infelicitous1835

unapropos1840

butt-ended1850

malappropriate1851

ungenial1871

misappropriate1878

unbecoming1893

unappropriate1898

unadjusted1899

offside1910

off-key1943

improbable1958

1659 H. Hammond Paraphr. & Annot. Psalms (civ. 16–18 Paraphr.) 512 And that in the most improbable soile.

1958 Times 18 Apr. 11/7 An immense arched building of blue painted woods decorated with an improbable metal dove.

1958 Times 14 May 15/1 As if it were miraculous that this gentle and improbable individual should exist at all.

Derivatives

imˈprobableness n. improbability.

ΚΠ

1727 in N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online December 2021).

单词	improbable
释义	improbableadj. /ɪmˈprɒbəb(ə)l/ Etymology: < Latin improbābilis, < im- (im- prefix²) + probābilis probable, likely: compare French improbable (1611 in Cotgrave). 1. a. Not probable; not likely to be true; not easy to believe; unlikely. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > improbability, unlikeliness > [adjective] unlikec1450 incredible1482 unlikely1529 unlike1559 improbable1598 unsupposable1650 unprobable1684 weak1853 1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Improbabile, that cannot be prooued, improbable. 1600 E. Blount tr. G. F. di Conestaggio Hist. Uniting Portugall to Castill 90 They pleaded against the most Christian Queene, that her pretention was improbable. a1616 W. Shakespeare Twelfth Night (1623) iii. iv. 126 If this were plaid vpon a stage now, I could condemne it as an improbable fiction. View more context for this quotation 1710 R. Steele & J. Addison Tatler No. 254. ⁋2 Were they not so well attested, [they] would appear altogether improbable. 1770 ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra (1772) II. xxxix. 91 I think it was highly improbable. 1860 J. Tyndall Glaciers of Alps ii. xxx. 407 I agree..in regarding the explanation as improbable. b. Qualifying a clause, usually introduced by it. ΚΠ 1617 F. Moryson Itinerary i. 30 Though it bee improbable that there should be any want of waters. 1674 A. Cremer tr. J. Scheffer Hist. Lapland 24 It is very improbable that so many Christian Kings should take no care of propagating their Religion. 1790 W. Paley Horæ Paulinæ Rom. i. 11 It is in the highest degree improbable that it should have been the effect of contrivance and design. 1836 T. B. Macaulay Sir William Temple in Ess. (1887) 448 When two armies fight, it is not improbable that one of them will be very soundly beaten. 1899 N.E.D. at Improbable Mod. That he will succeed is highly improbable. c. With complement. rare. ΚΠ 1655 Ld. Orrery Parthenissa II. i. viii. 364 His Love could not be more improbable of successe than Perolla's had bin. 1703 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion II. viii. 431 Nor was the design improbable to succeed. 2. In pregnant sense: Unlikely to ‘do’, suit, etc. Also, that does not ‘look the part’. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > order > disorder > disharmony or incongruity > unsuitability or inappropriateness > [adjective] > unlikely to suit improbable1659 the world > relative properties > order > disorder > disharmony or incongruity > unsuitability or inappropriateness > [adjective] unkinOE un-i-feieOE unbecomelyc1200 amissc1325 wrongousa1350 uncovenablec1374 unsitting1390 undue1398 ungainanda1400 unquemea1400 inconvenientc1400 unlikelyc1405 disconvenienta1425 impertinenta1425 discovenablec1436 unmeetc1440 wrongc1440 unjustc1443 unbehovablec1450 inconvenientc1460 uncordial1488 unmeetly1534 unapt1539 unfit1548 incommodious1553 ungreeing1560 impertinent1565 stravagant1565 unproper1566 improper1570 unhovable1570 unapt1579 unbeseeming1583 unsuitablea1586 unappliable1588 unapt1588 unlikely1590 unfittinga1592 unfitted1592 unsuiting1596 unbefitting1598 unsorted1598 unsuited1598 contrary1600 impair1609 unfitty1613 incompetible1621 incongruous1623 infita1626 uncompetiblea1628 inaccommodatea1657 inapplicable1656 inconcinnate1657 inconcinnous1662 inept1675 unaccommodatea1676 incommode1678 indecorous1681 untoward1682 unapplicable1690 insuitable1692 unsuit1704 malapropos1709 inapt1744 out of place1748 uncongenial1788 unfit-like1796 ungain-like1796 inappropriate1804 unadapted1805 dissuitable1807 dissuited1819 ineligible1828 infelicitous1835 unapropos1840 butt-ended1850 malappropriate1851 ungenial1871 misappropriate1878 unbecoming1893 unappropriate1898 unadjusted1899 offside1910 off-key1943 improbable1958 1659 H. Hammond Paraphr. & Annot. Psalms (civ. 16–18 Paraphr.) 512 And that in the most improbable soile. 1958 Times 18 Apr. 11/7 An immense arched building of blue painted woods decorated with an improbable metal dove. 1958 Times 14 May 15/1 As if it were miraculous that this gentle and improbable individual should exist at all. Derivatives imˈprobableness n. improbability. ΚΠ 1727 in N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online December 2021). < adj.1598
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