incapacityn.
/ˌɪnkəˈpasᵻti/, /ˌɪŋkəˈpasᵻti/, U.S. /ˈˌɪnkəˈpæsədi/, /ˈˌɪŋkəˈpæsədi/ 1.
a. Want of capacity; inability, powerlessness; incompetence, natural disqualification; incapability. Also with an and plural, an instance of this.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > inability > [noun]
unablenessc1380
unabletyc1380
infirmityc1384
unabilityc1475
non-ability1477
inability1500
disability1545
unsufficiency1580
disablement1597
disableness1609
incapacity1611
uncapableness1611
incapability1632
incapableness1632
uncapabilitya1644
incompatibility1659
incompetibilitya1660
uncapacity1681
invalidity1698
disable1827
1611 J. Florio Queen Anna's New World of Words Incapacita, incapacity, vncapablenesse.
1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica iii. i. 107 Wee doe not conceive..any such intolerable incapacity in the organs of divers other Quadrupedes. View more context for this quotation
1702 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion I. i. 50 The Lord Conway..for age and incapacity, was at last removed from the Secretary's office.
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 456. ⁋2 The Incapacity of an Infant or a Lunatick.
1781 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall (1869) I. xxi. 589 His incapacity and ignorance were equal to his presumption.
1819 P. B. Shelley Cenci ii. ii. 29 The eldest son of a rich nobleman Is heir to all his incapacities.
1873 P. G. Hamerton Intellect. Life (1875) x. v. 391 Cerebral fatigue leading to temporary incapacity.
b. Const. of, for, or infinitive: cf. incapable adj. and n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > inability > [noun] > inability to make, receive, or deal with
incapacitya1665
a1665 J. Goodwin Πλήρωμα τὸ Πνευματικόv (1670) ii. 21 An utter incapacity of receiving the Spirit.
1681 N. Luttrell Diary in Brief Hist. Relation State Affairs (1857) I. 131 The incapacity of the emperor to hinder it.
1736 Bp. J. Butler Analogy of Relig. i. iii. 71 Through Incapacity of knowing better, and doing better for themselves.
1828 C. Lamb Old Margate Hoy in Elia 2nd Ser. 35 The incapacity of actual objects for satisfying our preconceptions of them.
1856 F. L. Olmsted Journey Slave States 130 Feeling their own incapacity to take care of themselves.
c. Inability to take, receive, or deal with in some way. Const. of, for.
ΚΠ
1656 R. Vines Treat. Inst. Lords-Supper xiii. 149 He brings..a Church into an incapacity of Sacraments.
1665 J. Glanvill Sciri Tuum: Authors Defense To T. Albius sig. A4, in Scepsis Scientifica I fell into a violent feavour, which long detain'd me in an incapacity for matter of such a nature.
1896 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. I. 411 Digestive incapacity for starch and milky food.
2. Legal disqualification, disability: with an and plural, an instance of this, a disqualification or disability.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > legal capacity > [noun] > legal incapacity
non-ability1477
disability1579
incapacity1648
incompetency1650
1648 Art. Peace c. 8 That all Incapacities imposed upon the Natives of this Kingdom..be taken away by Act to be passed in the said Parliament.
1690 H. Maurice Remarks from Country 17 Persons of great Consideration and credit..lying at present under an incapacity.
1767 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. (new ed.) II. 257 There is one more incapacity of taking by descent.
1850 C. Merivale Hist. Romans under Empire I. iv. 212 The laws..inflicted upon him civil incapacity to the fullest extent.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1611