inexactadj.
/ɪnɛɡˈzakt/ a. Not exact; not strictly correct or precise; also, not strict or rigorous.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > inaccuracy, inexactness > [adjective]
untruec1220
unrighta1393
amissa1398
unproperc1400
rudec1475
bada1522
haltinga1533
unjust1554
rustical1660
unaccurate1660
inaccurate1665
unprecise1742
unexact1758
imprecise1805
inexact1828
ungrammatical1843
bum1896
dot and carry one1900
seat-of-the-pants1935
1828 N. Webster Amer. Dict. Eng. Lang. Inexact, not exact; not precisely correct or true.
1857 W. Whewell Hist. Inductive Sci. (ed. 3) I. 83 This statement of the ancient writer is inexact.
1871 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues II. 338 The enquiry was continued in..a very inexact manner.
1883 Longman's Mag. Apr. 620 The records of an anemometer on the top of a house are, from their very nature, inexact.
b. Of a person: Characterized by inexactness of knowledge, statement, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > inaccuracy, inexactness > [adjective] > of person
inexact1849
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. vii. 178 (note) Burnet was far indeed from being the most inexact writer of his time.
1875 W. D. Whitney Life & Growth Lang. viii. 150 Inexact thinkers.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1828