non possumusphr.n.

Brit.

/nɒn ˈpɒsjᵿməs/, U.S.

/ˌnɑn ˈpɑsəməs/

Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymon: Latin nōn possumus.

Etymology: < classical Latin nōn possumus we cannot < nōn not (see non- prefix) + possumus we are able, 1st plural present indicative of posse to be able (see posse n.¹).

A. phr.

Expressing inability to act or intervene in a matter. Also attributive.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > ability > inability > [noun] > statement expressing inability to act

non possumus1870

1870 B. Disraeli Lothair II. xix. 226 ‘Non possumus,’ said Berwick, sternly stopping him.

1885 C. Lowe Life Bismarck II. 347 To give up diplomatising, and return to a policy of non possumus.

1890 Athenæum 25 Jan. 124/3 Some time ago it was proposed to the Royal Academy to do this; the answer was a sort of ‘non possumus’.

1912 W. James Ess. Radical Empiricism i. 36 But a last cry of non possumus will probably go up from many readers.

1934 Ld. Berners First Childhood 137 He adopted a sort of ‘non possumus’ attitude towards every form of religious worship.

1992 Amer. Jrnl. Internat. Law 86 648 To base the Court's Order solely on that non possumus ground is to leave open the possibility that the Court..might have indicated provisional measures.

B. n.

A statement or answer expressing inability to act or intervene.

ΚΠ

1875 C. P. Cranch Bell & Bird 212 He prolongs The strife with chaos, smiles on rights and wrongs; The Pope's non possumus most blandly hears.

1883 Standard 15 Sept. 5/1 Their answer to all applications consisting in a non possumus, and nothing more.

1955 K. Amis Let. 27 Feb. (2000) 421 I shamefully omitted to return a courteous non possumus.

1989 Sunday Tel. 23 Apr. 24/2 Mrs Thatcher, too, has some such thunderbolt up her sleeve, in the form, perhaps, of a non possumus to the decisions of the European Commission or the European Court.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	non possumus
释义	non possumusphr.n. Brit. /nɒn ˈpɒsjᵿməs/, U.S. /ˌnɑn ˈpɑsəməs/ Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymon: Latin nōn possumus. Etymology: < classical Latin nōn possumus we cannot < nōn not (see non- prefix) + possumus we are able, 1st plural present indicative of posse to be able (see posse n.¹). A. phr. Expressing inability to act or intervene in a matter. Also attributive. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > ability > inability > [noun] > statement expressing inability to act non possumus1870 1870 B. Disraeli Lothair II. xix. 226 ‘Non possumus,’ said Berwick, sternly stopping him. 1885 C. Lowe Life Bismarck II. 347 To give up diplomatising, and return to a policy of non possumus. 1890 Athenæum 25 Jan. 124/3 Some time ago it was proposed to the Royal Academy to do this; the answer was a sort of ‘non possumus’. 1912 W. James Ess. Radical Empiricism i. 36 But a last cry of non possumus will probably go up from many readers. 1934 Ld. Berners First Childhood 137 He adopted a sort of ‘non possumus’ attitude towards every form of religious worship. 1992 Amer. Jrnl. Internat. Law 86 648 To base the Court's Order solely on that non possumus ground is to leave open the possibility that the Court..might have indicated provisional measures. B. n. A statement or answer expressing inability to act or intervene. ΚΠ 1875 C. P. Cranch Bell & Bird 212 He prolongs The strife with chaos, smiles on rights and wrongs; The Pope's non possumus most blandly hears. 1883 Standard 15 Sept. 5/1 Their answer to all applications consisting in a non possumus, and nothing more. 1955 K. Amis Let. 27 Feb. (2000) 421 I shamefully omitted to return a courteous non possumus. 1989 Sunday Tel. 23 Apr. 24/2 Mrs Thatcher, too, has some such thunderbolt up her sleeve, in the form, perhaps, of a non possumus to the decisions of the European Commission or the European Court. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < phr.n.1870
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