untenableadj.

Brit.

/(ˌ)ʌnˈtɛnəbl/, U.S.

/ˌənˈtɛnəb(ə)l/

Etymology: un- prefix¹ 1b

a. Incapable of being held against attack.

ΘΚΠ

society > armed hostility > defence > [adjective] > capable of being defended > not

indefensible1569

untenablea1671

unmaintainable1701

undefendable1931

a1671 T. Fairfax Short Mem. (1699) 9 In a council of war the Town was judged untenable.

1703 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion II. viii. 383 Having lain so long with such a strength before so vile and untenable a place, without reducing it.

1769 W. Robertson Hist. Charles V II. iv. 287 That ill provided and untenable fort.

1796 Accurate & Impartial Narr. Campaigns 1793–4 (ed. 3) I. i. ix. 91 The post..was abandoned as untenable.

1846 H. H. Wilson Hist. Brit. India 1805–35 II. ii. 54 Measures were taken to render the position of the besiegers untenable.

1879 Cassell's Techn. Educator (new ed.) I. 287 The fire of the Prussian artillery rendered the interior of the works..untenable.

b. figurative. (Cf. sense 2.)

ΘΚΠ

the mind > attention and judgement > testing > refutation, disproof > [adjective] > incapable of being defended

indefensible1529

undefensible1529

indefendable1671

untenable1693

1693 J. Dryden Disc. conc. Satire in J. Dryden et al. tr. Juvenal Satires p. xxxi Casaubon..thinks it time to abandon a Post that was untenable. He acknowledges that Persius is obscure in some places.

1765 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy VIII. xxxiv. 141 If there was any one post more untenable than the rest, he would be sure to throw himself into it.

1807 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 17 534 An impartial retrospect..will..convince Mr. Dawson, that he has occupied untenable ground.

1880 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times IV. lxiii. 429 He withdrew from what he felt to be an untenable position.

c. Incapable of being occupied or retained.

ΚΠ

1699 A. Boyer Royal Dict. (at cited word) His new Lodgings were made in a Moment as untenable as the others.

1721 N. Amhurst Terræ-filius (1726) xl. 211 Not content with..college~offices, they have lately found out a method of augmenting them with good livings, which, according to statutes and prescription, are untenable together.

1860 Mercantile Marine Mag. 7 291 A ship could lay there in safety when Table bay would be untenable.

1883 R. L. Stevenson Silverado Squatters 5 The site has proved untenable.

2. Incapable of being maintained or supported.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > disbelief, incredulity > [adjective] > implausible

unmaintainablea1631

untenable1650

unsustainable1662

implausiblea1677

intenable1738

untenible1783

inconceivable1865

1650 T. Fuller Pisgah-sight of Palestine ii. xiii. 268 A Tenet unteinable with truth.

1664 H. More Apol. 507 I am..far from rejecting or condemning the Opinion of the Schools from being altogether untenable.

1724 D. Waterland Farther Vindic. Christ's Divinity Introd. Their main Scheme appearing so gross, and so untenable, that they..are..ashamed to own it.

1835 C. Thirlwall Hist. Greece I. iii. 78 A not untenable hypothesis.

1886 Law Rep.: Chancery Div. 31 365 The claim is of the most untenable description.

Derivatives

unˈtenableness n.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > disbelief, incredulity > [noun] > something unbelievable > implausibility

implausibility1592

untenableness1833

untenability1841

implausibleness1846

1833 G. S. Faber Recapit. Apostasy 40 The untenableness of the various names..crudely propounded by the wantonness of expositorial licence.

1846 G. H. Lewes Hist. Philos. IV. 95 The untenableness of the theory of innate ideas.

This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021).

单词	untenable
释义	untenableadj. Brit. /(ˌ)ʌnˈtɛnəbl/, U.S. /ˌənˈtɛnəb(ə)l/ Etymology: un- prefix¹ 1b 1. a. Incapable of being held against attack. ΘΚΠ society > armed hostility > defence > [adjective] > capable of being defended > not indefensible1569 untenablea1671 unmaintainable1701 undefendable1931 a1671 T. Fairfax Short Mem. (1699) 9 In a council of war the Town was judged untenable. 1703 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion II. viii. 383 Having lain so long with such a strength before so vile and untenable a place, without reducing it. 1769 W. Robertson Hist. Charles V II. iv. 287 That ill provided and untenable fort. 1796 Accurate & Impartial Narr. Campaigns 1793–4 (ed. 3) I. i. ix. 91 The post..was abandoned as untenable. 1846 H. H. Wilson Hist. Brit. India 1805–35 II. ii. 54 Measures were taken to render the position of the besiegers untenable. 1879 Cassell's Techn. Educator (new ed.) I. 287 The fire of the Prussian artillery rendered the interior of the works..untenable. b. figurative. (Cf. sense 2.) ΘΚΠ the mind > attention and judgement > testing > refutation, disproof > [adjective] > incapable of being defended indefensible1529 undefensible1529 indefendable1671 untenable1693 1693 J. Dryden Disc. conc. Satire in J. Dryden et al. tr. Juvenal Satires p. xxxi Casaubon..thinks it time to abandon a Post that was untenable. He acknowledges that Persius is obscure in some places. 1765 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy VIII. xxxiv. 141 If there was any one post more untenable than the rest, he would be sure to throw himself into it. 1807 Med. & Physical Jrnl. 17 534 An impartial retrospect..will..convince Mr. Dawson, that he has occupied untenable ground. 1880 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times IV. lxiii. 429 He withdrew from what he felt to be an untenable position. c. Incapable of being occupied or retained. ΚΠ 1699 A. Boyer Royal Dict. (at cited word) His new Lodgings were made in a Moment as untenable as the others. 1721 N. Amhurst Terræ-filius (1726) xl. 211 Not content with..college~offices, they have lately found out a method of augmenting them with good livings, which, according to statutes and prescription, are untenable together. 1860 Mercantile Marine Mag. 7 291 A ship could lay there in safety when Table bay would be untenable. 1883 R. L. Stevenson Silverado Squatters 5 The site has proved untenable. 2. Incapable of being maintained or supported. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > disbelief, incredulity > [adjective] > implausible unmaintainablea1631 untenable1650 unsustainable1662 implausiblea1677 intenable1738 untenible1783 inconceivable1865 1650 T. Fuller Pisgah-sight of Palestine ii. xiii. 268 A Tenet unteinable with truth. 1664 H. More Apol. 507 I am..far from rejecting or condemning the Opinion of the Schools from being altogether untenable. 1724 D. Waterland Farther Vindic. Christ's Divinity Introd. Their main Scheme appearing so gross, and so untenable, that they..are..ashamed to own it. 1835 C. Thirlwall Hist. Greece I. iii. 78 A not untenable hypothesis. 1886 Law Rep.: Chancery Div. 31 365 The claim is of the most untenable description. Derivatives unˈtenableness n. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > disbelief, incredulity > [noun] > something unbelievable > implausibility implausibility1592 untenableness1833 untenability1841 implausibleness1846 1833 G. S. Faber Recapit. Apostasy 40 The untenableness of the various names..crudely propounded by the wantonness of expositorial licence. 1846 G. H. Lewes Hist. Philos. IV. 95 The untenableness of the theory of innate ideas. This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021). < adj.1650
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