Middle English Dictionary Entry
insensī̆ble adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | insensī̆ble adj. Also insencible, incensible, incencebil. |
| Etymology | L & OF |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Incapable of being felt or perceived by the senses; (b) imperceptible to the mind; (c) devoid or deprived of the faculty of sensation, senseless; numb, dazed.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)22b/a : Apostemez, if þai goo noȝt agayne, þay bene mynushed by insensible [L insensibilem] resolucioun.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)159b/b : Children for strengþe bene sufficient to put out þe superfluez bi incensible resolucioun.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)180/23 : Seint Andrewe..made þe sore of hir sieknesse as insensibil to hir.
- (c1454) Pecock Fol.(Roy 17.D.9)35/33 : Þat parfite notable beestis..arguen and prouen in sensible þingis and in þo þingis whiche her inward wittis perceyuen, as men arguen and prouen boþe in sensible þingis and in insensible þingis.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)44b/b : It haþ þe þridde, bi þe which passiþ insensible polluciouns.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)168/18 : Oþire sensible dedis, being meenys into þe inward inuisible and insensible charite, ben moral vertuose dedis.
- a1500(c1380) Wycl.Papa (Ryl Eng 86)469 : For bileue is insensible & more trewe þan siche signes; as þis treuþe is insensible þat two & þre maken fyue.
b
- c1475 St.Anne(2) (Trin-C R.3.21)614 : Hit ys incomprehensible; And all the coniecturyng eke, sothely, Vanyssheth and ys clere impossible, To mannys resoun clene insensible.
c
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)24/7 : Þerfore þe ligament is as bowable & incensible [L insensible], for if þat it hadde be censible, þei myȝten nouȝt han I-susteyned þe traueile & þe meuynge of þe ioyntis.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)36b/b : Insencible [members], forsoþ, as þe brayn panne, beth noȝt hurte of þe same.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)207 : Scho was all slokenede in sorowe, and made as it were incencebill and as it were halfe-dede.
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)1168 : Thys insensybyl thyng I kysse in-sted of yowr persone.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)5.470 : This ymage, it shal be insensible, Stonde liche a ston, and byrdes flye rounde aboute.
- (1451) Capgr.St.Gilb.(Add 36704)118/22 : That legge..down to þe foot was soo insensible..þat if men had prikkid him with a nedyl..he felt no mor þerof þan a man had put þis scharpnesse on-to a stoon or a tree.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9925 : Thy body that lyth now blynd & deff, Doom also, and insensyble.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)12b/b : A boon is a consimile membre..coold of complexioun & drie, insensible & inflexible.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)70b/a : By þis it schulde sewen þat a nakid senewe schulde be insensible.