inequal, a.
(ɪnˈiːkwəl)
[ad. L. inæquāl-is, f. in- (in-3) + æquāl-is equal: cf. OF. inequal (Oresme, 14th c.), mod.F. inégal.]
= unequal. (The earlier formation; now arch. exc. as in b.)
Its earliest use appears to have been in inequal hours, the hours formed by dividing the natural day or night into twelve equal parts, the length of which therefore varied according to the time of the year, the hours of the day being also unequal to the hours of the night, except at the equinoxes.
| c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 1413 The thridde houre in-equal that Palamon Bigan to Venus temple for to gon Vp roos the sonne. c 1391 ― Astrol. ii. §10 Thise howris in-equalis ben cleped howres of planetts..Þe howr in-equal of the day with þe howr inequal of the nyght contenen 30 degrees. 1539 Tonstall Serm. Palm Sund. (1823) 7 The father bygatte hym not inequalle to hym selfe. 1577 Harrison England ii. ix. (1877) i. 192 The Dane law..of all the rest the most inequall and intollerable. 1588 A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. I iij, Ȝow haiff..ye place of ye sone euery day according to ye astronomicall calculation of his middle or æqual motion, for seing ye præcise reconing of his inæqual or trew motion do varie euery ȝere [etc.]. a 1681 Sir G. Wharton æquation of Time Wks. (1683) 101 Seeing that Inequal days cannot be the measure of equal motions, it is requisite that those Inequal days be converted to equal. 1711 Hearne Collect. III. 268 Inequal Distributions were made. 1741 Shenstone Judgm. Hercules 486 Welcome all toils th' inequal Fates decree. 1831 Brewster Newton (1855) I. iv. 82 An image..which..would be..more or less elongated and coloured, if the two refracting angles were more or less inequal. |
b. Of a surface: Uneven.
| 1661 Lovell Hist. Anim. & Min. 319 The ventricles..their inward superficies is inequall with caruncles. 1890 Cent. Dict., Inequal. 2. In entom., covered with irregular elevations and depressions: said of a surface. |
Hence inˈequally adv., in an unequal manner; inˈequalness, inequality (Bailey vol. II. 1727).
| 1661 Lovell Hist. Anim. & Min. 288 The field Spiders eaten or drunk doe inequally affect the whole body by heate, cold, horror, and itching. 1675 R. Burthogge Causa Dei 172 He doth inequally dispense it. |