▪ I. imbecile, a. (n.)
(ˈɪmbɪsɪl, -iːl, ɪmbɪˈsiːl)
Forms: 6 -ill(e, 7–8 -il, 7– -ile.
[a. F. imbécille (15–16th c. in Godef.), now imbécile (admitted by the Acad. 1835), ad. L. imbēcill-us, -is, weak, feeble in body or mind (a word of unknown composition).
From an erroneous impression that the L. word was imbecilis (so stated in Bailey's Folio, repeated by Johnson, and made the basis of argument by Walker), the spelling imbecile, found in 17th c., was established in 18th c. The pronunciation (ɪmˈbɛsɪl), connected with the confusion of this word and embezzle (see imbecile v.) was usual down to the beginning of 19th c., and was preferred by Walker 1791, though (ɪmbɪˈsiːl), after Fr. imbécille, is said to have been ‘the more fashionable’.]
1. In general sense: Weak, feeble; esp. feeble of body, physically weak or impotent.
| 1549 Compl. Scot. vi. 37 The..laubirs that i tuke..gart al my body be cum imbecille ande verye. 1597 A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. *vj, Their importunate assaultes on the imbecille walles of my answers. 1599 ― tr. Gabelhouer's Bk. Physicke 17/2 He may..drinck verye smalle, and imbecille wynes, and take heede of all manner of strong wynes what soever. 1659 D. Pell Impr. Sea To Rdr. d vij b, My prayer..that God would prosper this poor and imbecil Peece to every one of their Souls. 1730 Bailey, Imbécile, Weak, Feeble. 1797 Godwin Enquirer ii. xii. 428 An old man who..has..something imbecil in his motions. 1813 Shelley Q. Mab viii. 152 His stunted stature and imbecile frame. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xiv. III. 424 The administration had..been constantly becoming more and more imbecile. 1856 Emerson Eng. Traits, Wealth Wks. (Bohn) II. 74 The robust rural Saxon degenerates in the mills..to the imbecile Manchester spinner. |
2. Mentally weak; of weak character or will through want of mental power; hence, Fatuous, stupid, idiotic. (The chief current use.)
| [1755 Johnson, Imbécile, weak; feeble; wanting strength of either mind or body. (No quot.) 1799–1805 Wordsw. Prelude ix. 585 His days he wasted,—an imbecile mind.] 1804 Matilda Betham Biog. Dict. Celebr. Wom., Pulcheria, She alone had sustained the imperial dignity, under the reign of her weak and imbecile brother. 1846 De Quincey Glance Wks. Mackintosh Wks. XIII. 63 But he had the misfortune to be ‘imbecile’..in fact, he was partially an idiot. 1866 Geo. Eliot F. Holt i. I. 42 The news came..that Durfey, the imbecile son, was dead. |
b. Of actions: Marked by mental feebleness or fatuity; hence, Inane, stupid, absurd, idiotic.
| 1861 Mrs. Browning Mother & Poet xv, 'Twere imbecile, hewing out roads to a wall. 1897 M. Kingsley W. Africa 581 Bees..getting beneath the waterproof sheets over the bed, and pretending they can't get out and forthwith losing their tempers, which is imbecile, because the whole four sides of the affair are broad open. |
c. Comb., as imbecile-minded.
| 1825 R. H. Froude Rem. (1838) I. 191 Imbecile-minded people. |
† 3. Made away with, squandered, or dissipated: cf. imbecile v. 2, embezzle. Obs. rare.
| a 1677 Barrow Serm. on Creed xxii. Wks. 1686 II. 324 We in a manner were got out of God's possession: were, in respect to him become imbecil and lost: we were like sheep gone astray. |
B. n. One who is imbecile; a person of weak intellect.
| 1802 Nugent Let. 19 Nov. in Dk. Buckhm. Court Geo. III (1855) III. 236 Le Clerc was an imbecile; but he is no more. 1838 Lytton Alice 100 These haughty imbeciles shall fall into the trap they have dug for us. 1873 Hamerton Intell. Life xi. iv. (1875) 419 We are not all of us exactly imbeciles in money matters. |
Hence imbecilely adv., in an imbecile manner; stupidly, idiotically.
| 1847 R. W. Hamilton Disq. Sabbath v. (1848) 177 [The pulpit] may be imbecilely filled. 1870 Daily News 20 Sept., The Mobiles are peasants..when I speak to them they nudge each other, and grin imbecilely. |
▪ II. † imˈbecile, v. Obs.
Also 6–7 -ill.
[The history of this word can scarcely be disentangled from that of embezzle v. The latter (in 15–16th c. embesil(l, imbesill) was evidently thought to be derived from L. imbēcill-us, -is, or F. imbécille, weak; thence arose a series of spellings and senses connecting it with this supposed derivation, the ultimate result of both being imbecil(l in the sense to impair, weaken: see embezzle v.]
1. trans. To make imbecile, weak, or impotent; to impair, weaken, enfeeble, debilitate. See embezzle v. 2.
The modern instance is a nonce-use from the adj., having no historical relation to the 16–17th c. word.
| 1539–40 Abp. Parker Corr. (Parker Soc.) 12, I would be loth now that any man should enter to imbecile the thing. 1546 Langley Pol. Verg. De Invent. i. i. 1 b, These..imbecilled their health, procured diseases. 1566 Drant Horace, Sat. i. v, [They] so imbecill all theyr strengthe, that they are naught to me. 1574 Newton Health Mag. 26 To imbecile and hinder health. 1651 Jer. Taylor Holy Dying iii. §7 It is a sad calamity, that the fear of death shall so imbecil man's courage and understanding. [1851 W. Anderson Exposure Popery (1878) 239 What an imbecile you are—with your judgment imbeciled by some lust.] |
2. (In senses of embezzle v.) To do away with the force of, annul, abrogate, make away with, take away dishonestly.
| c 1546 in Brand Hist. Newcastle (1789) I. 258 The dede of the foundacion was lost or imbecilled away long syns. [1548 Gest Pr. Masse in H. G. Dugdale Life (1840) App. i. 76 Thee pryvee masse..embecilleth and taketh out of our hartes Christ. Ibid. 131 To disanul and embecyl Christ his sonnes death.] 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1684) I. 301 By whom..the Authorities of old Grants, Statutes, Laws and Priviledges, and imbecilled and abrogate. 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Appetisser, to diminish, to lessen, to imbesill. 1637 Gataker Marriage Duties Serm. 194 (L.) The provident and faithfull keeping and preserving of provisions..that they be not imbecilled or made away. 1650 Jer. Taylor Holy Living iii. §2 Guardians of pupils and widows, not suffering their persons to be oppressed, or their states imbezill'd. |
Hence † imbeciled ppl. a.; † imbeciling vbl. n.
| 1549 Allen Jude's Par. Rev. xvi. 25 This is imbeselynge and diminyshe of their power and dominion. 1578 Banister Hist. Man i. 28 Vlna is the further downward, the more imbecilled, and weakened. 1599 A. M. tr. Gabelhouer's Bk. Physicke 117/2 It exsiccateth and also calefyeth the imbicilled stomacke. |