incommensurate, a.
(ɪnkəˈmɛnsjʊərət, -ʃər-)
[in-3.]
Not commensurate.
1. Not of equal or corresponding measure or degree; out of proportion, disproportionate, inadequate. Const. with, to.
| 1684 Boyle Porousn. Solid Bod. iv. Wks. 1772 IV. 780 So they be not incommensurate to its pores. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 127 ¶10 His improvement grows continually more incommensurate to his life. 1847 Grote Greece ii. xxxi. IV. 172 The four ancient tribes..had become incommensurate with the existing condition of the Attic people. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. II. 251 That power, unfortunately, was incommensurate with their good will. |
† b. Having parts or elements out of proportion; disproportioned. Obs. rare.
| 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 186 The natural proportion of the body is depraved, and the Body made incommensurate. |
2. Not having a common standard of measurement; = incommensurable.
| a 1687 H. More (J.), The diagonal line and side of a quadrate..to our apprehension, are incommensurate. 1694 Holder Disc. Time (J.), If the year comprehend days, it is but as any greater space of time may be said to comprehend a less, though the less space be incommensurate to the greater. 1864 J. H. Newman Apol. 374 Difficulty and doubt are incommensurate. |
Hence incoˈmmensurately adv.; also incoˈmmensurateness.
| 1727 Bailey vol. II, Incommensurateness, incommensurable Quality. 1825 Coleridge Aids Refl. (1848) I. 285 The utter incommensurateness and the unsatisfying qualities of the things around us. 1828 Webster cites Cheyne for Incommensurately. 1841 Blackw. Mag. XLIX. 152 The incommensurateness of Christianity, under its present developments, to embrace and to form a rest for the new mental developments of society. |