unˈmanageable, a.
[un-1 7 b.]
1. Incapable of being governed or controlled: a. Of persons or their disposition.
| 1632 B. Jonson Magn. Lady i. i, My humour being as stubborn as the rest, And as unmanageable. 1665 Glanvill Def. Van. Dogm. p. x, They..are rendred unmanageable by any Authority but that of Absolute Dominion. 1728 Morgan Algiers II. v. 316 That tough, lofty, unmanageable Monarch [sc. Henry VIII]. 1791 Bentham Panopt. i. 39 As to safe custody and good order, four [prisoners] is not such a number as can well be deemed unmanageable. 1804 Abernethy Surg. Obs. 186 [During] the greater part of the delirium he had been very unmanageable. 1887 Spectator 25 June 854/2 The rise of soldiers who might be unmanageable or too successful. |
b. Of animals. (Also in
fig. context.)
| 1678 A. Behn Sir P. Fancy i. i, [The fops] of the Town are the most unmanageable beasts in nature. 1681 R. L'Estrange Tully's Offices 45 Horses..grown Fierce, and Unmenageable, by being chaf'd. 1712 Waterland Serm. Wks. 1823 VIII. 383 When they grow impatient of the curb..they do but show..how much more unruly and unmanageable they had been without it. 1823 Scott Quentin D. ix, Each fresh gambade of his unmanageable horse. 1855 Poultry Chron. II. 611/1 She [sc. a hen] was rather conceited, unmanageable, and very touchy about interference. 1878 R. B. Smith Carthage 314 The elephants..became unmanageable. |
c. Of things.
| 1794 Paley Evid. i. ii. ii. §3 Convulsions..are amongst the..most uncertain and unmanageable applications to the human frame. 1898 ‘Merriman’ Roden's Corner xxi, When human affairs suddenly appear to become unmanageable. |
2. Incapable of being properly or conveniently handled or manipulated.
| 1658 Phillips, Immanity,..such a hugenesse as renders a thing unmanageable. 1779 Phil. Trans. LXIX. 422 It required an index of an unmanageable length. 1805 in Nicolas Disp. Nelson (1846) VII. 166 So that the Ship was entirely unmanageable. 1822 J. Flint Lett. Amer. 75 Travellers..ought not to adopt large boxes, which..are comparatively unmanageable on every occasion. 1885 Manch. Exam. 17 Jan. 5/4 A great, awkward, unmanageable goods train. |
| transf. 1827 Scott Two Drovers i, The hill rung with the discordant attempts of the Saxon upon the unmanageable monosyllable. 1855 Poultry Chron. III. 335/1 Irish [oats] are unmanageable and comparatively neglected. |
Hence
unˈmanageably adv.| 1805 Foster Ess. (1806) I. 185 If even one of the four [horses] were unmanageably perverse, while the three were obedient. 1860 Froude Hist. Eng. VI. 329 Meantime, Philip..was becoming unmanageably impatient. |