indifferency
(ɪnˈdɪfərənsɪ)
Also 6 indyff-, 6–7 indeff-.
[ad. L. indifferentia (Gellius), n. of quality from indifferent-em: see indifferent a.1 and -ency.]
The quality of being indifferent.
I. Of a person or thing, in relation to two or more persons, things, courses, etc.
1. Absence of bias, prejudice, or favour for one side rather than another; impartiality, equity, fairness. Now rare.
| 1534 More Comf. agst. Trib. iii. Wks. 1226/2 Then shall they fall from indifferencye, and mayntayne false maters of theyr friendes. 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI 177 b, Not as he, which requireth of you favor, parcialitie, or bearyng, but egall right, frendly indifferencie, and trew..justice. a 1571 Jewel On 2 Thess. (1611) 122 Marke then, and witnesse of my indifferencie..that I follow not affection, but deale vprightly. 1610 Carleton Jurisd. 131 How can sinceritie and indifferencie bee expected of them, that are aforehand bound by Oath to the Pope? a 1670 Hacket Cent. Serm. (1675) 11 Mark here the equity and indifferency of the Son of God both to Jew and to barbarian. 1785 Paley Mor. Philos. vi. viii. (1830) 406 The advantage attending the second kind of judicature [where the judge is determined by lot at the time of the trial, and for that turn only] is indifferency. 1832 Austin Jurispr. (1873) I. iii. 137 Few of them will pursue it with this requisite ‘indifferency’ or impartiality. |
2. Neutrality of feeling; hence, Absence of active feeling or interest; unconcern, apathy; = indifference 2. Const. to, towards. Now rare.
| 1625 Bp. Hall Let. in Neal Hist. Purit. (1733) II. 156 How long will you halt in this Indifferency? 1626 Donne Serm. iv. 38 That you are in æquilibrio, in an Evenesse an Indifferency in an Equanimity whether ye die this night or no. 1642 Rogers Naaman 176 Their former love of the word hath turned to indifferency. 1689 Howe in H. Rogers Life ix. (1863) 253 In matters of religion Charles II was sufficiently known to be a prince of great indifferency. 1715 Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 54 The state of things did not bear an indifferency and neutrality. 1722 De Foe Col. Jack (1840) 203, I had a perfect indifferency for the whole sex. 1835 I. Taylor Spir. Despot. i. 7 To rest in a profligate indifferency to religion. 1836 J. Gilbert Chr. Atonem. vii. (1852) 195 Even the least semblance of indifferency towards the decisions of law. |
† 3. Indetermination of the will; freedom of choice; an equal power to take either of two courses. † liberty of indifferency, freedom from necessity, freedom of the will. Obs.
| 1552 Latimer Serm. & Rem. (1845) 80 We cannot do so here in England; for our indifferency is taken away by a law. a 1617 Bayne On Eph. (1658) 144 The indifferency of the inclination in exercise is bound by Gods decree. a 1652 J. Smith Sel. Disc. vii. ii. (1821) 316 Upon Adam's first transgression, that grand liberty of indifferency equally to good or evil began first to discover itself. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. ii. xxi. §71 The operative Powers..remaining equally able to operate, or to forbear operating after, as before the Decree of the Will, are in a State, which, if one pleases, may be call'd Indifferency. 1699 Burnet 39 Art. x. (1700) 117 This Indifferency to do or not to do, cannot be the true Notion of Liberty. |
4. Of a word: Capability of being applied to different things; neutral or equivocal sense, ambiguity. Now rare or Obs.
| 1596 Bell Surv. Popery iii. xii. 497 To make aduantage of the indifferencie of the word. 1640 Fuller Joseph's Coat, 1 Cor. xi. 28 (1867) 77 The seeming indifferency in the English tongue is necessitated in the Greek, Δοκιµαζέτω. 1702 C. Mather Magn. Chr. ii. v. (1852) 136 The usage..seems to have been accommodated unto that indifferency of signification in the terms. 1881 J. C. Dolan in Penn. Sch. Jrnl. XXX. 88 Because of this indifferency, the term will has here been used in its most popular sense. |
† 5. Of a place: Neutrality in point of advantage. a. Absence of advantage for either of two opposing sides. Obs.
| 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 592 The Rhodians accounted the Turks as good as vanquished, for that they being so many in number, and in a place of such indifferencie, had not yet prevailed. Ibid. 848 The Christians fought at great disadvantage, both for the number of men, and indifferencie of the place. |
† b. Equal accessibility for all parties concerned.
| a 1645 Habington Surv. Worc. in Proc. Worc. Hist. Soc. ii. 193 An Officer of Armes was joyned in commissyon to consyder the safety and indifferency of theyre place of meetinge. |
† 6. The condition of being neither good nor bad, pleasant nor unpleasant. Obs.
| 1690 Locke Hum. Und. ii. xxi. §69 'Tis a mistake to think, that men cannot change the Displeasingness or Indifferency that is in Actions into Pleasure and Desire. 1692 ― Educ. 75 Though before it were a Thing of Delight or Indifferency. |
II. Of two or more things, in their relation to each other or to a person, etc.
7. Want of difference in nature or character; substantial equality or equivalence. Now rare.
| 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 131 For indifferencye and equalitie of both [buyer and seller].. was ordeyned that [etc.]. 1672 Sir T. Browne Let. Friend §7 Tho more have perished by violent deaths in the day, yet in natural dissolutions both times may hold an indifferency, at least but contingent inequality. 1809–10 Coleridge Friend (1865) 27 If the assertor of the indifferency of truth and falsehood in their own natures, attempt to justify his position. 1841–4 Emerson Ess. Ser. i. x. (1876) 251 You have arrived at a fine Pyrrhonism, at an equivalence and indifferency of all actions. |
8. Absence of difference in respect of consequence, effect, significance, or importance; the fact of its making no difference, or of being of no consequence or importance either way.
| 1564 Brief Exam. ***, If the indifferencie of these orders hange vpon the vse: then we must loke wherevnto they are ordeyned. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. ii. iv. §4 The choice is left to our owne discretion, except a principall bond of some higher dutie remoue the indifferencie that such things haue in themselues. 1637 Laud Sp. Star-Chamb. 14 June 54 The Indifferency of the standing of the Holy Table either way. 1692 Wagstaffe Vind. Carol. xiii. 88 Ceremonies..how indifferent soever they are in themselves, when they are once commanded, the indifferency ceases. 1882 T. Mozley Remin. II. cxviii. 331, I still believe..in the indifferency of customs, so long as they do not make void the Divine word. |
b. esp. in phrase of indifferency, that is indifferent, unessential, immaterial, unimportant.
| 1560 Becon New Catech. Wks. 1844 II. 300 So far is it off that these missal vestures are now things of indifferency. 1579 Fulke Refut. Rastell 781 It is a matter of meere indifferency. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 56 Haire long or short, thick or thin, more or lesse, is a matter of indifferency. a 1673 T. Horton in Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. lxiii. 6 As a place of indifferency; that is, there as well as anywhere besides. 1758 S. Hayward Serm. iv. 124 It is not a mere matter of speculation, and therefore not a point of indifferency. 1863 J. Brown Horæ Subs. (ed. 3) 127 Religion was no matter of indifferency to him. |
† c. A matter of indifference; a non-essential.
| 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. i. §26, I would not perish upon a Ceremony, Politick points, or indifferency. 1668 H. More Div. Dial. i. xvi. (1713) 36 If it be an Imperfection, it is to be removed... If an Indifferency, it is indifferent whether you remove it or not. |