Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɪnˈsɛns.ɪ.bəl/, [ɪnˈsɛn̥sɪbl̩]
- Hyphenation: in‧sen‧si‧ble
Adjective
insensible (comparative more insensible, superlative most insensible)
- Unable to be perceived by the senses.
1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:They fall away, / And languish with insensible decay.
- Incapable or deprived of physical sensation.
1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Fate of the Artemis”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:“ […] Captain Markam had been found lying half-insensible, gagged and bound, on the floor of the sitting-room, his hands and feet tightly pinioned, and a woollen comforter wound closely round his mouth and neck ; whilst Mrs. Markham's jewel-case, containing valuable jewellery and the secret plans of Port Arthur, had disappeared. […]”
2023 December 27, David Turner, “Silent lines...”, in RAIL, number 999, page 29:The Leicester Daily Mercury reflected on how these concerns were the result of changing ways of getting around: "It might sound a bit crazy or just a little revolting that at Christmas works parties, some should drink themselves into a near-insensible state... This was not serious when they used public transport, but today more men and women use their own cars."
- Unable to be understood; unintelligible.
- Not sensible or reasonable; meaningless.
1736, Matthew Hale, Historia Placitorum Coronæ:If it make the indictment be insensible or uncertain, […] it shall be quashed.
- Incapable of mental feeling; indifferent.
1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:Lost in their loves, insensible of shame.
- Incapable of emotional feeling; callous; apathetic.
- Synonym: insensitive
Translations
unable to be perceived by the sense
incapable of emotional feeling
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /insenˈsible/ [ĩn.sẽnˈsi.β̞le]
- Rhymes: -ible
- Syllabification: in‧sen‧si‧ble