unpossible

English

Etymology

From Middle English unpossible, equivalent to un- (“not”) +‎ possible.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʌnˈpɒsɪbəl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adjective

unpossible (comparative more unpossible, superlative most unpossible)

1. (now rare, nonstandard, sometimes humorous) Impossible.
   • 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Luke j:[36–37], folio lxxiij, recto:

     And this is the .vj. moneth to her / which was called barren / foꝛ with god ſhall nothinge be vnpoſſible.

   • 1579, Plutarke of Chæronea [i.e., Plutarch], “Agis and Cleomenes”, in Thomas North, transl., The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romaines, […], London: […] Richard Field, →OCLC, page 851:

     But the young man Hippomedon making her priuie vnto it, at the firſt ſhe was amaſed withall, and bad him hold his peace if he were wiſe, and not medle in matters vnpoſſible and vnprofitable.

   • 1621, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Concupiscible appetite, as Desires, Ambition”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and Iames Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 2, member 3, subsection 11, page 150:

     T’is a hard matter therfore to confine them, being they are ſo various and many, and vnpoſſible to apprehend all.

   • 1624, Anthony Bagnall, Nathanaell Powell, Anas Todkill, “The Government surrendred to Master Scrivener. What happened the second Voyage in discovering the Bay.”, in Iohn Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: […], London: […] I[ohn] D[awson] and I[ohn] H[aviland] for Michael Sparkes, →OCLC, book 3; reprinted in The Generall Historie of Virginia, [...] (Bibliotheca Americana), Cleveland, Oh.: The World Publishing Company, 1966, →OCLC, page 60:

     In the evening we fired a few rackets, which flying in the ayre ſo terrified the poore Salvages, they ſuppoſed nothing vnpoſſible we attempted; […]

   • 1665, R[obert] Hooke, “Observ[ation] XXI. Of Moss, and several other small vegetative Substances.”, in Micrographia: Or Some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies Made by Magnifying Glasses. […], London: […] Jo[hn] Martyn, and Ja[mes] Allestry, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC, page 135:

     [S]o prodigiouſly various are the works of the Creator, and ſo All-ſufficient is he to perform what to man would ſeem unpoſſible, […]

   • 1994, “Lisa on Ice”, in The Simpsons:

     Ralph Wiggum: Me fail English? That's unpossible!

   • 2008, David Goldberg, “meeting with HKS”, in Mimecast:

     I think we can all agree that this is unpossible.