Definitions for impossibility
ɪmˌpɒs əˈbɪl ɪ ti, ˌɪm pɒs-im·pos·si·bil·i·ty

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. impossibility, impossiblenessnoun

   incapability of existing or occurring

2. impossibility, impossible actionnoun

   an alternative that is not available

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. impossibilitynoun

   Something that is impossible.

   Meeting the deadline is an impossibility; there is no way we can be ready in time.

2. impossibilitynoun

   The quality of being impossible.

3. Etymology: From impossibilitas.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Impossibilitynoun

   Etymology: impossibilité, Fr. from impossible.

   1. Impracticability; the state of being not feasible.

   Simple Philoclea, it is the impossibility that doth torment me; for unlawful desires are punished after the effect of enjoying, but impossible desires in the desire itself. Philip Sidney.

   Admit all these impossibilities and great absurdities to be possible and convenient. John Whitgift.

   Let the mutinous winds
   Strike the proud cedars 'gainst the firy sun,
   Murdering impossibility, to make
   What cannot be, slight work. William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.

   They confound difficulty with impossibility. South.

   Those who assert the impossibility of space existing without matter, must make body infinite. John Locke.

   When we see a man of like passions and weakness with ourselves going before us in the paths of duty, it confutes all lazy pretences of impossibility. John Rogers.

   2. That which cannot be done.

   Though men do, without offence, wish daily that the affairs, which with evil success are past, might have fallen out much better; yet to pray that they may have been any other than they are, this being a manifest impossibility in itself, the rules of religion do not permit. Richard Hooker.

   Impossibilities! oh no, there's none,
   Could I bring thy heart captive home. Abraham Cowley.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Impossibility

   In contract law, impossibility is an excuse for the nonperformance of duties under a contract, based on a change in circumstances (or the discovery of preexisting circumstances), the nonoccurrence of which was an underlying assumption of the contract, that makes performance of the contract literally impossible. For example, if Ebenezer contracts to pay Erasmus £100 to paint his house on October 1, but the house burns to the ground before the end of September, Ebenezer is excused from his duty to pay Erasmus the £100, and Erasmus is excused from his duty to paint Ebenezer's house; however, Erasmus may still be able to sue under the theory of unjust enrichment for the value of any benefit he conferred on Ebenezer before his house burned down. The parties to a contract may choose to ignore impossibility by inserting a hell or high water clause, which mandates that payments continue even if completion of the contract becomes physically impossible. In common law, for the defense of "impossibility" to be raised performance must not merely be difficult or unexpectedly costly for one party, there must be no way for it to actually be accomplished; however, it is beginning to be recognized that "impossibility" under this doctrine can also exist when the contemplated performance can be done but only at an excessive and unreasonable cost, i.e., commercial impracticability. On the other hand, some sources see "impossibility" and impracticability as being related but separate defenses. The English case that established the doctrine of impossibility at common law is Taylor v. Caldwell.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. impossibility

   Impossibility refers to the state or condition of being unable to occur, exist, or be achieved. It describes a circumstance or situation that is completely unattainable or unrealistic, generally due to existing limitations, restrictions, or barriers.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Impossibilitynoun

   the quality of being impossible; impracticability

2. Impossibilitynoun

   an impossible thing; that which can not be thought, done, or endured

3. Impossibilitynoun

   inability; helplessness

4. Etymology: [L. impossibilitas: cf. F. impossibilit.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Impossibility

   In contract law, impossibility is an excuse for the nonperformance of duties under a contract, based on a change in circumstances, the nonoccurrence of which was an underlying assumption of the contract, that makes performance of the contract literally impossible. For such a defense to be raised, performance must not merely be difficult or unexpectedly costly for one party; there must be no way for it to actually be accomplished. For example, if Rachel contracts to pay Joey $1000 to paint her house on October 1, but the house burns to the ground before the end of September, Rachel is excused from her duty to pay Joey the $1000, and he is excused from his duty to paint her house; however, Joey may still be able to sue for the unjust enrichment of any benefit conferred on Rachel before her house burned down. However, the parties to a contract may choose to ignore impossibility by inserting a hell or high water clause, which mandates that payments continue even if completion of the contract becomes physically impossible. The English case that established this doctrine at common law is Taylor v. Caldwell.

Matched Categories

1. • Nonexistence
   • Option

How to pronounce impossibility?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say impossibility in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of impossibility in Chaldean Numerology is: 3

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of impossibility in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of impossibility in a Sentence

1. Thomas a Kempis:

   Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength, pleads no excuse of impossibility for it thinks all things lawful for itself, and all things possible.

2. Orest Petrychka:

   About the patients in the conflict zones, I am afraid they can be cut off from the supply of insulin... because of actions of targeted terror held by Russian troops or by the physical impossibility to supply this insulin to patients... from the pharmacy.

3. Ray Bradbury:

   We are an impossibility in an impossible universe.

4. Aristotle:

   A likely impossibility is always preferable to an unconvincing possibility.

5. Leo Tolstoy:

   The changes in our life must come from the impossibility to live otherwise than according to the demands of our conscience not from our mental resolution to try a new form of life.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=impossibility
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Impossibility
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=impossibility
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impossibility
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impossibility
7. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=impossibility