liable | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

74 entries found.

"of or pertaining to obsession; liable to obsess," 1911, from obsess + -ive. As a noun, "person characterized by obsession," by 1966. Related: Obsessively. Obsessive-compulsive "combining (psychological) obsessions and compulsions" is attested from 1927.

unaccountable (adj.)

1640s, "inexplicable," from un- (1) "not" + accountable (adj.) here meaning "of which an account can be given." Meaning "not liable to be called to account" is recorded from 1640s. Related: Unaccountably; unaccountability; unaccountableness.

phobic (adj.)

"pertaining to or characterized by phobia," 1888, from phobia + -ic. As a noun, "a person who has a phobia," from 1968. The Greek adjective was phobetikos "liable to fear."

indictable (adj.)

mid-15c., enditable, "capable of being indicted, liable to indictment," from indict + -able. From 1721 of actions, "that may be punished by indictment."

answerable (adj.)

"liable to be held responsible," 1540s, from answer (v.) in the "be responsible for" sense + -able. Less-common meaning "able to be answered" is from 1690s.

fencible (adj.)

early 15c., "capable of making a defense," short for defensible; also see fence (n.). As a noun, "soldier enlisted to defend against invasion and not liable to serve abroad" (1796).

exceptionable (adj.)

"liable to objection, that may be objected to, objectionable," 1660s (implied in exceptionableness), from exception (in the take exception to sense) + -able. Related: Exceptionably. Compare objectionable.

rickety (adj.)

"liable to collapse or come clattering down," 1680s, with + -y (2) + rickets, via the notion of "weak, unhealthy, feeble in the joints." The literal sense is from c. 1720 but never was common in English. Of material things, from 1799.

impressable (adj.)

"liable to be impressed into public service," 1865, from impress (v.2) + -able. Earlier it was used in the sense "capable of receiving impression" and "impressionable." Related: Impressability.

bed-sore (n.)

"gangrene caused by anemia due to continued pressure," 1833, from bed (n.) + sore (n.). A kind of ulcer liable to afflict persons long confined in bed and unable to change position.

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