n. Insufficiency. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. insufficientia: cf. F. insuffisance, whence OE. insuffisance. See Insufficient. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The quality or state of being insufficient; lack of sufficiency; deficiency; inadequateness; as, the insufficiency of provisions, of an excuse, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

The insufficiency of the light of nature is, by the light of Scripture, . . . fully supplied. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Lack of power or skill; inability; incapacity; incompetency; as, the insufficiency of a man for an office. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. insufficiens, -entis. See In- not, and Sufficient. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Not sufficient; not enough; inadequate to any need, use, or purpose; as, the provisions are insufficient in quantity, and defective in quality. “Insufficient for His praise.” Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Wanting in strength, power, ability, capacity, or skill; incompetent; incapable; unfit; as, a person insufficient to discharge the duties of an office.

Syn. -- Inadequate; scanty; incommensurate; unequal; unfit; incompetent; incapable; inefficient. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an insufficient manner or degree; unadequately. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being self-sufficient. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Sufficient for one's self without external aid or cooperation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Neglect of friends can never be proved rational till we prove the person using it omnipotent and self-sufficient, and such as can never need any mortal assistance. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having an overweening confidence in one's own abilities or worth; hence, haughty; overbearing. “A rash and self-sufficient manner.” I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Sufficing for one's self or for itself, without needing external aid; self-sufficient. -- Self`-suf*fi"cing*ness, n. J. C. Shairp. [1913 Webster]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Sufficed p. pr. & vb. n. Sufficing ] [ OE. suffisen, OF. soufire, F. suffire (cf. suffisant, p. pr.), L. sufficere to put under, to substitute, to avail for, to suffice; sub under + facere to make. See Fact. ] To be enough, or sufficient; to meet the need (of anything); to be equal to the end proposed; to be adequate. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

To recount almighty works,
What words or tongue of seraph can suffice? Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To satisfy; to content; to be equal to the wants or demands of. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. Deut. iii. 26. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To furnish; to supply adequately. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The power appeased, with winds sufficed the sail. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Sufficiently. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. sufficientia: cf. F. suffisance. See Suffice. ] 1. The quality or state of being sufficient, or adequate to the end proposed; adequacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

His sufficiency is such that he bestows and possesses, his plenty being unexhausted. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Qualification for any purpose; ability; capacity. [ 1913 Webster ]

A substitute or most allowed sufficiency. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I am not so confident of my own sufficiency as not willingly to admit the counsel of others. Eikon Basilike. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Adequate substance or means; competence. “An elegant sufficiency.” Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Supply equal to wants; ample stock or fund. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Conceit; self-confidence; self-sufficiency. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sufficiency is a compound of vanity and ignorance. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. sufficiens, -entis, p. pr. of sufficere: cf. F. suffisant. See Suffice. ] 1. Equal to the end proposed; adequate to wants; enough; ample; competent; as, provision sufficient for the family; an army sufficient to defend the country. [ 1913 Webster ]

My grace is sufficient for thee. 2 Cor. xii. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Possessing adequate talents or accomplishments; of competent power or ability; qualified; fit. [ 1913 Webster ]

Who is sufficient for these things? 2 Cor. ii. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Capable of meeting obligations; responsible. [ 1913 Webster ]

The man is, notwithstanding, sufficient . . . I think I may take his bond. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Self-sufficient; self-satisfied; content. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Thou art the most sufficient (I'll say for thee),
Not to believe a thing. Beau. & Fl. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Enough; adequate; competent; full; satisfactory; ample. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. To a sufficient degree; to a degree that answers the purpose, or gives content; enough; as, we are sufficiently supplied with food; a man sufficiently qualified for the discharge of his official duties. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Affording enough; satisfying. -- Suf*fi"cing*ly, adv. -- Suf*fi"cing*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. Insufficiency. [ Obs. ] Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Insufficient. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

See accommodating.
See aching.
See ailing.
See aiming.
See alarming.
See altering.
See appreciating.
See approving.
See aspiring.
See assisting.
See attempting.
See attending.
See bearing.
See befitting.
See beginning.
See believing.
See bleaching.
See bleeding.
See blemishing.
See blenching.
See blossoming.
See blushing.
See boding.
See branching.
See breathing.
See burning.
See calculating.
See ceasing.
See changing.
See charming.
See communicating.
See complaining.
See complying.
See conceiving.
See conducing.
See confessing.
See conniving.
See consenting.
See considering.
See conspiring.
See consulting.
See consuming.
See contending.
See contriving.
See conversing.
See convincing.
See dawning.
See decaying.
See delaying.
See depending.
See derogating.
See deserving.
See desiring.
See despairing.
See detesting.
See deviating.
See differencing.
See discerning.
See discording.
See discriminating.
See disobliging.
See dispensing.
See dissembling.
See dissolving.
See distinguishing.
See distracting.
See disturbing.
See doubting.
See dreading.
See drooping.
See ebbing.
See echoing.
See edifying.
See ending.
See enduring.
See engaging.
See enjoying.
See entering.
See enterprising.
See entertaining.
See envying.
See existing.
See fadging.
See fading.
See fainting.
See faltering.
See fearing.
See feigning.
See fighting.
See fitting.
See flagging.
See flattering.
See flinching.
See folding.
See forbearing.
See foreboding.
See foreseeing.
See forgiving.
See giving.
See grudging.
See harming.
See heeding.
See hesitating.
See hoping.
See hurting.
See importing.
See imposing.
See improving.
See interesting.
See intermitting.
See intoxicating.
See inviting.
See jarring.
See laboring.
See lingering.
See listening.
See loving.
See meddling.
See meriting.
See mistrusting.
See moving.
See murmuring.
See obliging.
See observing.
See offending.
See opening.
See pardoning.
See paying.
See perceiving.
See performing.
See perishing.
See pitying.
See pleasing.
See possessing.
See preaching.
See prepossessing.
See presuming.
See pretending.
See prevailing.
See prevaricating.
See profiting.
See promising.
See proving.
See quailing.
See questioning.
See reasoning.
See recalling.
See reclining.
See recurring.
See referring.
See reflecting.
See refunding.
See refusing.
See rejoicing.
See relaxing.
See relishing.
See remembering.
See repenting.
See repining.
See reproving.
See repulsing.
See resisting.
See resolving.
See resting.
See returning.
See rewarding.
See sanctifying.
See satisfying.
See searching.
See seeing.
See setting.
See shrinking.
See sinking.
See sleeping.
See slipping.
See slumbering.
See speaking.
See stinting.
See stirring.
See stooping.
See submitting.
See sufficing.
See suiting.
See surging.
See suspecting.
See sweating.
See swerving.
See sympathizing.
See tasting.
See thriving.
See tiring.
See toiling.
See trading.
See trembling.
See trespassing.
See trifling.
See vacillating.
See varying.
See walking.
See wandering.
See waning.
See wasting.
See wavering.
See weeping.
See winking.
See winning.
See withdrawing.
See withering.
See wondering.
See working.
See writing.
See yielding.
----- and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

The above classes of words are unlimited in extent, and such compounds may be formed by any writer or speaker at will from almost all the adjectives or participles in the language, excepting those which have a recognized and usual negative correspondent with the prefix -in. No attempt will be made, therefore, to define them all in this Dictionary; many will be omitted from its Vocabulary which are negations of the simple word, and are readily explained by prefixing a not to the latter. Derivatives of these words in -ly and -ness will also, for the most part, be omitted for the same or similar reasons. [ 1913 Webster ]

There will be inserted as separate articles with definitions, the following: -- [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Those which have acquired an opposed or contrary, instead of a merely negative, meaning; as, unfriendly, ungraceful, unpalatable, unquiet, and the like; or else an intensive sense more than a prefixed not would express; as, unending, unparalleled, undisciplined, undoubted, unsafe, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Those which have the value of independent words, inasmuch as the simple words are either not used at all, or are rarely, or at least much less frequently, used; as, unavoidable, unconscionable, undeniable, unspeakable, unprecedented, unruly, and the like; or inasmuch as they are used in a different sense from the usual meaning of the primitive, or especially in one of the significations of the latter; as, unaccountable, unalloyed, unbelieving, unpretending, unreserved, and the like; or inasmuch as they are so frequently and familiarly used that they are hardly felt to be of negative origin; as, uncertain, uneven, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Those which are anomalous, provincial, or, for some other reason, not desirable to be used, and are so indicated; as, unpure for impure, unsatisfaction for dissatisfaction, unexpressible for inexpressible, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

II. Un- is prefixed to nouns to express the absence of, or the contrary of, that which the noun signifies; as, unbelief, unfaith, unhealth, unrest, untruth, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Compounds of this last class are given in full in their proper order in the Vocabulary. [ 1913 Webster ]