unmight

English

Etymology

From Middle English unmight, onmiȝt, from Old English unmiht, unmeht, unmeaht (“weakness; lack of power”), from Proto-Germanic *unmahtiz (“inability; weakness”), equivalent to un- (“lack or absence of”) +‎ might. Cognate with Icelandic ómáttur (“unmight”). Compare also German Ohnmacht.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʌnˌmaɪt/

Noun

unmight (uncountable)

1. The absence or lack of might; powerlessness; weakness
   • 2005, Constance Backhouse, ‎Nancy L. Backhouse, The Heiress vs the Establishment:

     They might fail to grant redress either because, to use the expressive words of various ordinances,“there was too great might on the one side and too great unmight on the other,” [...]

   • 2006 (1843), Nicholas Watson, ‎Jacqueline Jenkins, The Writings of Julian of Norwich:

     In this, our lord shewed a parte of the feendes malice, and fully his unmight, for he shewed that the passion of him is the overcoming of the feende.

   • 2015, Wendy Farley, The Thirst of God:

     She sees the devil's great malice but she sees also his “unmight:” his powerlessness.

Synonyms

• mightlessness