irrationality 
2. That which is irrational; an irrational 
thought, action, or thing. 
We can see how the human mind arrives by a perfectly 
natural process at all its later irrationalities. 
Max Midler, India, p. 236. 
Irrationality of dispersion, in optics. See dispersion, S. 
irrationally (i-rash'on-al-i), adv. In an irra- 
tional manner; without reason; in a manner 
contrary to reason ; absurdly. 
It may not irrationally be doubted whether or no, if a 
man were raised to the very top of the atmosphere, he 
would be able to live many minutes, and would not quick- 
ly die for want of such air as we are wont to breathe here 
below. Boyle, Works, I. 105. 
irrationalness (i-rash'on-al-nes), n. Irration- 
ality. 
Unrealizable (i-re'a-ll-za-bl), . [= F. irrea- 
lisable = Sp. irrealizable = Pg. irrealisavel ; as 
iw-3 + realizable.] Not realizable; incapable 
of being realized or defined. 
The just motion ... of suns around that mighty, un- 
een centre, incomprehensi 
mental effort only divined. 
. , 
seen centre, incomprehensible, irrealizable, with strange 
divined. 
Charlotte Bronte, Villette, xxxvi. 
irrebuttable (ir-e-but'a-bl), a. [< in-3 + re- 
buttable.] Not rebuttable ; incapable of being 
rebutted or repelled. 
Compare this sixth section with the manful, senseful, 
irrebuttable fourth section. Coleridge. 
irreceptive (ir-e-sep'tiy), a. [< in-3 + recep- 
tive.] Not receptive ; incapable of receiving. 
irreciprocal (ir-e-sip'ro-kal), a. [< in- 3 + re- 
ciprocal.] Not reciprocal. 
The conduction power of the electrical organ of the tor- 
pedo was consequently irreciprocal. 
Nature, XXXIII. 407. 
Irreciprocal conduction, in elect., conduction through 
electrolytes when a reversal of the current causes a change 
in its magnitude. Also called unipolar conduction. 
Irreciprocal conduction is said to occur if a reversal of 
the direction of a current causes any change in its magni- 
tude. Philosophical Magazine, XXVI. 127. 
irreciprocity (i-res-i-pros'i-ti), . [< in-% + 
reciprocity.] Lack of reciprocity or recipro- 
cal action. [Bare.] 
Here it seems evident that the irreciprocity is due to the 
gradual formation of a badly-conducting film on the anode. 
Philosophical Magazine, XXVI. 133. 
Irreciprocity of conduction, in elect., inequality of con- 
duction in different polar directions. 
This irreciprocity of conduction obtained only for strong 
currents and for those of short duration. 
Nature, XXXIII. 407. 
irreclaimable (ir-e-kla'ma-bl), . [= Pg. ir- 
reclamavel; < in-3 + reclaimable.] Not reclaim- 
able ; incapable of being reclaimed ; that can- 
not be restored or redeemed : as, an irreclaim- 
able criminal ; irreclaimable land. 
Such impetuous, ungovernable, irreclaimable inclina- 
tions to what is vitious. 
Glanville, Pre-existence of Souls, x. 
As for obstinate, irreclaimable, professed enemies, we 
must expect their calumnies will continue. 
Addisoii, Freeholder. 
irreclaimableness (ir-e-kla'ma-bl-nes), . The 
character of being irreclaimable. 
Enormities . . . which are out of his power to atone 
for, by reason of the death of some of the injured parties, 
and the irreclaimableness of others. 
Richardson, Clarissa Harlowe, VIII. 407. 
irreplaimably (ir-e-kla'ma-bli), adv. So as to 
be irreclaimable. 
Others, irreclaimeably persisting in their rebellion, and 
sinking more and more into the body and the relish of its 
joyes and pleasures, are still verging to a lower and more 
degenerate state. 
Olanmlle, Pre-existence of Souls, The Aerial State. 
irrecognition (i-rek-og-nish'on), n. [< jw-3 -f 
recognition.] Lack of recognition ; absence of 
perception or notice. 
In all literary history there is no such figure as Dante, 
no such homogeneousness of life and works, such loyalty 
to ideas, such sublime irrecognition of the unessential. 
Lowell, Among my Books, 2d ser., p. 38. 
irrecognizable (i-rek'og-m-za-bl), a. [< in-3 
+ recognizable.] Not recognizable ; incapable 
of being^ recognized. 
irreconcilability (i-rek-on-si-la-bU'i-ti), n. [= 
It. irreconciliabilita ; as" irreconcilable + -ity : 
see -bility.] The quality of being irreconcila- 
ble ; irreconcilableness. 
There co-exists a kindred irreconcilability between the 
sentiments answering to the forms of co-operation re- 
quired for militancy and industrialism respectively. 
H. Spencer, Data of Ethics, p. 136. 
irreconcilable (i-rek'on-sl-la-bl), a. and n. [= 
F. irreconciliable = Sp. irreconciliable = Pg. ir- 
reconciliavel=:It.irreconciliabik; as in- s + rec- 
oncilable.] I. a. Not reconcilable ; not admit- 
ting of reconciliation; that cannot be harmo- 
nized or adjusted; incompatible: as, irrecon- 
3186 
cilable enemies or enmities; irreconcilable prin- 
ciples. 
Since the sense I oppose is attended with such gross ir- 
reconcilable absurdities, I presume I need not olfer any 
thing further in support of the one, or in disproof of the 
other Rogers. 
That irreconcilable schism of perdition and apostacy. 
Milton, Church-Government, i. 6. 
Tertullian had even held the Christian profession to be 
irreconcilable with the office of a Roman emperor. 
Schaf, Hist. Christ. Church, III. 13. 
Irreconcilable paths, in a surface, paths between two 
fixed points such that one path cannot be gradually 
changed into the other without passing beyond the boun- 
dary of the surface. 
II. n. One who refuses reconciliation or com- 
promise ; specifically, in politics, one who ad- 
heres to an apparently hopeless political pro- 
gram, and refuses to accept concessions from 
opponents: as, the Irish or French irrecouci- 
lables. 
Sleep and I have quarrelled ; and although I court it, it 
will not be friends. I hope its fellow -irreconcilables at 
Harlowe-place enjoy its balmy comforts. 
Richardson, Clarissa Harlowe, III. 178. 
The Opportunists, as the followers of Thiers and Gam- 
betta were now styled, united with the irreconcilables in 
opposition to the party of order. Encyc. Brit., IX. 628. 
irreconcilableness (i-rek'on-sl-la-bl-nes), n. 
The quality of being irreconcilable ; irrecon- 
cilability; incompatibility; incongruity. 
Discourage them from repeating their transgressions, 
give them a deep sense of the heinous nature of sin, and 
of God's extreme hatred and utter irreconcileableness to it. 
Clarke, Evidences, Prop. 13. 
irreconcilably (i-rek'on-sl-la-bli), adv. In an 
irreconcilable manner ';' so as to preclude recon- 
ciliation. 
The Bramins are irreconcileably divided among them- 
selves upon what are the doctrines of the Shastah. 
Mickle, Inq. into the Bramin Philos. 
irreconcilet (i-rek'on-sil), v. t. [< in-S + rec- 
oncile.] To prevent from being reconciled; 
make incompatible. 
As the object calls for our devotion, so it must needs 
irreconcile us to sin. Jer. Taylor, Great Exemplar, iii. 15. 
irreconciledt (i-rek'on-slld), a. [< in-3 + recon- 
ciled.] Unreconciled; not brought under rec- 
onciliation, or into harmony or consistency. 
II a servant ... die in munyirreconciled iniquities, you 
may call the business of the master the author of the ser- 
vant's damnation. Shak., Hen. V., iv. 1, 160. 
But gothic, rude, 
IrreconcU'd in ruinous design. 
W. Thompson, Sickness, ii. 
irreconcilement (i-rek'on-sil-meut), n. [< in-3 
+ reconcilement.] The 'state of 'being unrecon- 
ciled or irreconcilable. 
Such an irreconcilement between God and Mammon. 
Abp. Wake, Rationale on Texts of Scripture, p. 85. 
^reconciliation (i-rek-on-sil-i-a'shon), n. [= 
Pg. irreconciliac, ao ; as "in- 3 + reconciliation.] 
Same as irreconcilement. 
How irreconciliation with our brethren voids all our ad- 
dresses to God, we need be lessoned no farther than from 
our Saviour's own mouth. Prideaux, Euchologia, p. 71. 
irrecordable (ir-e-kor'da-bl), a. [= It. irre- 
cordevole, forgetful; < LL. irrecordabilis, inre- 
cordabilis, not to be remembered, < in- priv. + 
recordabilis, to be remembered : see recordable.] 
Not recordable ; not fit or possible to be re- 
corded or remembered. Coles, 1717. 
irrecoverable (ir-e-kuv'er-a-bl), a. [= F. ir- 
recouvrable; as - 3 + recoverable 2 . Cf. irrecu- 
perable.] 1. Not recoverable or admitting of 
recovery ; incapable of being recovered : as, an 
irrecoverable debt. 
Er. Indeed you are a very good Husband of Time. 
Oa. No wonder I am of that, which is the most pre- 
cious Thing in the World, and when past is irrecoverable. 
N. Bailey, tr. of Colloquies of Erasmus, I. 90. 
2. That cannot be recovered from or made 
good; irremediable: as, an irrecoverable dis- 
ease ; irrecoverable danger. 
It concerns every man that would not trifle away his 
soul, and fool himself into irrecoverable misery, with the 
greatest seriousness to enquire. Tulotson. 
In November this year happened a storm at north-west, 
with a spring tide, so violent as gave apprehensions of 
some loss irrecoverable to the province of Holland. 
Sir W. Temple, Hem. from 1672 to 1879. 
irrecoverableness (ir-e-kuv'er-a-bl-nes),K. 
The state of being irrecoverable. Donne. 
irrecoverably (ir-e-kuv'er-a-bli), adv. In an 
irrecoverable manner ; beyond recovery. 
Life forsook 
My heart, which irrecoverably lost 
All sense of duty both to thee and Greece. 
Olover, Athenaid, xix. 
I find, Sir, you are irrecoverably flx'd upon this Lady. 
Steels, Conscious Lovers, i. 2. 
irreducible 
irrecuperablet (ir-e-ku'pe-ra-bl), a. [= F. ir- 
recuperable = Sp. irrecuperable = Pg. irreciipe- 
ravel = It. inrecuperabilc, irreeuperabile, < LL. 
irrecuperabilis, inrecuperabilis, irrecoverable, < 
L. in- priv. + *recuperabilis, recoverable : see 
recwperable.] Not recuperable or admitting of 
recuperation; irrecoverable; irreparable: as, 
" irrecuperable damage," Sir T. Elyot, The Gov- 
ernour, i. 27. 
Assuring his honour, that he feared the danger, if it 
were not speedily looked to, would be irrecuperable. 
Strype, Abp. Parker, an. 1563. 
irrecuperablyt (ir-e-ku'pe-ra-bli), adv. In an 
irrecuperable manner; irrecoverably; irrepa- 
rably. 
irrecurablet, a. [_<.in-3 + recurable,] Incurable. 
Forced to sustayne a most grevous and irrecurable fall. 
Ulpian Fulwett, Arte of Flatterie, F 2, b. 
irrecuredt (ir-e-kurd'), . [< -3 + recurs + 
-ed 2 .] Incapable of being cured. 
Striking his soul with irrecured wound. 
Sous, Thule (1598). (Latham.) 
irrecusable (ir-e-ku'za-bl), . [= F. irrecusa- 
ble = Sp. irrecusable = Pg. irrecusavel, < LL. ir- 
recusabilis, inrecusabilis, not to be refused, < in- 
priv. + recusabilis, to be refused, < L. recusare, 
refuse: see recusant.] Not recusable; not to 
be rejected or set aside. 
It is a proposition.il form, irrecusable, both as true in 
itself and as necessary in practice. Sir W. Hamilton. 
irredeemability (ir-e-de-ma-bil'i-ti), n. [< 
irredeemable: see -bility.] Irredeemableness. 
Craig. 
irredeemable (ir-e-de'ma-bl), a. [< -3 + re- 
deemable. Cf. OF. irredimible = Sp. irredimi- 
ble = Pg. irredimivel = It. irredimibile.] 1. Not 
redeemable; that cannot or need not be re- 
deemed or made good by payment or restitu- 
tion; not to be restored or escaped: as, irre- 
deemable paper money; an irredeemable loss; 
irredeemable slavery. 
It [the word money] is used to describe not only gold 
and silver, but bank notes, government notes (redeemable 
or irredeemable), . . . and wealth generally. 
Cyc. Pol. Set., II. 882. 
2. Beyond the power of redemption ; irreclaim- 
able : as, irredeemable criminals or crime. 
Wrought for his house an irredeemable woe. 
Tennyson, Maud, xxiii. 1. 
irredeemableness (ir-e-de'ma-bl-nes), n. The 
quality of being irredeemable. 
irredeemably (ir-e-de'ma-bli), adv. In an ir- 
redeemable manner ; beyond redemption. 
But though past time be gone, we are not to consider it 
irredeemably lost. H. Blair, Works, III. iii. 
irredentism (ir-e-den'tizm), n. [As Irreden- 
tist + -ism.] The system or political program 
of the Irredentists. 
[Depretis and his supporters declare] its [Pentarchist] 
protection of Anarchist tendencies, and especially of irre- 
dentiffin, to be fraught with danger to peace within and 
abroad. Sew York Evening Post, June 1, 1886. 
Irredentist (ir-e-den'tist), n. and a. [< It. ir- 
redentista, <. irredenta (Italia'), unredeemed (Ita- 
ly), fern, of irredenta, < L. in-, not, + redempttis 
(> It. redento), redeemed, pp. of redimere, re- 
deem: see redeem.] I. n. A member of an 
Italian political party formed in 1878, for bring- 
ing about the "redemption" or the incorpora- 
tion into the kingdom of Italy of all regions 
situated near Italy where an important part of 
the population was Italian, but which were still 
subject to other governments, and hence called 
Italia irredenta. 
Capponi himself was not above that pardonable but not 
very reasonable grievance. He was not an out-and-out 
Irredentist clamouring for Trieste and Istria, the Canton 
Ticino, Nice, Corsica, and Malta, 
Edinburgh Rev., CLXV. 405. 
II. a. Pertaining to or advocating irreden- 
tism. 
The ultra-Irredentist faction, who would quarrel at one 
and the same time with England about Malta, with France 
about Savoy, with Austria about the Tyrol, with Switzer- 
land about the Ticino, and with Turkey and Greece about 
Albania. Fortnightly Rev., N. S., XLI. 621. 
irreducibility (ir-e-du-si-bil'i-ti), n. [< irredu- 
cible : see -bility.] The quality or state of being 
irreducible. 
The fleshy tissue proved to be a mass of omen turn, which 
during its many years of irredueibuity had become rounded 
and agglutinated. Medical News, LIII. 93. 
irreducible (ir-e-du'si-bl), a. [= Sp. irreducible, 
= Pg. irreduMcl; as in-3 + reducible.] 1. In- 
capable of being reduced to a lower amount or 
degree ; not to be diminished or degraded. 
What is it that we must hold fast as the irreducible 
minimum of churchmanship? The American, XIV. 134. 
