irreducible 
2. Incapable of being brought into a. different 
state, condition, or Conn. 
The newly mentioned observations seem to argue the 
corpuscles of uir to be irreducible unto water. 
Boi/te, Works, I. 50. 
Each spccilli: sensation remains irreducible to unother. 
(,'. //. Lewti, l-mbs. "f Life mill Mind, II. 241. 
3. Incapable of being reduced to a desired form 
or condition by manipulation : as, an imdncilili- 
hernia or fracture Irreducible case, equation, 
function, Integral, etc. See the nouns. Irreducible 
Circuit, in mam. See reducible circuit, under circuit. 
irreducibleness (ir-6-du'si-bl-nes), n. The 
quality of being irreducible. 
irreducibly (ir-e-du'si-bli), tide. So as to be ir- 
reducible. 
irreductibility (ir-e-duk-ti-bil'i-ti), . [= F. 
irreductibilite ; as irrediictibfc -r -ity: see -Iril- 
itif.] Absence of reductibility; irreducibleness. 
[Rare.] 
M. Comte's puerile predilection for prime numbers al- 
most passes belief. His reason Is that they are a type of 
irrett uctibility ; each of them is a kind of ultimate arith- 
metical fact. J. S. XiU. 
irreductible (ir-e-duk'ti-bl), a. [= F. irreduc- 
tible = It. irreduttibile ; as - 3 + reductible.] 
Not reductible ; irreducible. [Rare.] 
irreduction(ir-e-duk'shon),. The state of being 
unreduced; failure to reduce : said of a hernia. 
This increase in volume was the only cause of irreduc- 
liint lot the hernia). Medical New, i.l 1 . 442. 
irreflection (ir-e-flek'shon), . [= F. irrtflexion 
= Sp. it-reflexion; as i- 3 + reflection.'] Want 
or absence of reflection ; thoughtlessness. 
It gave to the course pursued that character of violence, 
impatience, and irreflcctinn which too often belongs to the 
proceedings of the multitude. Brougham. 
Abiding irreflectum Is quite consistent with increase of 
general knowledge. F. Hail, Mod. Eng., p. 281. 
irreflective (ir-e-flek'tiv), . [< -3 + reflec- 
tivt .} Not reflective; wanting the quality or 
the habit of reflection; thoughtless. 
From this day I was an altered creature, never again re- 
lapsing into the careless, irreflectioe mind of childhood. 
De ijniiifi'ii, Autobiog. Sketches, I. 362. 
irreflexive (ir-e-flek'siv), . [< if*- 3 + reflexive.] 
Not reflexive. 
irreformable (ir-e-f6r'ma-bl), . [= Sp. irre- 
formable, < LL. irreformabilis, inreformabilis, 
unalterable, < in- priv. + reformabilin, that can 
be formed again : see reformable.] 1. Not re- 
formable ; not capable of being formed anew 
or again ; not subject to revision. 
Such definitions of the Roman Pontiff arc irreformable 
In their own nature, and not because of the consent of the 
Church. Cath. Diet., p. 877. 
2. Not capable of being reformed or corrected; 
not susceptible of amendment : as, an irreform- 
<il>lc drunkard. 
irrefragability (i-ref"ra-ga-bil'i-ti), . [= F. 
ii-ri'fnigabiliti = It. irrefraijabilitA ; as irrefragtt- 
ble + -ity: see -bility.} The quality of being 
irrefragable or incapable of refutation. 
A solemn, high-stalking man, with such a fund of indig- 
nation in him, or of latent indignation ; of contumacity, 
irrefragability. Carlyle, Misc., IV. 80. 
irrefragable (i-ref'ra-ga-bl), a. [= F. irre'fra- 
qable = Sp. irrefragable = Pg. irrefragavel = 
It. inrefragabile, irrefragabile, <f LL. irrefragtibi- 
lis, inrefragabilis, irrefragable: see refragable .] 
Notrefragable; incapable of being brokendown 
or refuted ; incontrovertible ; undeniable ; not 
confutable: as, an irrefragable argument; irref- 
ragable evidence ; an irrefragable opponent. 
What a noble and irrefragable testimony was this to the 
power, to the truth of the Messiah ! 
Bp. Hall, The Ten Lepers. 
Yet did not any of these conceive themselves infallible, 
or set down their dictates as verities irrefragable. 
Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err. 
He was an irrefragable disputant against the errors . . . 
which with trouble he saw rising in his colony. 
C. Mather, Mag. Chris., ii. 1. 
Against s(i obstinate and irrefragable an enemy, what 
could avail the unsupported allies of genius? 
Goldsmith, Polite Learning, ii. 
= Syn. Unanswerable, indisputable, unquestionable, in- 
dubitable, irrefutable. 
irrefragableness (i-ref'ra-ga-bl-nes), . The 
state or quality of being irrefragable; irrefra- 
gability. 
irrefragably (i-ref 'ra-ga-bli), adv. In an irref- 
ragable manner; so as to be irrefragable; in- 
controvertibly. 
Herein he was irrefrafjably true, that there cannot be 
anything more certain and evident to a man that thinks 
than that he doth think. 
Sir M. Hale, Orig. of Mankind, p. -J4. 
irrefrangible (ir-e-fran'ji-bl), a. [= It. irri'- 
franyibile; as i-3 + rt'friiiij/ibli'.] Not refran- 
gible ; not to be broken or violated. 
3187 
An irrefrangible law of country etiquette. 
Mrs. Croat, Agatha's Husband, xx. 
irrefrangibly (ir-o-fran'ji-bli), adv. So as to be 
irrefrangible; iixedly; inviolably. 
They knew . . . that the dragons were welded to their 
vases more irreframjibly than 1'roinetluMis to his rock. 
ll : iti Conimy, A Family AHalr, p. 16. 
irrefutability (ir-e-fa-ta-bil'i-ti), . [= F. >- 
ri'-fntnbilile; as irrefutable + -ity: see -lnlilij.\ 
The quality of being irrefutable. 
On the irrefutability of which he had privately prided 
himself. TheCetitury, XX XX 178. 
irrefutable (ir-e-fu'ta-bl), . [= F. irrefutable 
= Pg. irrcfutai'd, < LL. irrcfutabilis, inrefuta- 
bilis, < in- priv. + refutabilis, refutable : see re- 
futable.'} Not refutable; incapable of being 
refuted or disproved. 
Yet lie not urge them as an irrefutable proof, being not 
willing to lay more stresse upon any thing then 'twllbear. 
(Jlaneitle, Pre-existence of Souls, xl. 
That irrefutable discourse of Cardinal Caletan. 
Bp. Uall, Honour of Married Clergy, p. 12. 
=Syn. See list under irrefragable. 
irrefutably (ir-e-fu'ta-bli), adv. In an irrefu- 
table manner; so as to bo irrefutable. 
irreg. An abbreviation of irregular or irregularly. 
irregeneracy (ir-e-jen'e-ra-si), n. [< n-8 + 
regeneractj.] Unregeneracy. [Rare.] 
irregeneration (ir-e-jen-e-ra'shon), . [< i- 3 
+ regeneration.] Lack of regeneration; the 
state of being unregenerate. [Rare.] 
irregular (i-reg'u-lar), a. and n. (X ME. irregu- 
ler, < OF. irregutier,'F. irregulier = Pr. irregular, 
yregular = Sp. Pg. irregular = It. irregolarc, < 
ML. irregularis, not regular, < L. in- priv. + re- 
gularis. pertaining to rules (regular) : see regu- 
lar.'] I. a. 1. Not regular; lacking regularity 
or method in some respect ; not conformable to 
rule, order, symmetry, uniformity, or a fixed 
principle ; deviating from the normal or usual 
course or state ; devious ; unmethodical ; un- 
even: as, an irregular figure, outline, or sur- 
face ; irregular verbs ; irregular troops. 
They [the inhabitants of Barbary] are irregular In their 
life and actions, exceedingly subiect to choler, speake 
aloft and proudly, and are often at buffets in the streets. 
Purcha, Pilgrimage, p. 638. 
The numbers of pindarics are wild and irregular, and 
sometimes seem harsh and uncouth. Cowley. 
2. Not regular in action or method ; not con- 
formed or conforming to regular rules or prin- 
ciples; hence, disorderly; lawless; improper: 
as, he is given to irregular courses. 
Leading the men of Herefordshire to flght 
Against the irregular and wild Glendower. 
Sltak., 1 Hen. IV., L 1, 40. 
Now that to steal by law is grown an art, 
Whom rogues the sires, their milder sons call smart, 
And "slightly irregular" dilutes the shame 
Of what had once a somewhat blunter name. 
Li'/irlt. Tempora Mutantur. 
Specifically 3. In human anat., being of no 
determinate shape, as a vertebra : said only of 
bones. Bones were formerly classed unnaturally In four 
categories, long, short, flat, and irregular. Most bones 
fall in the last-named category. 
4. In zool. : (a) Not having a definite form ; bi- 
laterally or radially unsymmetrical ; not having 
the form usual in a group ; differing in an un- 
usual mamier from neighboring parts: as, an 
irregular third joint of an insect's antenna, (fc) 
Not arranged in a definite manner, or varying 
in position or direction : as, irregular marks 
(that is, marks varying in size or distance from 
one another); irregular punctures or strife, 
(c) In echinoderms, not exhibiting radial sym- 
metry; exocyclic or petalpstichous ; spatan- 
goid or clypeastroid : specifically said of the 
heart-urchins and other sea-urchins of the 
division Irregularia. See cut under petalos- 
tichous. 5. In bot., not having all the mem- 
bers of the same part alike : said of flowers. 
An irregular flower Is one In which the members of some 
or all of its floral circles for example, petals differ from 
one another in size, shape, or extent of union, as in the 
bean, the violet, and the larkspur. The term is also used 
li>88 specifically, and is often not discriminated from uneum- 
metncal. Irregular antenna, in entam. , those anten me 
in which one or more joints are very greatly developed be- 
yond the others. But when this irregularity is confined to 
one sex the antenna? are commonly said to be deformed. 
Irregular body. See bndy. Irregular cadence, an im- 
perfect or deceptive cadence. See cadence. Irregular 
determinant, in the theory of numbers, a determinant 
of a quadratic form where the forms of the principal genus 
are not all powers of some one. Irregular indorse- 
ment, phrase, proof, relation, verb, etc. see the 
nouns. = Syn. 1 and 2. I'nsettled, variable, changeable, 
mutable, unreliable; exceptional; fltful. capricious. In 
regard to conduct or ways of proceeding or managing, tr- 
'/j;fiK'r:illy expresses more blame than itinrttntdical 
in HM^MMHdCCs, and lesa than atunnaltna or disorderly ; it 
expresses less of foolishness than erratic, less of oddity 
than eccentric, less of carelessness than desultory, and less 
irrelative 
of moral obliquity than dt.vv>u or crixikttl. It expresses the 
fact of being out of conformity with rule, but Implies 
nothing more with certainty. \ et the word Is sometimes 
used In a sinister sense, as though It were a euphemism 
for something worse. 
n. n. One who is not subject or does not con- 
form to established regulations; especially, a 
soldier who is not in regular service, or a person 
practising medicine without belonging to the 
regular profession. 
Home of those nations that In the last and present war 
are famous for furnishing [Austria's! armies with irregu- 
Ian are known to have a great turn for trade. 
Goldsmith, Seven Years' War, Ir. 
irregularistt (i-reg'u-lftr-ist), n. [< irregular + 
-ititT] One who is irregular, or one who favors 
an irregular course or proceeding. Baxter. 
irregularity (i-reg-u-lar'i-ti), n. ; pi. irregulari- 
ties (-tiz). K ME. irregularite, < OF. irregu- 
larite, F. irregularity = Pr. irregularitat = Sp. 
irregularidad = Pg. irregularidade = It. irrego- 
laritd, (. ML. irregularita(t-)s, irregularity, < ir- 
regularis, irregular : see irregular.] 1. Lack of 
regularity; the state of being irregular; devia- 
tion from rule, method, order, course, uniform- 
ity, etc.; hence, impropriety; disorder; laxity: 
as, irregularity of proceedings; the irregularity 
of a curve ; irregularity of life or conduct. 
As these vast heaps of mountains are thrown together 
with so much irregularity and confusion, they form a great 
variety of hollow bottoms. Additon, Travels In Italy. 
2. That which is irregular or out of due course ; a 
part exhibiting divergence from the rest; hence, 
aberrant or immoral action or conduct: as, an 
irregularity on a surface ; to be guilty of irregu- 
larities. 
The ill methods of schools and colleges give the chief 
rise to the irregularities of the gentry. 
Bp. Buniet, Hist. Own Times, Conclusion. 
Grandcourt had always allowed Lush to know his exter- 
nal affairs indiscriminately irregularities, debts, want of 
ready money. George Eliot, Daniel Deronda, xlvlii. 
3. In law, an act or proceeding not wholly be- 
yond the power of the court or party, but done 
m a manner not warranted by the law or the 
state of the cause. 4. In bot., want of uni- 
formity in size, shape, or measure of union 
among the members of the same floral circle. 
5. Eccles., in the Bom. Cath. t'h., infraction of 
the rules governing admission to the clerical 
office and discharge of its functions ; a canoni- 
cal impediment to reception of orders, exer- 
cise of clerical functions, or advancement in 
the church . Irregularities are classed as (1) Ex defectu, 
from defects of mind, body, birth, age, liberty, the sacra- 
ment (that is, of marriage, including previous digamy, 
etc.), lenity (involved In previous military service, homi- 
cide, etc.), and reputation (from notorious crime, judicial 
sentence, etc.) ; and (2) Ex delicto, from reception of hereti- 
cal baptism or ordination, heresy, murder, etc. The term 
is used also in the Church of England, In which persons 
unable to pass their examinations, those with serious 
physical defects, under canonical age, notorious offenders, 
etc., are accounted irregular. 
irregularly (i-reg'u-lar-li), adv. In an irregu- 
lar manner; without rule, method, or order. 
irregulatet (i-reg'u-lat), v. t. [< in- 3 + regulate.} 
To make irregular; disorder. 
Its fluctuations are but motions subservient; which 
windes, stormes, shores, shelves, and every interjacency 
irregulatet. Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., vii. 17. 
irreguloust (i-reg'u-lus), a. [< L. in- priv. + 
regula, rule : see regular.] Lawless; irregular; 
licentious. 
Thou, 
Conspir'd with that irreguloui devil, Cloten, 
Hast here cut off my lord. 
Shale., Cymbeline, iv. 2, 315. 
irrejectablet (ir-e-jek'ta-bl), a. [< in- 3 + re- 
jectable.] Incapable of being rejected. 
The former [Calvlnists] affirming grace to be irresistibly 
presented; the latter (Armlnlansl deny it to be irrejecta- 
ofe. Boyle, Works, I. 278. 
irrelapsablet (ir-e-lap'sa-bl), a. [< in-3 + rc- 
lapsaole.] Not liable to lapse or relapse. Dr. 
H. More. 
irrelate (ir-e-laf), a. [< L. in- priv. -f- rclatus. 
related: see refafe.] Unrelated; irrelative. I>> 
Quinery. 
irrelated (ir-e-la'ted), a. [< in-3 + related.] 
Unrelated. [Rare.] 
The only reals for him [Hume) were certain irrelated 
sensations, and out of these knowledge arises or becomes. 
Mind, X LI. .'(. 
irrelation (ir-e-la'shon), n. [< iw- 3 + relation.} 
The state or quality of being irrelative ; want 
of relation or connection. 
The utter irrelafinn, in both cases, of the audience to 
the scene . . . threw upon each a ridicule not to be ef- 
faced. De Quinrey, Autobiog. Sketches, 1. 190. 
irrelative (i-rel'a-tiv), a. and-n. [< i- 3 -(- rein- 
tire.} I. a. 1. "Not relative; without mutual 
relations; unconnected. Boyle, Works, III. 23. 
