Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Unequal

Un-e′qual

,
Adj.
[Cf.
Inequal
.]
1.
Not equal; not matched; not of the same size, length, breadth, quantity, strength, talents, acquirements, age, station, or the like;
as, the fingers are of
unequal
length; peers and commoners are
unequal
in rank
.
2.
Ill balanced or matched; disproportioned; hence, not equitable; partial; unjust; unfair.
Against
unequal
arms to fight in pain.
Milton.
Jerome, a very
unequal
relator of the opinion of his adversaries.
John Worthington.
To punish me for what you make me do
Seems much
unequal
.
Shakespeare
3.
Not uniform; not equable; irregular; uneven;
as,
unequal
pulsations; an
unequal
poem
.
4.
Not adequate or sufficient; inferior;
as, the man was
unequal
to the emergency; the timber was
unequal
to the sudden strain
.
5.
(Bot.)
Not having the two sides or the parts symmetrical.

Webster 1828 Edition


Unequal

UNE'QUAL

,
Adj.
[L. inaequalis.]
1.
Not equal; not even; not of the same size, length, breadth, quantity, &c.; as men of unequal stature; houses of unequal dimensions.
2.
Not equal in strength, talents, acquirements, &c.; inferior.
3.
Not equal in age or station; inferior.
4.
Insufficient; inadequate. His strength is unequal to the task.
5.
Partial; unjust; not furnishing equivalents to the different parties; as an unequal peace; an unequal bargain.
6.
Disproportioned; ill matched.
Against unequal arms to fight in pain.
7.
Not regular; not uniform; as unequal pulsations.
8.
In botany, having the parts not corresponding in size, but in proportion only, as a corol; rugged, not even or smooth, as the surface of a leaf or stem.
An unequal leaf, is when the two halves separated by the mid-rib, are unequal in dimensions, and their bases not parallel; called also an oblique leaf.