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Webster 1913 Edition


Obnoxious

Ob-nox′ious

(ŏb-nŏk′shŭs)
,
Adj.
[L.
obnoxius
;
ob
(see
Ob-
) +
noxius
hurtful. See
Noxious
.]
1.
Subject; liable; exposed; answerable; amenable; – with
to
.
The writings of lawyers, which are tied
obnoxious
to their particular laws.
Bacon.
Esteeming it more honorable to live on the public than to be
obnoxious
to any private purse.
Milton.
Obnoxious
, first or last,
To basest things
Milton.
2.
Liable to censure; exposed to punishment; reprehensible; blameworthy.
“The contrived and interested schemes of . . . obnoxious authors.”
Bp. Fell.
All are
obnoxious
, and this faulty land,
Like fainting Hester, does before you stand
Watching your scepter.
Waller.
3.
Very offensive; odious; hateful;
as, an
obnoxious
statesman; a minister
obnoxious
to the Whigs.
Burke.
Ob-nox′ious-ly
,
adv.
Ob-nox′ious-ness
,
Noun.
South.

Webster 1828 Edition


Obnoxious

OBNOX'IOUS

,
Adj.
[L. obnoxius; ob and noxius, hurtful, from noceo.]
1.
Subject; answerable.
The writings of lawyers, which are tied and obnoxious to their particular laws.
2.
Liable; subject to cognizance or punishment.
We know ourselves obnoxious to God's severe justice.
3.
Liable; exposed; as friendship obnoxious to jealousies.
4.
Reprehensible; censurable; not approved; as obnoxious authors.
5.
Odious; hateful; offensive; with to; as, the minister was obnoxious to the whigs.
6.
Hurtful; noxious.

Definition 2024


obnoxious

obnoxious

English

Alternative forms

Adjective

obnoxious (comparative more obnoxious, superlative most obnoxious)

  1. Extremely unpleasant, offensive, very annoying, odious or contemptible.
    He was an especially obnoxious and detestable specimen of a man.
    Throwing stones at the bus is another example of your obnoxious behaviour.
  2. (archaic) exposed to harm or injury.
    • 1661, Robert Boyle, The Sceptical Chymist, page 26,
      To begin then with his Experiment of the burning Wood, it seems to me to be obnoxious to not a few considerable Exceptions.

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