iniquitous
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /ɪˈnɪkwɪtəs/
ipa: /ɪˈnɪkwɪtəs/
ipa: [-ɾəs]
rhymes: -ɪkwɪtəs
Forms: form: more iniquitous
form: most iniquitous
Etymology: From iniquity + -ous (suffix forming adjectives indicating the presence of a quality in any degree (typically an abundance)).
Senses: examples: text: "It certainly is a most iniquitous affair," said Mr. Bennet, "and nothing can clear Mr. Collins from the guilt of inheriting Longbourn. But if you will listen to his letter, you may perhaps be a little softened by his manner of expressing himself."
ref: 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter XIII, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, pages 138–139:
text: Are you aware, sir, that we have gone to enormous expense to resist this iniquitous attempt of yours?
ref: 1855 January 5, Anthony Trollope, “Mr. Bold’s Visit to Plumstead”, in The Warden, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 193:
text: The storm-centre of a combined newspaper attack lasting for months, Daylight's character had been torn to shreds. There was no fact in his history that had not been distorted into a criminality or a vice. This public making of him over into an iniquitous monster had pretty well crushed any lingering hope he had of getting acquainted with Dede Mason.
ref: 1910 October, Jack London, chapter VIII, in Burning Daylight, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, →OCLC, part II, pages 181–182:
glosses: Characterized by iniquity (“deviation from what is right”).
Morally objectionable; sinful, wicked.
synonyms: word: nefarious
word: perverse
word: abandoned
word: arrant
word: bad
word: bad apple
word: bad seed
word: baleful
word: baneful
word: base
word: dark
word: deleterious
word: depraved
word: despicable
word: detrimental
word: devilish
word: diabolical
word: evil
word: flagitious
word: harmful
word: ill-intentioned
word: ill-natured
word: immoral
word: incorrigible
word: iniquitous
word: iniquous
word: injurious
word: knavish
word: malefic
word: maleficent
word: malevolent
word: malicious
word: malign
word: malignant
word: nefarious
word: niddering
word: nidering
word: niding
word: nithing
word: no-good
word: peccaminous
word: pernicious
word: reprehensible
word: reprobate
word: satanic
word: scathful
word: sinful
word: sinister
word: sordid
word: sullen
word: ungodly
word: unholy
word: vicious
word: vile
word: villainous
word: wicked
word: wrong
word: aberrant
word: corrupt
word: corrupted
word: depraved
word: dirty-handed
word: dissolute
word: effete
word: errant
word: indecent
word: indecorous
word: immodest
word: immoral
word: improper
word: incontinent
word: iniquitous
word: iniquous
word: licentious
word: obscene
word: perverse
word: perverted
word: profligate
word: unduteous
word: undutiful
word: unethical
word: ungodly
word: unjust
word: unprincipled
word: unrighteous
word: unseemly
word: unscrupulous
word: unworthy
word: wrong
antonyms: word: righteous
word: awful
word: bad
word: detestable
word: disagreeable
word: dreadful
word: unsatisfactory
examples: text: It is a Maxim among theſe Men, That vvhatever has been done before may legally be done again: And therefore they take ſpecial Care to record all the Deciſions formerly made, even thoſe vvhich have through Ignorance or Corruption contradicted the Rules of common Juſtice, and the general Reaſon of Mankind. Theſe, under the Name of Precedents, they produce as Authorities, and thereby endeavour to juſtify the moſt iniquitous Opinions; […]
ref: 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author at His Master’s Command Informs Him of the State of England. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part IV (A Voyage to the Houyhnhnms), pages 229–230:
text: [Judicial independence] operates as a check upon the legiſlative body in paſſing them [unjust and partial laws]; vvho, perceiving that obſtacles to the ſucceſs of an iniquitous intention are to be expected from the ſcruples of the courts, are in a manner compelled by the very motives of the injuſtice they mediate, to qualify their attempts.
ref: 1788, Publius [pseudonym; Alexander Hamilton], “Number LXXVIII. A View of the Constitution of the Judicial Department, in Relation to the Tenure of Good Behaviour.”, in The Federalist: A Collection of Essays, Written in Favour of the New Constitution, […] , volume II, New York, N.Y.: […] J. and A. M‘Lean, […], →OCLC, page 297:
text: The majority of the jury which tried Barbara Napier, having acquitted her of attendance at the North Berwick meeting, were themselves threatened with a trial for wilful error upon an assize, and could only escape from severe censure and punishment by pleading Guilty, and submitting themselves to the king's pleasure. This rigorous and iniquitous conduct shows a sufficient reason why there should be so few acquittals from a charge of witchcraft, where the juries were so much at the mercy of the Crown.
ref: 1830, Walter Scott, “Letter IX”, in Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft, […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, pages 314–315:
text: There had been a good deal of dealers' yea and nay about it [a watercolour painting], whether it was for sale or not; it was a smaller drawing than most of the England and Wales series, and there were many hints in the market about its being iniquitous in price.
ref: 1887, John Ruskin, “Of Age”, in Præterita. Outlines of Scenes and Thoughts Perhaps Worthy of Memory in My Past Life, volume II, Orpington, Kent: George Allen, →OCLC, page 27:
text: I've had it. That's it George! For one year now, I've been providing X-rated entertainment and you reciprocate with PG! It's an iniquitous arrangement!
ref: 1979 October 5, Blake Edwards, 10, spoken by Neighbor (Don Calfa), Los Angeles, Calif.: Orion Pictures, →OCLC:
glosses: Characterized by iniquity (“deviation from what is right”).
Grossly unfair or unjust.
Derived terms: iniquitously
iniquitousness
Related terms: word: iniquity
word: iniquous