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imbecility

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.03 sec.
im·be·cil·i·ty  (mb-sl-t)
n. pl. im·be·cil·i·ties
1.
a. Great stupidity or foolishness.
b. Something, such as conduct or an act, that is stupid or foolish.
2. Psychology The state or condition of being an imbecile; moderate or severe mental retardation.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.imbecility - retardation more severe than a moron but not as severe as an idiot
backwardness, mental retardation, subnormality, slowness, retardation - lack of normal development of intellectual capacities
2.imbecilityimbecility - a stupid mistake                    
betise, folly, stupidity, foolishness
error, fault, mistake - a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention; "he made a bad mistake"; "she was quick to point out my errors"; "I could understand his English in spite of his grammatical faults"


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Such large virtue lurks in these small things when extreme political superstitions invest them, that in some royal instances even to idiot imbecility they have imparted potency.
Moby Dick I-LXVII by Melville, Herman View in context
Nor is it difficult to perceive the tendency of this abandon-to elevate immeasurably all the energies of mind-but, again, so to mingle the greatest possible fire, force, delicacy, and all good things, with the lowest possible bathos, baldness, and imbecility, as to render it not a matter of doubt that the average results of mind in such a school will be found inferior to those results in one (ceteris paribus) more artificial.
Poems by Poe, Edgar Allan View in context
His features were like his sister's, but while in her case everything was lit up by a joyous, self-satisfied, youthful, and constant smile of animation, and by the wonderful classic beauty of her figure, his face on the contrary was dulled by imbecility and a constant expression of sullen self-confidence, while his body was thin and weak.
War and Peace by Tolstoy, Leo View in context
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