unmentionable

unmentionable
/un men"sheuh neuh beuhl/, adj.
1. not mentionable; inappropriate, unfit, or improper for mention, as in polite conversation; unspeakable.
n.
2. something that is not to be mentioned: That subject was classed among the unmentionables.
a. undergarments.
b. (formerly) trousers or breeches.
[1820-30; UN-1 + MENTIONABLE]

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • unmentionable — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ too embarrassing or offensive to be spoken about. ► NOUN humorous ▪ an unmentionable thing …   English terms dictionary

  • unmentionable — index confidential, ineffable Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • unmentionable — (adj.) 1837, from UN (Cf. un ) (1) not + MENTIONABLE (Cf. mentionable). Unmentionables trousers is attested from 1823; meaning underwear is recorded from 1910 …   Etymology dictionary

  • unmentionable — [un men′shən ə bəl] adj. not fit to be mentioned, esp. in polite conversation …   English World dictionary

  • unmentionable — [[t]ʌnme̱nʃənəb(ə)l[/t]] ADJ If you describe something as unmentionable, you mean that it is too embarrassing or unpleasant to talk about. Has he got some unmentionable disease? …   English dictionary

  • unmentionable — I. adjective Date: 1837 not fit or allowed to be mentioned or discussed ; unspeakable < an unmentionable topic > II. noun Date: 1823 one that is not to be mentioned or discussed: as a. plural pant III,1 b …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • unmentionable — un|men|tion|a|ble [ʌnˈmenʃənəbəl] adj too shocking or embarrassing to talk about ▪ unmentionable scandals …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • unmentionable — adjective too embarrassing, offensive, or shocking to be spoken about. noun chiefly humorous an unmentionable thing. Derivatives unmentionably adverb unmentioned adjective …   English new terms dictionary

  • unmentionable disease —    a venereal disease    Still the subject of taboo:     ... adding an unmentionable disease to the old lady s dossier of Wilt s faults. (Sharpe, 1979) …   How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms

  • unmentionable — adjective Not mentionable …   Wiktionary

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