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(
nkwt) [a. OF. iniquité (Oxf. Psalter, 12th c.), ad. L. in
quit
s, n. of quality f. inquus uneven, unequal, unjust, wrong, wicked, f. in- (IN-3) + æquus equal, just, fair. Cf. EQUITY.]
1. The quality of being unrighteous, or (more often) unrighteous action or conduct; unrighteousness, wickedness, sin; sometimes, esp. in early use, Wrongful or injurious action towards another, infliction of wrong, injury; in mod. use generally connoting gross injustice or public wrong.
13.. K. Alis. 132 He thenkith to yeilde him his iniquitè.
c1375 Sc. Leg. Saints, Bertholomeus 206 Sa sal
is tempil clengit be Of al fylth and Iniquite.
c1386 CHAUCER Knt.'s T. 82 Creon..That lord is now of Thebes the Citee Fulfild of Ire and of Iniquitee.
1485 CAXTON Chas. Gt. 12 Agabondus replenysshed of al inyquyte put to dethe..his broder.
1526 TINDALE Luke xiii. 27 Departe from me all ye workers off iniquytie.
1554-9 Songs & Ball. (1860) 5 Hys ryghtyusnes ys owr, owr inequyte ys hys.
1596 SPENSER F.Q. V. i. 5 Till the world from his perfection fell Into all filth and foule iniquitie.
1651 HOBBES Leviath. II. xviii. 90 They that have Soveraigne power, may commit Iniquity.
1777 WATSON Philip II (1793) I. x. 391 The iniquity and unrelenting cruelty exercised.
1827 POLLOK Course T. v, Leagues, though holy termed..made to under-prop Iniquity, and crush the sacred truth.
b. pl. Unrighteous acts or doings, sins; wrongful acts, injuries.
1477 EARL RIVERS (Caxton)
Dictes 1 In satisfaccoun and recompence of myn Inyquytees and fawtes before don.
1526 TINDALE Heb. viii. 12, I wilbe mercifull over their iniquyties.
1665 BOYLE Occas. Refl. II. xi. (1848) 133 That this early Death may argue the Measure of his Iniquities exceeding great.
a1714 SHARP Wks. (1754) II. Serm. i. 7 When their iniquities are at full, he will not fail to repay vengeance into their bosom.
1804 W. TENNANT Ind. Recreat. (ed. 2) II. 386 Removing the oppressions and iniquities of the Oude government.
2. Want or violation of equity; injustice, unfairness. Obs. exc. as implied in 1.
1587 HARRISON England II. xviii. (1877) i. 301 In the measuring of ten quarters,..they lose one through the iniquitie of the bushell.
1651 HOBBES Govt. & Soc. iii. §29. 54 Actions may be so diversified by circumstances, and the Civill Law, that what's done with equity at one time, is guilty of iniquity at another.
1748 G. WHITE Serm. (MS.), This is their Due,..and therefore 'tis great Iniquity to repay them in any other sort.
3. Sc. Law. (See quots.)
1757 ERSKINE Princ. Scot. Law (ed. 2)
I. ii. §20 A judge is said to commit iniquity, when he either delays justice, or pronounces sentence, in the exercise of his jurisdiction, contrary to law.
1861 W. BELL Dict. Law Scot.,
Iniquity,..a technical expression, usually applied to the decision of an inferior judge who has decided contrary to law; he is in that case said to have committed iniquity.
4. The name of a comic character or buffoon in the old morality plays, also called the VICE, representing some particular vice, or vice in general.
1594 SHAKES. Rich. III,
III. i. 82 Thus, like the formall Vice, Iniquitie, I morallize two meanings in one word.
1616 B. JONSON Devil an Ass I. i,
Pug. And lend me but a Vice, to carry with me..Fraud, Or Covetousness, or lady Vanity Or old Iniquity.
Sat. I'll call him hither.
Enter Iniquity.
b. As a name for the devil.
1899 Chamb. Jrnl. II. 10/2 The evil toon the nine maidens danced
to
the very toon that was played by Old Iniquity hisself.
5. Unfavourableness, unfavourable or adverse influence or operation. (A Latinism.) Obs.
c1540 tr.
Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden) I. 31 Lest..throwghe the iniquitie of time, forgetfullnes shoulde in that poinct prevayle.
1577 HARRISON England II. vi. (1877)
I. 160 The skilfull workeman dooth redeeme the iniquitie of that element [water].
1610 HOLLAND Camden's Brit. I. 4 The very stones..have yeelded long agoe to the iniquitie of time.
a1619 M. FOTHERBY Atheom. II. vii. §3 (1622) 263 They all were destroyed by the iniquitie of Fortune.
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