incompetent : Dictionary / Wörterbuch (BEOLINGUS, TU Chemnitz)

English Dictionary: incompetent	by the DICT Development Group
2 results for incompetent
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
incompetent adj legally not qualified or sufficient; "a wife is usually considered unqualified to testify against her husband"; "incompetent witnesses" Synonym(s): incompetent, unqualified Antonym(s): competent not qualified or suited for a purpose; "an incompetent secret service"; "the filming was hopeless incompetent" Antonym(s): competent showing lack of skill or aptitude; "a bungling workman"; "did a clumsy job"; "his fumbling attempt to put up a shelf" Synonym(s): bungling, clumsy, fumbling, incompetent not doing a good job; "incompetent at chess" Synonym(s): incompetent, unskilled not meeting requirements; "unequal to the demands put upon him" Synonym(s): incapable, incompetent, unequal to(p) n someone who is not competent to take effective action [syn: incompetent, incompetent person]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]:
Incompetent \Incom"petent\, a. [L. incompetens: cf. F. incomp[82]tent. See {In-} not, and {Competent}.] 1. Not competent; wanting in adequate strength, power, capacity, means, qualifications, or the like; incapable; unable; inadequate; unfit. Incompetent to perform the duties of the place. --Macaulay. 2. (Law) Wanting the legal or constitutional qualifications; inadmissible; as, a person professedly wanting in religious belief is an incompetent witness in a court of law or equity; incompetent evidence. Richard III. had a resolution, out of hatred to his brethren, to disable their issues, upon false and incompetent pretexts, the one of attainder, the other of illegitimation. --Bacon. 3. Not lying within one's competency, capacity, or authorized power; not permissible. Syn: Incapable; unable; inadequate; insufficient; inefficient; disqualified; unfit; improper. Usage: {Incompetent}, {Incapable}. Incompetent is a relative term, denoting a want of the requisite qualifications for performing a given act, service, etc.; incapable is absolute in its meaning, denoting want of power, either natural or moral. We speak of a man as incompetent to a certain task, of an incompetent judge, etc. We say of an idiot that he is incapable of learning to read; and of a man distinguished for his honor, that he is incapable of a mean action.