Obs. [f. ABHORRENT, after nouns in -ncy, ad. L. -ntia; see -NCY. Cf. ABHORRENCE.]
1. The quality, state, or feeling of being abhorrent of, or of holding a thing in hatred and disgust; extreme repugnance or dislike.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., 157. Motions simple are … lastly, Motion of Rest or abhorrency of Motion, which is the Cause of many things.
1627. Feltham, Resolves, II. lxv. (1677), 297. A vast Prerogative, that man hath over the rest of the Creatures, by only knowing their Inclinations and Abhorrencies.
1659. Jer. Taylor, Ductor Dubit., I. i. 21 (2). A natural abhorrency against unnatural lusts.
1660. Boyle, New Experim. Phys.-Mech., ii. 41. Nature’s abhorrency of a Vacuum.
1661. Origen his Opinions, in Phœnix (1721), I. 24. Out of an abhorrency to such Blasphemy.
1690. Locke, Educ., Wks. 1812, IX. 100. The first tendency to any injustice … must be suppressed with a shew of wonder and abhorrency, in the parents and governors.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., xli. 416. The lay people were growing into an abhorrency of those that wore them.
2. That which excites abhorrence; a thing abhorrent to one; = ABHORRENCE 3.
1729. Burkitt, On New Test., Heb. x. 38. Backsliders from the gospel are, in a peculiar manner, the abhorrency of the soul of God.
