a. [ad. L. (poet.) violābilis, f. violāre to violate. So OF. violable, It. violabile, Pg. violavel.]
† 1. Destructive. Obs.–1
a. 1470. Harding, Chron., LII. ii. Ye Pightes & fugitiues … Destroyed the lande by warre full violable.
2. Capable of being violated, in senses of the vb.
1552. Huloet, Violable, or able to be defiled,… or easy to be violated, violabilis.
1612. Selden, Illustr. Drayton’s Poly-olb., xvi. 255. Churches, Plough’s, and High-waies should haue liberties of Sanctuarie by no authoritie violable.
1633. Marmion, Fine Companion, III. i. Alas, my heart is Tender and violable with the least weapon Sorrow can dart at me.
1674. Case of Bankers & Creditors, Introd. 4. The Subjects property is not violable but by his own consent.
1858. Bushnell, Serm. New Life, 347. If God had no violable sympathy he would be anything but a perfect character.
1885. J. Martineau, Types Eth. Th., I. I. II. 331. A rule which Spinoza treats as absolute, and will not allow to be violable, even to save one’s life.
Hence Violableness, ‘capableness of being violated’ (Bailey, 1727, vol. II.).
