a. [ad. med.L. susceptibilis (Boethius, Thomas Aquinas), f. suscept-: see SUSCEPTION and -IBLE. Cf. F. susceptible.]
1. Const. of or to: Capable of taking, receiving, being affected by, or undergoing something.
a. with of: Capable of undergoing, admitting of (some action or process).
The following noun of action may usually be paraphrased by a passive gerund, as susceptible of proof = capable of being proved. A passive gerund sometimes occurs, as susceptible (= capable) of being exercised.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., II. x. § 1. This subject of man’s body is of all other things in nature most susceptible of remedy.
1657. Purchas, Pol. Flying-Ins., I. iii. 5. Their [sc. bees’] leggs are not susceptible of a sting.
1663. J. H., trans. Selden’s Mare Cl. (title-p.), The Sea is proved by the Law Of Nature and Nations, not to be Common to all men, but to be Susceptible of Private Dominion and Propriety.
1665. Evelyn, Lett. to C. Wren, 4 April. My little boy … is now susceptible of instruction.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 47. The provinces most susceptible of those improvements … which are essential to the subsistance of man.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, V. ix. II. 710. The following propositions are susceptible of strict and invincible proof.
1821. Shelley, Hellas, 815, note. A sort of natural magic, susceptible of being exercised … by any one who [etc.].
1824. L. Murray, Engl. Gram. (ed. 5), I. III. xix. 314. The word … was often susceptible of both uses.
1867. F. Harrison, Quest. Ref. Parlt., 236. Scarcely susceptible of any criticism but contempt.
1871. B. Stewart, Heat (ed. 2), § 86. The diamond … is not susceptible of fusion even at a very high temperature.
b. with of: Capable of taking or admitting (a form or other attribute).
a. 1639. Wotton, Parallel Essex & Buckham. (1641), 2. He … moulded him … to his owne Idea, delighting … in the choyse of the Materialls; because he found him susceptible of good forme.
1725. Pope, Pref. to Shaks., ¶ 8. It is hard to imagine that … so enlightened a mind could ever have been susceptible of them [sc. defects].
1760–2. Goldsm., Cit. W., xci. Perhaps no qualities in the world are more susceptible of a finer polish than these.
1796. Kirwan, Elem. Min. (ed. 2), I. 20. This operation is susceptible of various stages and degrees of perfection.
1879. Cassell’s Techn. Educ., I. 169/2. Nor does it admit of that beauty of decoration of which they are susceptible.
c. with of, now more commonly to: Capable of receiving and being affected by (external impressions, influences, etc., esp. something injurious); sensitive to; liable or open to (attack, injury, etc.).
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., II. § 52. All which … made him susceptible of some Impressions … which otherwise would not have found such easy admission.
a. 1734. North, Exam., I. ii. § 45 (1740), 52. Being very susceptible of Offence.
1791. Mrs. Radcliffe, Rom. Forest (1820), III. 132. He was peculiarly susceptible of the beautiful and sublime in nature.
1814. D’Israeli, Quarrels Auth., I. 172. Hill … was infinitely too susceptible of criticism. Ibid. (1830), Chas. I., III. x. 223. Men of their ardent temper were susceptible of the contagion of his genius.
a. 1867. J. Bryce, in Brodrick, Ess. Reform (1867), 245. Susceptible from their very excess of acuteness to every transient impression.
1869. F. W. Newman, Misc., 128. Early poets are not susceptible to the ridiculous as we are.
1876. Q. Rev., CXLI. 78. Swift, like Goethe, was exceedingly susceptible of female influences.
1883. Manch. Guard., 12 Oct., 4/5. In a period of uncertainty stocks which are quoted far above their face value are more susceptible to attack.
1915. Eng. Hist. Rev., Jan., 168. It is curious to find him susceptible to the beginning of the Gothic Revival.
d. with of (rarely to): Capable of receiving into the mind, conceiving, or being inwardly affected by (a thought, feeling or emotion); capable of; disposed to; † disposed to take up or adopt; † able to take in or comprehend.
1646. J. Hall, Horæ Vac., 10. The multitude is susceptible of any opinions.
1699. Locke, Educ. (ed. 4), § 167. Childrens Minds are narrow, and weak, and usually susceptible but of one Thought at once.
1744. Harris, Three Treat., Wks. (1841), 99. As the rational only are susceptible of a happiness truly excellent.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), II. 33. That capital secret, of which you are not yet susceptible.
1776. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xvi. (1782), I. 676. His temper was not very susceptible of zeal or enthusiasm.
1784. Cowper, Task, III. 323. A heart Susceptible of pity.
1838. Lytton, Alice, I. iv. Her young heart was susceptible only of pleasure and curiosity.
1871. R. W. Dale, Commandm., x. 257. It was God who made us susceptible to hope and to fear.
e. with of or to: Capable of being physically affected by; esp. liable to take, subject to (a disease or other affection).
1793. Beddoes, Catarrh, 155. Children are so susceptible of inflammations. Ibid. (1802), Hygëia, VII. 50. The young of the dog kind are less susceptible of this particular … disease.
1816. [see SUSCEPTIBILITY 2 c].
1887. Encycl. Brit., XXII. 162/2. An increasing number of individuals who have become susceptible to smallpox.
† f. with of (rarely to) and gerund or noun of action: Capable of, or in fit condition for (doing something). Obs.
1829. Chapters Phys. Sci., 350. Transparent carbonate of lime susceptible of doubling the images of objects.
1838. Buckstone, Shocking Events (French’s ed.), 9. Spo. (To Dorothy). Are you susceptible of a promenade? Dor. I shall be delighted.
c. 1850[?]. Thackeray, (in W. Brown’s Catal., No. 159, Aug. [1905], 71). I am getting better and am susceptible to seeing ladies.
2. Without const. a. Capable of being affected by, or easily moved to, feeling; subject to emotional (or mental) impression; impressionable.
1709. Prior, Henry & Emma, 519. With Him, who next should tempt her easie Fame; And blow with empty Words the susceptible Flame.
a. 1821. V. Knox, Lib. Educ., xlvi. Wks. 1824, IV. 179. In the most susceptible periods of their lives.
1838. T. Mitchell, Clouds of Aristoph., 188. The moral influences which particular … modes of music were apt to exert over the minds of their susceptible countrymen.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ix. II. 455. The tidings were eagerly welcomed by the sanguine and susceptible people of France.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 70. We must remember also the susceptible nature of the Greek.
b. Subject to some physical affection, as infection, etc.
1875. H. C. Wood, Therap. (1879), 149. Tartar emetic is an irritant, acting upon some … susceptible skins in a very short time.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VII. 549. By cultures and by inoculations into susceptible animals.
† 3. Capable of being taken in by the mind; comprehensible, intelligible. Const. to. Obs. rare–1.
1694. Salmon, Bate’s Dispens. (1713), 439/1. To make it susceptible to every mean Understanding, we will give you it … in the following Words.
Hence Susceptibleness = SUSCEPTIBILITY; Susceptibly adv., in a susceptible manner.
a. 1631. Donne, Sem., Ps. xxxii. 8 (1640), 611. Grace finds out mans naturall faculties, and exalts them to … a susceptiblenesse of the working thereof.
1785. G. A. Bellamy, Apol., II. 111. I heard a voice uttering somewhat aloud, but what it was I could not distinguish, from being so susceptibly interested in my part.
