untravellable

untravellable

English

Alternative forms

• untravelable

Etymology

un- +‎ travellable

Adjective

untravellable (not comparable)

1. (of a political region, geographical terrain, road, etc.) Unsuitable for or hostile to travel; incapable of being journeyed over or upon.
   • 1793, William Marshall, Rural Economy of the Midland Counties, Dublin, p. 43:

     By encreasing the hollowness of a wide carriage road, much beyond the utility of form, the margins might no doubt be brought into a travellable state; whereas, of a flat road, in a wet season, every part, from side to side becomes equally untravellable.

   • 1848, Edward Lear, Letters of Edward Lear (2008 edition), →ISBN, p. 8:

     Greece however is in a very untravellable state just now.

   • 1855, Charles Dickens (editor), Household Words, vol. 11, "Petition Extraordinary":

     [I]n this parish—without rectory, without school, without rector, with a pauper population, and untravellable roads—your petitioner spent upwards of seven months.

2. Unable to travel.
   • 1890, The New South Wales Law Reports, 1880-1900, vol. 10, p. 337:

     . . . the defendant to have the right to reject 1000 sheep from the number mustered, which were to include lame or untravellable sheep.

Synonyms

• (incapable of being journeyed over): impassable, untraversable