Word of the Day for Thursday, June 2, 2011
intestable \in-TES-tuh-buhl\, adjective:
Not legally qualified to make a will, as an infant or a lunatic.
"I said the B.O. was detestable, not intestable," said the attorney, "although an argument could be made for him being a socialist lunatic!"
--Spy Maker, JSA's Blog
To unsoundness of mind is shown; there was certainly a degree of debility from age and supervening infirmities, the understanding was weakened and impaired, but that does not render a person intestable or incapable of judging of injuries done to him or of benefits confered upon him.-- The Law Times, Volume 69, 1880
I understood that a man convicted by the verdict of his country of housebreaking is infamous and intestable.-- James Boswell, Mark Harris, The heart of Boswell: six journals in one volume
Intestable shares the same root as testify, the Latin testā, "to bear witness."
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