The Lady Davey, ever impotent in her passions, was even distracted with anger, that she was crossed in her will.—Hacket, Life of Archbishop Williams, part i. p. 194.
The truth is, that in this battle and whole business the Britons never more plainly manifested themselves to be right barbarous; such confusion, such impotence, as seemed likest not to a war, but to the wild hurry of a distracted woman, with as mad a crew at her heels.—Milton, History of England, b. ii.
If a great personage undertakes an action passionately and upon great interest, let him manage it indiscreetly, let the whole design be unjust, let it be acted with all the malice and impotency in the world, he shall have enough to flatter him, but not enough to reprove him.—Bishop Taylor, Holy Living, c. 2, § 6.
Improve. So long as the verb ‘to improve’ was directly connected in men’s thoughts with the Latin ‘improbare,’ it was inevitable that it should have a meaning very different from that which now attaches to it; and so we find it used as equivalent to the Greek ἐλέγχειν, the Latin ‘reprobare,’ to disapprove of, to disallow.
If tho thre [opinions] be sufficiently improved, that is to saie, if it be sufficiently schewen that the thre be nought and untrewe and badde, alle the othere untrewe opiniouns bilded upon hem muste needis therebi take her fal.—Pecock, Repressor, part 1, c. 1.
For love of the world the olde pharesies blasphemed the Holy Ghost, and persecuted the manifest truth which they could not improve.—Tyndale, Exposition on the First Epistle of S. John.
If ye cannot improve it [my doctrine] by God’s word, and yet of an hate and malicious mind that you bear to the truth, labour to resist it and condemn it that it should not spread, I ensure you your sin is irremissible and even against the Holy Ghost.—Frith, Works, 1572, p. 3.
Be instant in season and out of season; improve [ἔλεγξον], rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.—2 Tim. iv. 2. (Geneva Version.)
Incense. Now to kindle anger only; but once to kindle or inflame any passion, good or bad, in the breast. Anger, as the strongest passion, finally appropriated the word, just as in Greek it made θυμός and ὀργή its own.
He [Asdrubal] it was, that when his men were weary and drew back, incensed [accendit] them again, one while by fair words and entreaty, another while by sharp checks and rebukes.—Holland, Livy, p. 665.