Search Result for "incompetent": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. someone who is not competent to take effective action;
[syn: incompetent, incompetent person]


ADJECTIVE (5)

1. legally not qualified or sufficient;
- Example: "a wife is usually considered unqualified to testify against her husband"
- Example: "incompetent witnesses"
[syn: incompetent, unqualified]

2. not qualified or suited for a purpose;
- Example: "an incompetent secret service"
- Example: "the filming was hopeless incompetent"

3. showing lack of skill or aptitude;
- Example: "a bungling workman"
- Example: "did a clumsy job"
- Example: "his fumbling attempt to put up a shelf"
[syn: bungling, clumsy, fumbling, incompetent]

4. not doing a good job;
- Example: "incompetent at chess"
[syn: incompetent, unskilled]

5. not meeting requirements;
- Example: "unequal to the demands put upon him"
[syn: incapable, incompetent, unequal to(p)]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Incompetent \In*com"pe*tent\, a. [L. incompetens: cf. F. incomp['e]tent. See In- not, and Competent.] [1913 Webster] 1. Not competent; wanting in adequate strength, power, capacity, means, qualifications, or the like; incapable; unable; inadequate; unfit. [1913 Webster] Incompetent to perform the duties of the place. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster] 2. (Law) Wanting the legal or constitutional qualifications; inadmissible; as, a person professedly wanting in religious belief is an incompetent witness in a court of law or equity; incompetent evidence; a mentally defective person is incompetent to care for himself and requires a legal guardian. [1913 Webster +PJC] Richard III. had a resolution, out of hatred to his brethren, to disable their issues, upon false and incompetent pretexts, the one of attainder, the other of illegitimation. --Bacon. [1913 Webster] 3. Not lying within one's competency, capacity, or authorized power; not permissible. Syn: Incapable; unable; inadequate; insufficient; inefficient; disqualified; unfit; improper. Usage: Incompetent, Incapable. Incompetent is a relative term, denoting a lack of the requisite qualifications for performing a given act, service, etc.; incapable is absolute in its meaning, denoting lack of power, either natural or moral. We speak of a man as incompetent to a certain task, of an incompetent judge, etc. We say of an idiot that he is incapable of learning to read; and of a man distinguished for his honor, that he is incapable of a mean action. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

incompetent adj 1: legally not qualified or sufficient; "a wife is usually considered unqualified to testify against her husband"; "incompetent witnesses" [syn: incompetent, unqualified] [ant: competent] 2: not qualified or suited for a purpose; "an incompetent secret service"; "the filming was hopeless incompetent" [ant: competent] 3: showing lack of skill or aptitude; "a bungling workman"; "did a clumsy job"; "his fumbling attempt to put up a shelf" [syn: bungling, clumsy, fumbling, incompetent] 4: not doing a good job; "incompetent at chess" [syn: incompetent, unskilled] 5: not meeting requirements; "unequal to the demands put upon him" [syn: incapable, incompetent, unequal to(p)] n 1: someone who is not competent to take effective action [syn: incompetent, incompetent person]