All 4 Uses of
impotent
in
Moby Dick
- The severest pointed harpoon, the sharpest lance darted by the strongest human arm, impotently rebounds from it.†
Chpt 76-78 *
- For, by this time, so spent was he by loss of blood, that he helplessly rolled away from the wreck he had made; lay panting on his side, impotently flapped with his stumped fin, then over and over slowly revolved like a waning world; turned up the white secrets of his belly; lay like a log, and died.†
Chpt 79-81
- …ardour of youth declines; as years and dumps increase; as reflection lends her solemn pauses; in short, as a general lassitude overtakes the sated Turk; then a love of ease and virtue supplants the love for maidens; our Ottoman enters upon the impotent, repentant, admonitory stage of life, forswears, disbands the harem, and grown to an exemplary, sulky old soul, goes about all alone among the meridians and parallels saying his prayers, and warning each young Leviathan from his amorous…†
Chpt 88-90
- Thou canst not tell where one drop of water or one grain of sand will be to-morrow noon; and yet with thy impotence thou insultest the sun!†
Chpt 118-120
Definition:
-
(impotent as in: impotent fury) lacking power or ability