INCUMBENT • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Incumbent

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/ɪnkˈəmbənt/ Listen

noun

Incumbent n. A person who is in present possession of a benefice or of any office. "The incumbent lieth at the mercy of his patron."

adjective

Incumbent adj.

Lying; resting; reclining; recumbent; superimposed; superincumbent. "Two incumbent figures, gracefully leaning upon it." "To move the incumbent load they try."

Lying, resting, or imposed, as a duty or obligation; obligatory; always with on or upon. "All men, truly zealous, will perform those good works that are incumbent on all Christians."

(Bot.) Leaning or resting; said of anthers when lying on the inner side of the filament, or of cotyledons when the radicle lies against the back of one of them.

(Zool.) Bent downwards so that the ends touch, or rest on, something else; as, the incumbent toe of a bird.

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Etymology of 'Incumbent'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Incumbent" Quotes from Famous Books

... the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth century, affairs assumed so critical an aspect that it became incumbent upon the central government to adopt some coercive measure. Sultan Selim was the first who endeavoured to suppress these turbulent spirits. He was unequal to the task, and fell a victim to their revengeful displeasure. 'Bairaktar, the hero ...

— Herzegovina - Or, Omer Pacha and the Christian Rebels • George Arbuthnot

... Whymper, who ran him very close in skill, and sometimes divided the spoil with him; but on the present occasion he had a wordy weapon to baffle even that foe. This consisted in constant allusion to the latter's supposed reversionary interest in the living at Crompton, the incumbent whereof was ancient and infirm, and which was in the Squire's gift. This piece of preferment was the object of the chaplain's dearest hopes, and the last subject he would have chosen to jest upon, especially in the ...

— Bred in the Bone • James Payn

... was arrested on the charge of having attempted to poison the Duke, who, "to avoid public scandal stabbed him to death in prison." He also murdered the Duchess's lady-in-waiting, but seems not to have had the heart to kill his wife with his own hands. Nevertheless he believed it incumbent upon him as a wronged husband to exercise justice upon her, and he deputed the deed to her brother, who was nothing loth to wipe out the stain ...

— Romance of Roman Villas - (The Renaissance) • Elizabeth W. (Elizbeth Williams) Champney

... evincing good business qualifications, he had occupied his present position in the bank for several years, and at the time of the robbery, arrangements were being made for his promotion to the position of cashier, owing to the contemplated retirement of Mr. Welton, the present incumbent. His personal habits were unexceptionable, so far as known, and every one with whom John Manning conversed upon the subject, were loud in his praises. In the social circles of the town, he was an acknowledged favorite; he was a fair musician, was a member of the ...

— The Burglar's Fate And The Detectives • Allan Pinkerton

... incumbent upon me to say, as the avowed sponsor for the book, in order that praise and blame may be rightly apportioned. Touching the inherent value of this document, nothing whatever is due to me. Any criticism of its arrangement, or lack of ...

— The Record of Nicholas Freydon - An Autobiography • A. J. (Alec John) Dawson

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