disability

disability
   a limiting mental or physical condition
   Literally, the fact of being rendered incapable, or disabled, but the two words have for so long been standard English that we forget there is normally no suggestion that the condition has been wilfully brought about:
    The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 extended the same legal protections... to an estimated 43 million disabled Americans. {Chicago Tribune, 20 May, 1991)
    Since the term 'disability' can include a former addiction to cocaine, marijuana etc., this means that an employer cannot enquire into past use of drugs, even for jobs such as airline pilots. (Sunday Telegraph, 6 March 1994)

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • disability — dis·abil·i·ty n pl ties 1: inability to pursue an occupation because of a physical or mental impairment; specif: inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity because of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be …   Law dictionary

  • disability — dis‧a‧bil‧i‧ty [ˌdɪsəˈbɪlti] disabilities PLURALFORM noun 1. also disablement [dɪsˈeɪblmənt] [countable] a physical problem that makes someone unable to use a part of their body: • The law offers people with disabilities useful protection… …   Financial and business terms

  • disability — dis a*bil i*ty, n.; pl. {Disabilities}. 1. State of being disabled; deprivation or want of ability; absence of competent physical, intellectual, or moral power, means, fitness, and the like. [1913 Webster] Grossest faults, or disabilities to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • disability — 1570s, want of ability; see DISABLE (Cf. disable) + ITY (Cf. ity). Related: Disabilities …   Etymology dictionary

  • disability — *inability …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • disability — [n] disadvantage, restriction affliction, ailment, defect, detriment, disqualification, drawback, impairment, inability, incapacity, incompetency, inexperience, infirmity, injury, invalidity, lack, unfitness, weakness; concepts 309,316,410 Ant.… …   New thesaurus

  • disability — ► NOUN (pl. disabilities) 1) a physical or mental condition that limits a person s movements, senses, or activities. 2) a disadvantage or handicap …   English terms dictionary

  • disability — [dis΄ə bil′ə tē, dis′ə bil′ə tē] n. pl. disabilities 1. a disabled condition 2. that which disables, as an illness, injury, or physical handicap 3. a legal disqualification or incapacity 4. something that restricts; limitation; disadvantage …   English World dictionary

  • Disability — Disabled redirects here. For the poem by Wilfred Owen, see Disabled (poem). Disabilities redirects here. For the Middle Age restrictions, see Disabilities (Jewish). Disability …   Wikipedia

  • disability — The want of legal capability to perform an act. Term is generally used to indicate an incapacity for the full enjoyment of ordinary legal rights; thus, persons under age, insane persons, and convicts are said to be under legal disability.… …   Black's law dictionary

  • disability — The want of legal capability to perform an act. Term is generally used to indicate an incapacity for the full enjoyment of ordinary legal rights; thus, persons under age, insane persons, and convicts are said to be under legal disability.… …   Black's law dictionary

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