Incompetent to perform the duties of the place.
--Macaulay.
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.
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.
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 want of the requisite qualifications
for performing a given act, service, etc.; incapable
is absolute in its meaning, denoting want 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.