airinessn.

1535 Trevisa's Bartholomeus De Proprietatibus Rerum (rev. ed.) xi. vii. f. clviii/2 Reyne water is subtill and lyghte of substaunce, & hath more ayrinesse & more lyghtnes of ayre then other waters.

1607 R. Parker Scholasticall Disc. against Antichrist i. ii. 61 Neither doth the aerinesse of the Crosse hinder but that it is amongst the pictures of largest sence.

1643 K. Digby Observ. Religio Medici 38 I would inquire..whether the solidity of the Iudgement bee not outweighed by the ayrienesse of the fancy.

1674 N. Fairfax Treat. Bulk & Selvedge 40 The same is altogether nothing but the airiness of thinking.

?1722 J. Newton Alexis's Paradise v. i. 50 How I was deceived, while I conceived that Love was so material it could be touched, and grasped! I find it an undepending Airiness that both supports, and fills it self.

1770 T. Whately Observ. Mod. Gardening 34 The appearance of solidity or airiness in plants depends not solely on the thickness or thinness.

1853 Fraser's Mag. 47 513 The very foam of the sea, flung in all its wreathy airiness from the crest of a wave.

1884 Mind 9 361 The visionary airiness and helpless inanity of this volatilising procedure.

1924 C. Mackenzie Heavenly Ladder (1960) 282 The essential earthiness of the plain and the wateriness of the ocean and airiness of the air oppressed the mind.

1942 Jrnl. Aesthetics & Art Crit. 2 vi. 32 The airiness and the thinness surrounding abstract art limit our delight to the merely esthetical.

2003 San Francisco Chron. (Nexis) 2 Oct. a12 To ruminate about ‘too much’ is like debating the wetness of water, the airiness of air or how many angels fit on a pin head.

1699 E. Ward London Spy I. vii. 13 Wonderfully pleas'd with the Prospect of the Thames, the Beauty of the Buildings, and the Airiness and Spaciousness of the Court.

1742 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. Airiness, lying open to the Air.

1769 T. Nugent tr. P. J. Grosley New Observ. Italy II. 276 Its [sc. Florence Cathedral's] vastness, its height, its airiness, and withal its solidity.

1791 J. Bentham Panopticon i. 14 Airiness, lightsomeness, economy..are the evident results.

1836 T. Skinner Adventures Journey Overland to India II. iii. 30 Within, the houses are very magnificent. Their airiness is exceedingly delightful.

1861 Cornhill Mag. Mar. 327 There are little high-church pictures, and cleanliness and airiness everywhere.

1937 Amer. Home Apr. 167/1 Cool, gray walls help to enhance the feeling of space and airiness.

1962 H. J. De Blij Afr. South iii. 123 The width and airiness of Durban's streets make the daily heat more bearable.

1992 D. Lessing Afr. Laughter 18 This is sandveld country, not the heavy red, brown and bright pink soils of Banket, and the landscape has a light dry airiness.

1628 O. Felltham Resolves: 2nd Cent. xcv. sig. Bb3^v The giddy Ayrinesse of the French, I shall rather impute to their Dyet of Wine, and wilde Fowle, then to the difference of their Clime.

1652 J. Skeffington tr. B. Gracián y Morales Heroe of Lorenzo xiii. 105 It consists in a certain ayriness, in an unspeakable cheerfulness, as well in words as action.

1675 J. Crowne Countrey Wit i. 7 He may love the conversation of women, out of the Ayriness and Gayetie of his temper, and yet have no ill design.

1711 J. Addison Spectator No. 45. ¶5 Gaiety and Airiness of Temper.

a1726 N. Brady Several Serm. (1730) I. ii. 43 The Enticements, which they fatally make use of, are generally set off with Mirth and Airyness.

1795 E. Jerningham Welch Heiress iv. 65 I own I have the appearance of airiness and levity; but my gaiety is frequently assumed.

1850 H. T. Tuckerman Optimist 85 Without a certain airiness the wisest talk is oppressive.

1857 C. Dickens Let. 1 June (1995) VIII. 339 Airiness and good spirits are always delightful.

1900 T. Dreiser Sister Carrie xiii. 140 ‘Have you?’ she said, with assumed airiness, but still excited by the conviction which the tone of his voice carried.

1939 A. Huxley After Many a Summer ii. i. 220 Under a certain superficial irony and airiness, he was deeply attached to his mother.

1994 Daily Tel. 14 Nov. 23/2 He is intolerant of airiness, and treasures what he calls ‘bandwidth’, a technical term describing the scope of a computer's functions.

1731 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. (ed. 5) Airiness, briskness, liveliness.

1781 S. Johnson Prior in Pref. Wks. Eng. Poets VI. 62 His numbers..commonly want airiness, lightness, and facility.

1826 H. N. Coleridge Six Months W. Indies 78 The bird has the advantage..in airiness and motion.

1846 T. Wright Ess. Middle Ages I. vii. 249 The elves and fairies in all their frolicsome airiness.

1853 C. W. Webber Tales Southern Border 319 She rather appeared to bound than walk, with an exceeding airiness of movement.

1901 H. Sutcliffe Mistress Barbara Cunliffe v. 75 His usual stilted gait softened to a would-be airiness.

1968 Observer's Bk. Horses & Ponies (rev. ed.) 26 The Anglo-Arab has proved itself to be a good hunter and a very beautiful hack, having all the necessary gaiety and airiness of movement..necessary for this class of animal.

2007 Washington Times (Nexis) 15 Feb. b5 Kim was played at Tuesday's opening by Hannah Vassalio, who stood out because she alone moved with the grace and airiness of a dancer.

1734 R. Morris Lect. Archit. v. 72 As that Situation has a Mixture of Openness and Gaity, he has blended Solidity and Airiness extreamly agreeable.

a1792 J. Reynolds Journey Flanders & Holland in Wks. (1797) II. 124 There is lightness, airiness, and facility in Rubens, his advocates will urge.

1798 T. J. Mathias Pursuits of Lit.: Pt. IV (ed. 5) 284 More fancy and airiness of design.

1842 E. B. Barrett in Athenæum 6 Aug. 708/1 His peculiar grace and airiness of diction.

1857 G. F. Waagen Galleries & Cabinets of Art Great Brit. viii. 416 A sea-piece, with an airiness of effect like Cuyp. Delicate and true.

1898 Publ. Mod. Lang. Assoc. Amer. 13 316 Those of Breton's poems that are of the nature of vers de société..are lacking in airiness, elegance, crispness, and lightness of touch.

1930 Times 18 Feb. 14/3 The Houston Sisters go through their turn..with an airiness which intrigues, but does not deceive.

1990 New Yorker 16 Apr. 16/1 The artist's airiness and sense of whimsy are charming.

2002 Booklist (Nexis) Dec. 732 French author Fermine's concise romantic tale emulates the airiness and grace of haiku.