faintnessn.
/ˈfeɪntnᵻs/, U.S. /ˈfeɪntnᵻs/ The state or condition of being faint.
1. † b. transferred.† c. Of flesh: Want of firmness or solidity.
a. The state or condition of being without strength or exhausted; exhaustion, feebleness.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > [noun] > weakness
faintise1297
weaknessa1300
faintc1320
feebleness1340
languishingc1384
lamea1400
unferea1400
unferenessa1400
unwielda1400
impotence1406
imbecility?a1425
languisha1425
languoringa1438
unwieldness1437
faintnessa1440
impotency1440
infirmityc1440
debility1484
unlustiness1486
resolution1547
unwieldiness1575
languishment1576
infirmness1596
weakness1603
prostrationa1626
exolution1634
languidness1634
prosternation1650
faintingnessa1661
debilitude1669
flaccidity1676
atony1693
puniness1727
faintishness1733
adynamia1743
asthenia1802
adynamy1817
weakliness1826
tonelessness1873
atonicity1900
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > weariness or exhaustion > [noun]
wearinessc900
slemea1300
werihede1340
talma1400
aneantizinga1425
faintnessa1440
defatigation1508
languishness?1529
lassitude1541
tiredness1552
overtiring1598
attainta1616
languishmentc1620
exhaustment1621
prostrationa1626
exhaustiona1639
tiresomeness1646
lassation1650
exantlation1651
fessitude1656
faintingnessa1661
delassation1692
tiriness1697
languor1707
fatigue1719
exhausture1779
distress1803
exhaustedness1840
worn-outness1844
tire1859
dead-beatness1907
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > weakness of intellect > [noun] > affecting soul or spirit
dissolution1651
faintness1672
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [noun] > weakness of immaterial things
weaknessa1300
feebleness1340
waterishnessa1603
faintnessa1716
flaccidity1778
saplessness1851
flabbiness1883
a1440 Sir Eglam. 901 For feyntnes sche myght not speke a worde.
a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. clxxxxvi. f. cxviii He bled so sore that for fayntnes he fyll from his horse.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry V f. lxv This miserable famyne..encreasyng so..that the stout souldiour for faintnes could skase welde his weapon.
1625 J. Hart Anat. Urines ii. iv. 72 There followeth a..faintnesse of their ioynts.
1672 Sanderson in Walton Life M ij a A great bodily weakness and faintness of spirits.
a1716 O. Blackall Wks. (1723) I. vii. 63 'Tis this faintness of their Desire which is the Cause of its being successless.
a1871 G. Grote Fragm. Ethical Subj. (1876) i. 14 The faintness or potency of the feeling.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > insufficiency > [noun]
unsuffisant1387
over-little?a1400
non-suffisantee1425
unsufficience1445
insufficience1486
insufficiency1531
faintness1543
non-sufficiency1584
non-sufficience1598
incompetence1663
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > imperfection > [noun] > an imperfection > defect or fault or flaw
faultc1320
breckc1369
villainyc1400
offencec1425
defectc1450
defection1526
vitiosity1538
faintness1543
gall1545
eelist1549
mar1551
hole1553
blemish1555
wart1603
flaw1604
mulct1632
wound1646
failurea1656
misfeature1818
bug1875
out1886
1543–4 Act 35 Hen. VIII c. 10 For fayntnes of the springes..the accustomed course of the waters..diminished.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxvi To them he explaned..the fayntnesse & leuenesse of hys treasure.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > types of softness > [noun] > want of firmness
unsadnessc1384
unfirmness1566
insolidity1578
faintness1599
1599 J. Minsheu Pleasant Dialogues Spanish & Eng. 56 in R. Percyvall & J. Minsheu Spanish Gram. Of this fertilitie proceedes the faintnesse of the flesh there.
2. The state of being faint in spirit; dejection, timorousness; inertness, slackness, sluggishness. Obsolete except in faintness of heart, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > [noun]
accidiaOE
accidie?c1225
lethargyc1380
faintness1398
lithernessc1425
listlesshedec1440
owlisthead1440
supinity1548
lustlessness1556
benumbedness1566
phlegm1578
apoplexy1589
acedia1607
torpor1607
drowsiness1611
torpidity1614
languishmentc1620
hebetude1621
acedy1623
inerty1623
supineness1640
listlessness1646
cadaveriety1651
inertitude1656
oscitation1656
torpulency1657
sopor1658
phlegmaticness1659
lethargicalness1664
torpidnessa1676
faineantisea1684
phlegmatism1688
vis inertiae1710
torpitude1713
moonery1764
donothingness1814
benumbment1817
inertia1821
languor1825
donothingism1839
Mondayishness1850
mooniness1852
mooning1857
fainéantisme1873
sog1874
Oblomovism1902
the mind > emotion > suffering > dejection > [noun]
unlustOE
sorrowfulnessa1250
heavinessc1275
elengenessec1320
dullnessc1369
tristourc1380
murknessc1390
tristesse1390
faintness1398
ungladnessa1400
droopingc1400
heavity14..
dejectionc1450
terne?a1513
disconsolation1515
descence1526
marea1529
sadness?1537
dumpishness1548
unblessedness1549
dolorousness1553
ruefulness?1574
dolefulness1586
heartlessness1591
languishment1591
mopishness1598
soul-sickness1603
contristation1605
damp1606
gloominess1607
sableness1607
uncheerfulnessa1617
disconsolateness1624
cheerlessnessa1631
dejectedness1633
droopingness1635
disanimation1637
lowness1639
desponsion1641
disconsolacy1646
despondency1653
dispiritedness1654
chagrin1656
demission1656
jawfall1660
weightedness1660
depression1665
disconsolancy1665
grumness1675
despondence1676
despond1678
disheartenednessa1680
glumness1727
low1727
gloom1744
low-spiritedness1754
blue devils1756
black dog1776
humdudgeon1785
blue devilism1787
dispiritude1797
wishtnessc1800
downheartedness1801
blue-devilage1816
dispiritment1827
downcastness1827
depressiveness1832
dolorosity1835
lugubriosity1840
disconsolance1847
down1856
heavy-heartedness1860
lugubriousness1879
sullenness1885
low key1886
melancholia1896
burn-out1903
mokus1924
downness1927
mopiness1927
deflation1933
wallow1934
the mind > emotion > fear > timidity > [noun]
arghtha1250
arghshipc1275
arghness1340
faintness1398
ferdfulness1398
timorosity1490
timiditya1513
timorousnessa1513
unboldness?1520
timerity1582
inaudacity?1594
unhardiness1611
to lie aback1636
meticulosity1655
pavidity1656
afraidness1669
timidness1680
sheepishness1712
funkiness1859
fearsomeness1891
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > [noun] > half-heartedness
faintness1398
faint-heart1580
faint-heartedness1580
halving1613
zeallessness1667
half-heartedness1670
1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomew de Glanville De Proprietatibus Rerum (1495) xii. xxvii. 430 For his feyntnes and cowardnes the kite is ouercome of a birde that is lesse than he.
c1485 Digby Myst. iii. 280 In feyntnes I falter, for þis fray fell.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 1 (1623) iv. i. 107 The palenesse of this Flower, Bewray'd the faintnesse of my Masters heart. View more context for this quotation
1645 J. Milton Tetrachordon To Parl. sig. A4v They..have neglected through faintnesse the onely remedy of their sufferings.
1851 ‘L. Mariotti’ Italy in 1848 301 Faintness of heart and infirmity of purpose must naturally..be found in so vast a mass.
3. The feeling of being faint or ready to swoon.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > physical sensibility > physical insensibility > unconsciousness > [noun] > fainting or swooning > feeling about to
faintc1320
abatec1500
faintness1526
faintingnessa1661
faintiness1683
faintishness1733
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. TTTiiiiv He fell downe for feyntnesse and weaknesse.
1791 A. Radcliffe Romance of Forest III. xix. 217 The faintness is already going off.
1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth xi, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. III. 321 The faintness which seemed to overpower him.
1874 L. Carr Judith Gwynne I. i. 29 Sudden faintnesses at the last moment.
4. The quality or fact of being faint or of feebly affecting the senses; dimness or feebleness (of light, colour, outline, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > light > darkness or absence of light > dimness or absence of brightness > [noun]
dimnessc825
dimc1430
dunnessc1475
dullness1567
dimmedness1596
faintness1651
filminess1727
opacity1794
tenuity1794
1651 W. Davenant Gondibert iii. iv. 50 It [the emerald]..will, when worn by the neglected wife, Shew when her absent Lord disloyal proves, By faintness.
1732 G. Berkeley Alciphron I. iv. viii. 223 Littleness or Faintness..seem to have no necessary Connexion with greater Length of Distance.
1796 L. Murray Eng. Gram. (ed. 2) 12 The faintness of the sound of this letter.
1883 F. M. Crawford Dr. Claudius ix. 169 The faintness of the gathering twilight.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1894; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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