gamenessn.
/ˈɡeɪmnᵻs/, U.S. /ˈɡeɪmnᵻs/ The quality of being game; pluck, courage, perseverance; enthusiasm for new challenges, experiences, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > courage > spirit > [noun]
hearteOE
spirita1382
fierceness1490
stomach?1529
spritec1540
fire1579
mettle1581
rage1590
brave-spiritednessa1617
lion-heart1667
game1747
spunk1773
pluck1785
gameness1810
ginger1836
pluckiness1846
gimp1901
ticker1930
cojones1932
1810 Sporting Mag. 36 80 This sort of gameness always gets a man the worst of the battle.
1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. II. viii. 137 Whatever else you might think of Blake, there was no doubt about his gameness.
1882 Nature 5 Jan. 216/2 Both species..exhibit gameness and endurance second to no other fish.
1914 St. Nicholas May 611/1 His gameness under fire has been well established.
1922 Q. Rev. July 265 The Reynard of the poem is shown to be a splendid fellow, with such gameness and pluck that, under the illusion of this galloping verse, he wins sympathy and a right ending.
1996 Austin (Texas) Amer.-Statesman (Nexis) 13 Oct. 7 The kids..seem to accept the silly situations they're placed in with all the gameness of ‘Truth or Consequences’ contestants.
2005 Dogs in Canada Jan. 35/1 The dogs..were able to perform in the manner for which they were developed because of the gameness they inherited from the prey instinct of their ancestors.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1810