humorousnessn.

1604 Abp. G. Abbot Reasons Dr. Hill Vnmasked x. 418 Among sober & wise hearers, it is wel accepted when the Fathers are cited... Some other there be who thinke themselues no meane folkes, which on a humorousnesse..like not to heare them quoted in the Pulpit.

1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Bizarrerie, fantasticalnesse, toyishnesse, humorousnesse.

1654 J. Crandon Mr. Baxters Aphorisms Exorized & Anthorized ii. 251 I..know the morosity and humorousness of most readers in our times, preferring an erroneous conciseness, before a sound and full manifestation of the truth.

1686 J. Goodman Winter-evening Conf. (new ed.) iii. 101 It must be extream humourousness to deny a Providence in them.

1714 W. McGeorge Serm. at Opening Synod Lothian & Tweeddale 37 I cannot but regrete the unhappy Humourousness of these People, who separate themselves from the Communion of this Church, upon the Account of their fond Inclination to Diocesan Episcopy and Ceremonies.

1747 S. Richardson Clarissa II. x. 51 I am sorry you cannot yet persuade yourself to think better..of that gentleman, than your whimsical picture of him shews you do; or, at least, than the humorousness of your natural vein would make one think you do.

1845 J. H. Turner tr. E. G. Geijer Hist. of Swedes x. 140 Not as if any weakness or humourousness had been found in them [sc. tears].., but he was troubled in heart so sorely, that the words forced the tears from his eyes.

1890 H. H. Furness in W. Shakespeare As you like It (New Variorum ed.) 46 It would never do to call the Duke's conversion..a caprice. Yet this humorousness, whatever it be, is emphasised as a characteristic of the Duke.

1727 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II Humorousness, comicalness, fulness of pleasantry, fantasticalness.

1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued II. ii. 222 There was..such a good natured humourousness in his countenance.

1861 S. Smiles Lives Engineers II. 333 He had not lost the humorousness which had procured for him the sobriquet of ‘Laughing Tam’.

1895 Pop Sci. Monthly Dec. 199 British publications of alleged humorousness.

1921 G. E. Woodberry Appreciation of Lit. & Amer. in Lit. ii. iv. 193 A man of instincts and tastes, of sympathetic warmth and kindly humorousness.

1977 A. Tyler Earthly Possessions x. 124 I..grew to look at things with a faint, pleasant humorousness.

2004 B. Ziporyn Being & Ambiguity i. 140 The seriousness of the setup is in perfect contradiction to the humorousness of the punch line.