† littleheadn.
Obsolete.
= littleness n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > smallness of quantity, amount, or degree > [noun]
littlenessOE
littleheadc1350
paucity?a1425
smallness?1532
slenderness?1542
exiguity1604
fewness1617
lowness1708
slightness1747
exiguousness1888
the world > space > extension in space > measurable spatial extent > smallness > [noun]
littlenessOE
ungreatc1275
littleheadc1350
smallnessa1398
littlelaikc1450
exiguity1604
pusillage1610
parvity1620
parvitude1652
petitenessa1676
exiguousness1727
exility1779
toydom1882
weeness1882
c1350 Psalter (BL Add. 17376) in K. D. Bülbring Earliest Compl. Eng. Prose Psalter (1891) liv. 8 Ich abode hym þat made me sauf of my litelhede [c1400 Trin. Dublin litylhode; L. pusillanimitate] and of þe persecucioun of þe gost.
a1400 Psalter (Vesp.) liv. 8 in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1896) II. 185 I abade him þat sauf me made Fra littelhed of gast, and fra storme brade.
c1450 Jacob's Well (1900) 106 (MED) Arwenesse, þat may be clepyd lytelhed of trust of good dede.
1489 W. Caxton tr. C. de Pisan Bk. Fayttes of Armes i. i. sig. Aj The lytylhed of my persone.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2014; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.c1350