narrow-spiritedadj.n.
/ˌnarəʊˈspɪrᵻtᵻd/, U.S. /ˌnɛroʊˈspɪrᵻdᵻd/ A. adj.
Mean-spirited, wanting in generous or liberal feelings.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > expressed belief, opinion > bias, prejudice > narrow-mindedness > [adjective]
narrowed1599
narrow-minded1611
narrow1612
small1619
narrow1622
tub-brained1634
narrow-souled1641
narrow-spirited1645
narrow-compassed1647
illiberal1649
cat-witted1672
stingy1694
little-minded1707
straitened1712
unenlarged1741
contracted1765
one-eyed1779
unliberalized1793
nippit1808
small-minded1811
narrow-brained1835
narrow visioned1853
thin-minded1862
narrow-gauge1872
one-track1900
narrow-gutted1903
tunnel-visioned1968
1645 F. Rous Anc. Bounds 35 What narrow-spirited men are they, that are content with a conformed practise, though there be a contradicting principle.
1661 S. Hartlib Let. Oct. in J. Worthington Diary & Corr. (1855) II. i. 58 Mr. Rulice, who is now one of the public ministers at Amsterdam, a very honest man, but a Presbyterian, somewhat narrow spirited.
1679 Tryall R. Langhorn 14 He said he was a narrow Spirited, and a narrow Sould Physician.
1703 Moderation a Virtue 10 But the narrow-spirited Zealots prevailed.
1817 W. Scott Rob Roy I. x. 241 Qualities..modified by a narrow-spirited, but yet ardent patriotism.
1901 Amer. Hist. Rev. 6 791 It is not..profitable to dwell on the vagaries of this weak-headed and narrow-spirited, though..upright and gallant gentleman.
1986 Dict. National Biogr. 1971–80 171/1 It had its narrow-spirited enemies in the war bureaucracy.
2000 Times (Nexis) 13 Nov. He induced the city's snobbish, narrow-spirited ruling bourgeoisie..into new attitudes.
With plural agreement. With the. Narrow-spirited people as a class. Obsolete.
ΚΠ
1705 G. Stanhope Paraphr. Epist. & Gospels II. 275 Neither the Peevish,..nor the Selfish and Narrow-Spirited..are any of them charitable.
1768 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued II. i. 244 We..shall find subjects to rejoice at which the selfish and narrow spirited never know.
Derivatives
narrow-ˈspiritedness n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > expressed belief, opinion > bias, prejudice > narrow-mindedness > [noun]
narrow-mindedness1646
parvanimitya1691
narrowness1697
narrow-spiritedness1709
little-mindedness1767
narrow-mindeda1774
contraction1775
illiberality1775
smallness1813
illiberalism1839
narrow-heartedness1850
single-track mind1919
tunnel vision1949
1709 H. Chandler Effort against Biggotry (ed. 2) Ded. sig. A2v That narrow Spiritedness that is more or less the Fault of all Parties.
a1714 M. Henry Wks. (1853) II. 356 That narrow spiritedness which confines religion and the church to our way and party.
1992 Guardian (Nexis) 15 Sept. This kind of narrow-spiritedness is of no use to anyone except John Major.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.1645