neshnessn.
/ˈnɛʃnəs/, U.S. /ˈnɛʃnəs/ Now regional.
Softness; weakness, feebleness; squeamishness; †lack of courage, faint-heartedness (obsolete). In Old English also concrete: †a soft part (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > softness > [noun]
neshnesseOE
softnessOE
softc1225
neshheadc1350
softheadc1350
tendernessa1387
teneritudec1440
tenerity1623
the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > [noun]
neshnesseOE
measurea1393
temperateness1398
lightness?a1425
moderation?a1425
cool1562
mildness1605
weakness1707
the world > action or operation > inaction > disinclination to act or listlessness > [noun] > lack of vigour or energy
neshnesseOE
thowlessness1489
fecklessness1637
nervelessness1857
entropy1867
the mind > emotion > fear > cowardice or pusillanimity > [noun]
arghtha1250
arghshipc1275
faintise1297
cowardicec1300
cowardshipc1330
arghness1340
arghhoodc1350
sheepnessc1380
pusillanimitya1393
cowardnessa1400
neshnessa1400
cowardyc1405
lithernessc1425
lashness1477
cowardrya1547
meagreness?1553
cowardliness1556
micropsychy1651
buzzardism1659
stanielry1659
manlessness1667
cow-heartedness1718
pusillanimousness1727
chicken-heartedness1808
infortitude1813
plucklessness1824
white-featherism1843
cold feet1893
yellow1893
liver-heartedness1897
yellowness1909
eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care (Hatton) (1871) xxi. 159 Ðære tidernesse & ðære hnescnesse ures flæsces we beoð underðiedde.
OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Matt. xi. 8 Hominem mollibus uestitum : ðone monno mið hnescnisum geweded uel gegearuad.
OE tr. Pseudo-Apuleius Herbarium (Vitell.) (1984) clxxxv. 232 Wið innoðes astyrunge genim þyses wæstmes hnescnysse innewearde.
a1400 tr. Lanfranc Sci. Cirurgie (Ashm.) (1894) 29 (MED) Þe senewe haþ ij oþere defautis: neischenesse [L. mollitiem] and liȝtnesse.
a1425 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Harl. 1900) (1882) VIII. 287 Neschenesse [a1387 St. John's Cambr. Som men seide þat þat myshap fel for mescheves of Englisch men].
1496 (c1410) Dives & Pauper (de Worde) x. vi. 380/1 The Iacke..by his softenesse & nesshenesse softeth & feynteth all strokes that cometh there ayenst.
1553 T. Wilson Arte of Rhetorique i. f. 7v To be borne a woman, declares weakenes of spirite, neshenes of body, and fikilnesse of mynde.
1587 L. Mascall Bk. Cattell: Sheep (1627) 225 When any Sheep by running out or neashnes of his dung, doe ray and defile his taile.
1610 G. Markham Maister-peece i. li. 106 There is also another consumption..which proceedeth from neshnesse, tendernesse, freenesse of spirit.
1874 T. Hardy Far from Madding Crowd II. xi. 128 I should be inclined to think it was from general neshness of constitution.
1957 R. Hoggart Uses of Literacy i. 24 She retained..a strength which her children had not and towards which they had at times something of a sophisticated and urbanized ‘neshness’ (soft squeamishness).
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.eOE