† overthwartnessn.
Obsolete.
Contrariness; perversity.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [noun] > perverseness
frowardnessa1300
waywardnessc1384
wrawnessc1386
frowardship14..
perversity?a1425
frowardheadc1470
overthwartnessc1475
adversity1489
perversednessa1500
thrawnness1499
untowardnessa1525
protervitya1527
repugnancy1557
thrawardness1567
contrariousness1571
crookedness1576
thwartness1577
pervertness1581
peevishness1582
awkness1587
crabbedness1598
untowardliness1598
crossness1600
difficileness1612
contrariness1642
perverseness1644
cross-grainedness1652
wrong-headedness1740
pigheadedness1801
cussedness1852
orneriness1880
bloody-mindedness1910
difficultness1934
c1475 (?c1400) Apol. Lollard Doctr. (1842) 107 Wat ouerþwartnes is þis to wil not obey to þe lesson?
a1500 tr. Thomas à Kempis De Imitatione Christi (Trin. Dublin) (1893) 42 God shal defende þe, for him þat he wol helpe, no mannys ouerthwartnes [L. perversitas] shal mowe noye.
1533 in State Papers Henry VIII (1834) II. 170 A perpetuall discourage to others, that doo use overthwartnes and contrariositie.
1569 T. Newton tr. Cicero Worthye Bk. Olde Age i b Suche is the..foolishe sottage and peruerse ouerthwartnes of waywarde people.
a1648 Ld. Herbert Life (1976) 36 My younger sister indeed might haue been married to a far greater fortune had not the Overthwartnes of some Neighbors interrupted it.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2004; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.c1475