penuriousnessn.

1630 J. Donne Job xvi. 17. 132 The penuriousnesse of my fortune contracted by my sins.

a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1958) IX. 152 At this houre, comes Christ unto you, in the offer of this abundance; and with what penuriousnesse, penuriousnesse of devotion, penuriousnesse of reverence do you meet him here?

1876 T. Hardy Hand of Ethelberta II. xxxi. 25 As if divers social wants and looming penuriousness had never been within her experience.

1990 J. Halperin Novelists in their Youth ii. 77 Hardy turned his attention to fiction as a way of escape from his chronic penuriousness.

1672 Bp. J. Wilkins Of Princ. Nat. Relig. 334 Those, that out of penuriousness can scarce afford themselves the ordinary conveniences of life out of their large possessions, have been always accounted poor.

1753 S. Richardson Hist. Sir Charles Grandison II. xiv. 155 They were girls—And as to them, had I increased my fortune by penuriousness, instead of living like a man, I was determined as to their fortunes.

1759 W. H. Dilworth Life of Pope 126 To shew the waste of some, and the sordid penuriousness of others.

1848 J. S. Mill Princ. Polit. Econ. I. ii. vii. §3. 332 They are oftener accused of penuriousness than of prodigality.

1974 J. Brennan Parker Ranch of Hawaii vi. 69 Some of her compulsive penuriousness might be attributed to the fact that she came from a long line of very poor people.

1990 Science 24 Aug. 855/2 Belying their reputation for penuriousness, the Scots have had to stump up £195,000.