† quivernessn.
Obsolete.
Quickness, nimbleness, agility.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > bodily movement > [noun] > qualities of bodily movement > agility or nimbleness
lightnessc1350
delivernessa1382
sleightc1385
deliverancec1410
agility?a1475
deliverhead1493
nimblenessa1500
quiverness?1548
delivery1590
legerity1590
nimbless1596
levity1607
agileness1653
airiness1731
spryness1865
nippiness1916
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > [noun] > brisk
lightnessc1350
quiverness?1548
smartness1644
brisknessa1655
zippiness1907
?1548 J. Bale Comedy Thre Lawes Nature iii. sig. Dvjv The pharysees corrupted me anone, And toke from me cleane, the quyuernesse of bodye, With clerenesse of syght, & other pleasures manye.
1569 N. Haward tr. Seneca Line of Liberalitie ii. xvii. f. 59 He for hys execcise and practise, if any fault happen in our playe, with his quiuernes and redines can well hide it and saue it from beinge openly espied by them that stande by.
1581 J. Bell tr. W. Haddon & J. Foxe Against Jerome Osorius 142 The Goale is not attained by the quyvernes of the person, nor successe of battell by prowesse.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2020).
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n.?1548