bignessn.

c1475 tr. A. Chartier Quadrilogue (Univ. Coll. Oxf.) (1974) 137 (MED) The potter by the compace of oon molde makith diuers pottes of different bignesse and facions, bothe more and lesse.

?1530 J. Rastell Pastyme of People sig. Cii^v They be of one..bygnes.

1573 R. Lever Arte of Reason Forespeache sig. ★.viij Euery..science hath but one speciall matter to intreate of, as Arithmeticke to intreate of numbers, Geometrie of bignesse..&c.

1594 H. Plat Jewell House 68 A hazell sticke of the bignesse of a good cudgell,..(the Vintners call it their parrelling staffe).

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost ii. 1052 This pendant world, in bigness as a Starr. View more context for this quotation

1700 C. Leigh Nat. Hist. Lancs. i. 161 The Sparling-Fisher..is about the Bigness of a Duck, and by a wonderful Activity in Diving catches its Prey.

1761 B. Wheeler Let. 28 Sept. in T. Warton Corr. (1995) 104 I have insisted upon using..much better paper, tho'..of the same bigness as before.

1779 S. Johnson Blake in Gentleman's Mag. June 306/2 7 Forts with Cannon proportioned to the Bigness.

1826 W. Kirby & W. Spence Introd. Entomol. III. xxix. 78 The bigness of a large pea.

1850 J. Greenwood Sailor's Sea-bk. 134 Moulded, cut to the mould. Also the size or bigness of the timbers that way the mould is laid.

1927 Amer. Mercury Jan. 20/2 Pebbles the bigness of a fist.

1615 E. S. Britain's Buss in E. Arber Eng. Garner III. 642 Cod fishing... A chopstick is an iron about the bigness of a curtain rod, and a yard long.

1628 World Encompassed by Sir F. Drake 13 The fry..being in bignesse of a wheat straw, and in length an inch more or lesse.

1707 Curiosities in Husb. 321 Whales: some of which, according to Pliny, have been taken that were six hundred feet long, and three hundred in bigness.

1792 J. S. Barr tr. Comte de Buffon Nat. Hist. VII. 305 The want of a paunch is supplied by the bigness and length of his intestines, and especially of the colon, which is two or three feet in diameter, and fifteen or twenty in length.

1804 J. Parkinson Org. Remains Former World I. 61 Fir trees of a wonderful bigness and length.

c1487 J. Skelton tr. Diodorus Siculus Bibliotheca Historica i. 60 At dyuerse tymes ther falle hayl-stones of incredible bygnes.

1509 S. Hawes Pastime of Pleasure (1928) xxxviii. 198 A poynted dyamonde of meruaylous bygnes.

a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. cxxxi. f. lxvii Moost precious stones of a great bygnesse and value.

1553 R. Eden tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India sig. Eiij ^v They exceade all other men in bignesse of bodie.

1614 G. Markham Cheape & Good Husbandry (1668) i. i. 4 Not grosse with much flesh but with the bignesse of his bones.

1688 T. Brown Diary 16 Feb. (1898) 50 David Seatter..picked owt a cannon ball to the bignes of threttie pound weight or yrby.

1707 Duke of Marlborough Let. 16 June in H. L. Snyder Marlborough–Godolphin Corr. (1975) II. 795 Notwithstanding the bigness of this packett, I send you a copie of my letter to the Comte Piper.

1764 J. Grainger Sugar-cane i. 21 In meagre lands, 'Tis known the yam will ne'er to bigness swell.

1835 J. Rennie & J. O. Westwood Nat. Hist. Insects II. ii. 38 A certain palmer-worm which he had found, rare for its bigness and form.

1878 B. Stewart & P. G. Tait Unseen Universe ii. §85 But we must not be terrified at mere bigness.

1935 Times 29 May 12/1 The physical advantages of London are conspicuous—its geographical situation, its river, its bigness.

2007 Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch (Nexis) 4 Nov. 3g The bigness of the district causes its three biggest problems.

1634 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World (new ed.) I. xxxvi. iii. 564 Where is there one in Rome at this day, who hath in the portaile or entrie of his house any columns, that for bignesse and pride come near to those of Scaurus?

1681 H. More Plain Expos. Daniel Pref. p. lvii The worldly bigness and downbearing Dominion of a tyrannical Clergy.

1847 L. Hunt Men, Women, & Bks. II. i. 15 A puffed and uneasy pomp, a bigness instead of greatness.

1860 Macmillan's Mag. Jan. 172/1 Bigness of political conception is not necessarily wisdom.

1933 Times 12 Sept. 17/5 There is no difficulty in appreciating the bigness of the theme he has tackled.

2007 Washington Post (Nexis) 5 Sept. c1 This latest trend, in which foods are cunningly sold as On the Go.., underscores the bigness of the concept in today's society.