a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 195 Grauel..haþ vertue for to clense metall and to waste rustynes [Morgan roustinesse; L. rubiginis] of metalle by frotyng and scowryng þer of.

?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 42 (MED) Rustynes of Synne is cawse of þese wawys; Alas in þis fflood þis werd xal be lorn ffor offens to god, brekyng his lawys.

a1492 W. Caxton tr. Vitas Patrum (1495) ii. f. ccv/1 Yf thou be harde as is the yron thou shalt lese thy Rustynes by fyre.

1567 T. Palfreyman Baldwin's Treat. Morall Philos. (new ed.) viii. iv. f. 186^v Ydlenes..is a thinge..bothe to the bodye and to the soule, like to a cankeringe rustines.

1576 A. Fleming tr. Erasmus in Panoplie Epist. 357 Let us rub off the rustinesse of our tongues.

1601 J. Lyly Loves Metamorphosis ii. i Her teeth hollow and red with rustinesse.

1679 C. Ness Distinct Disc. Antichrist To Rdr. sig. A6 If the rustiness of Gold witness against men at the last day.

1708 W. King Art of Cookery 144 The whole Knife, and not only the Handle, was of Amber or Silver, lest the Rustiness of an ordinary Knife might prove infectious.

1797 F. Jacson Disobedience III. xi.150 From the rustiness of the iron, which nearly resembled the colour of the dark wood, her eye had been uncertain what it was.

1851 N. Hawthorne House of Seven Gables i. 25 The rustiness and infirmity of age gathered over the venerable house itself.

1882 Garden 3 June 389/1 This rustiness [in strawberries] is caused by the sun.

1907 J. Conrad Secret Agent ii. 14 There were red, coppery gleams..on the broad back of Mr. Verloc's overcoat, where they produced a dull effect of rustiness.

1959 A. Nin Ladders to Fire 118 Listening..to Sabina's voice, the way its hoarseness changed from rustiness to a whisper.

2002 Independent 24 Oct. 32/2 Henman showed no signs of rustiness as he powered past Cedric Pioline 6–1, 6–4.

1860 G. J. Whyte-Melville Market Harborough 104 Old Isaac,..subject to occasional ‘rustiness’, and imbued with a strong aversion to what he called being ‘put upon’.

1900 G. B. Shaw Let. 14 Mar. (1972) II. 156 In the old days I was always standing between Bland and the rustinesses that used to come from his Tory imperviousness to the Radical notions with which Socialism was adulterated.

a1916 J. London Michael Brother of Jerry (1917) xxx. 277 Five minutes of hilarity delayed the turn which, when at last started, was marked by rustiness and erraticness on the part of the dogs.