unsteadinessn.
/(ˌ)ʌnˈstɛdɪnᵻs/, U.S. /ˌənˈstɛdinᵻs/ The quality of being unsteady.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > irregular movement or agitation > unsteady movement > [noun] > tottering > quality of being tottering or unstable
unstaidnessa1586
unsteadiness1611
labascencya1656
wobbliness1861
shauchliness1887
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues Volubilité,..vnsteadinesse, or an inconstant mouing.
1646 H. Lawrence Of Communion & Warre with Angels 120 The cause of loosenes, and laxenesse, and unsteddines in our course.
1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 2 The unsteadiness of the Weather.
1722 W. Wollaston Relig. of Nature (1724) v. 85 If things are now and then mis-shaped, this infers no unsteadiness or mistake in nature.
1796 F. Burney Camilla V. ix. i. 7 The unsteadiness of the boat.
1808 W. Mitford Hist. Greece (new ed.) III. 88 The gross evils inherent in the Athenian constitution; its irremediable unsteadiness, its gross tyranny.
1869 T. H. Tanner Clin. Med. (ed. 2) 289 The insidious form begins by numbness,..unsteadiness on the legs,..till the loss of power is complete.
1875 Economist 16 Jan. 68/1 The unsteadiness of the [stock-]markets.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1611