wightnessn.
Obsolete or archaic.
The quality of being ‘wight’; valour, courage, bravery; strength, might, force, vigour, energy; activity, agility, alacrity.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > courage > valour > [noun]
earlshipOE
prowessc1325
pruancec1330
valiantisec1330
wightshipc1330
valure?a1350
wightness1377
orpednessa1398
orpedshipc1400
valiantness1470
valiance1475
fierceness1490
priceheadc1540
valiancy1574
valor1586
valencea1604
valeur1646
valorousness1727
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [noun] > quality or state of being vigorous
wightness1377
vigorousnessc1440
zestfulness1850
gutsiness1893
thrustfulness1907
zippiness1907
vibrance1934
1377 W. Langland Piers Plowman B. xix. 240 He wissed hem wynne it aȝeyne þorw wightnesse of handes.
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. xii. 284 That noþer wit ne wyghtnesse wan neuere þe maistrie With-oute þe grete gyfte of god.
a1400 K. Alis. (Laud) 5495 Wiþ suerd & shelde in batayle To proue his wiȝtnesse.
c1440 York Myst. x. 58 Now..fra me is all wightnes wente.
1483 Cath. Angl. 417/2 Wightnesse, alacritas,..celeritas factorum, velocitas pedum est & corporum.
1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1888) I. 105 Gretlie thay take plesure in the wichtnes of thair bodie.
1596 J. Dalrymple tr. J. Leslie Hist. Scotl. (1888) I. 334 His strang defence of the Clergie of Scotland, and his wichtnes contrare the aduersar.
1755 R. Forbes tr. Ovid Ajax his Speech (new ed.) 8 Gin my wightness doubted war, I wat my gentle bleed..Right sickerly does plead.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1924; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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