woollinessn.
/ˈwʊlɪnᵻs/, U.S. /ˈwʊlinᵻs/ The quality or condition of being woolly (in various senses); (also) concrete a woolly substance.
ΘΚΠ
the world > textiles and clothing > textiles > wool > [noun] > quality of being woolly
woolliness1597
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > weakness of intellect > confusion, muddle-headedness > [noun]
fogginess1648
unconnectedness1772
puzzle-patedness1799
botherheadedness1814
muzziness1814
addlement1825
addle-headedness1835
muddleheadedness1839
woolliness1856
puzzleheadedness1858
harl1889
wooziness1924
1597 J. Gerard Herball ii. 634 Leaues..like vnto those of Hygtaper, but far whiter, softer, thicker, & fuller of woollinesse, which wooll is so long, that one may with his fingers pull the same from the leaues.
1721 J. Mortimer Whole Art Husb. II. 210 The Seed with its Woolliness, beginning a little to rise of its self at the lower-end of the Head.
1785 T. Martyn tr. J.-J. Rousseau Lett. Elements Bot. xiii. 148 The woollyness of the flowers in the Reed.
1824 Examiner 307/2 Mr. Fielding's execution is..soft without woolliness.
1856 Mem. W. Yarrell p. xvii He [sc. Yarrell] said that though pretty well he felt a ‘wooliness’ in the brain.
1859 T. J. Gullick & J. Timbs Painting 198 A ‘muzzy’, feeble, unpleasant appearance,..technically called ‘woolliness’.
1862 M. Hopkins Hawaii 344 The hair is black and waving... Its curl is perfectly free from the woolliness of the African.
1883 Hardwich's Phot. Chem. (ed. 9) 152 In attempting to coat a large plate, a wavy appearance, often known as woolliness of the film, is seen at the lower corner.
1883 R. Broughton Belinda III. iv. v. 264 That state of numb woolliness to which yesterday a less portion of labour had brought her.
1894 H. O. Forbes Hand-bk. Primates I. 204 The woolliness of their under-fur.
1927 Glasgow Herald 12 Oct. 11/1 Despite a certain amount of ‘woolliness’, however, songs and piano and violin solos are well reproduced.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1928; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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