[f. prec. + -NESS.] The quality of being variable or changeable; tendency or liability to vary: a. Of things.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), II. 201. Therefore mony difference be in a man, swiftenesse of sawle, variablenesse of witte.
1569. Golding, Heminge’s Postill., Ded. 2. Whose interpretation being alwayes one without variablenesse.
1595. Drake’s Voy. (Hakl. Soc.), 19. The variableness of the winde and weather.
1612. T. Taylor, Comm. Titus iii. 1. The variablenes of times, places, & dispositions of churches.
1712. Steele, Spectator, No. 478, ¶ 2. The Variableness of Fashion turns the Stream of Business.
1794. Jones, in G. Adams, Nat. & Exper. Phil., II. xxii. 468, note. The variableness in refractive power of different sorts of glass.
1820. W. Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Reg., I. 403. This variableness being the effect of the unequal temperature of the ice and water.
1838. Arnold, in Life & Corr. (1844), II. viii. 126. With regard to the Examinations, I hear a general complaint of the variableness of the standard.
1885. Manch. Exam., 14 April, 8/6. The proverbial variableness of the Irish climate.
b. Of persons, the mind, conduct, etc.
1491. Caxton, Vitas P. (W. de W., 1495), II. 237. By a brother of his he hadde be Induced to soo grete varyablenesse and unstedfastnesse.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 271 b. The varyablenesse or vnstedfastnesse of man or woman.
1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 307. That the reading of many authors … drawe not after them the discommoditie of fickle headinesse and variablenesse.
1611. Bible, Jas. i. 17. The Father of lights, with whom is no variablenesse, neither shadow of turning.
1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., I. v. 113. It being the sovereign Prerogative of Almighty God only, to be without variableness or shadow of change.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), II. xxviii. 173. The charge of variableness and inconsistency in judgment.
1782. Knox, Ess., xxv. I. 120. This temporary variableness of the mind.
1876. ‘Ouida,’ Winter City, vi. His conduct had a variableness about it.
1882. Miss Braddon, Mt. Royal, xi. II. 263. Is not that kind of variableness common to our poor human nature?
† c. Const. from. Obs.–1
1614. Selden, Titles Honor, 1. The variablenesse of the Europeans from the Asians in Asiatique names.
