a. [ad. L. verēcund-us (whence obs. F. verecond (Cotgr.), It. verecondo, Pg. verecundo), f. verērī to reverence, fear.] Modest, bashful; shy, coy.
c. 1550. Rolland, Crt. Venus, III. 325. Than said Venus vith vult verecund, Say quhat ȝe will and keip ȝow within bound.
1656. Blount, Glossogr. (following Cotgrave), Verecund, modest, shamefac’d, demure, bashfull. [Hence in later Dicts.]
1872. ‘Aliph Cheem’ (Yeldham), Lays of Ind (1876), 2. One day this said verecund Mr. McPherson He chanced at a nautch to be present in person.
1873. Ruskin, Fors Clav., xxvii. 12. And verecund Mr. McCosh,… has he no suggestion to offer?
Hence Verecundity, Verecundness. rare–0.
1721. Bailey, Verecundity, Modesty, Bashfulness. Ibid. (1727), (vol. II.), Verecundness, Modesty,… Verecundity.
