Also 5 vycyows-, 6 vycyous-, vyciousness(e, 6–8 (9) vitiousness, etc. [f. VICIOUS a. + -NESS.] The character or quality of being vicious.
1. Inclination or addiction to vice or immorality; depravity of life or conduct.
1440. J. Shirley, Dethe K. James (1818), 5. He wexe full of viciousness yn his lyvyng.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 510/1. Vycyowsnesse, viciositas.
1509. Barclay, Shyp of Folys, Prol. a vij b. Whan this Socrates perceyued the mindes of men to be prone & extremely inclyned to viciousnes, he had gret affeccion to subdue suche maners.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., II. 72. We bring with vs from the womb of our mother a vitiousnesse planted in our begetting.
1598. Marston, Sco. Villanie, II. vii. 203. Marke those: for naught, but such lewd viciousnes, Ere graced him.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 218. Venus,… their goddesse of viciousnesse.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., II. 99. Now began the Saxons to be infected with an universall Vitiousnesse.
1736. Butler, Anal., I. iii. 72. The … advantage … is gained by the action itself, not by the morality, the virtuousness or viciousness of it.
1796. Bp. Watson, Apol. Bible, 379. Some men have been warped to infidelity by viciousness of life.
1838. Dickens, Nich. Nick., xliv. I never will supply that man’s extravagances and viciousness.
1892. Tennyson, Foresters, III. i. These be the lies the people tell of us, Because we seek to curb their viciousness.
transf. 1583. Melbancke, Philotimus, K iv b. Hatefull viciousnes in wordes, and hurtfull loosenes in life.
b. Tendency, on the part of animals, to be savage or refractory.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1824), I. 383. In … this country, they [sc. stags] are become less common than formerly; its excessive viciousness during the rutting season … inducing most people to part with the species.
1775. Adair, Amer. Indians, 427. The young ambitious heroes ascribed the whole disaster to the viciousness of my horse, saying ‘he was mad.’
1818. Ranken, Hist. France, IV. IV. iii. § 2. 267. If the owner of it [sc. an animal] swore falsely … that he was ignorant of its viciousness.
1847. T. Brown, Mod. Farriery, 372. It is not an unfrequent occurrence for horses in harness to back instead of drawing when first started, and some add to this considerable viciousness.
1908. Animal Managem., 81. A playful habit of snatching at the man whilst being groomed which some horses display, may not come under the head of viciousness.
c. Maliciousness, spitefulness.
1879. Huxley, Hume, II. viii. 159. One feels ashamed of having suspected many excellent persons of being moved by mere malice and viciousness of temper to call other folks atheists.
2. The quality of being faulty or defective.
1601. Deacon & Walker, Spirits & Divels, 90. The absence, the vitiousnesse, the depriuation or fault of some other thing.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., II. xvii. 114. Then the low value shews the viciousnesse of it.
1687. M. Clifford, Notes on Dryden’s Poems, iv. 13. I intended to have made no more Animadversions upon the viciousness of your Style.
1752. Carte, Hist. Eng. (1755), III. 763. The arret above mentioned being repealed, these conservators were to judge of the goodness or viciousness of cloths.
† b. Faultiness or badness in respect of physical constitution. Obs.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., V. xii. 67. The Brimstone will burn up the gross victiousness [sic] of the Salt-peter.
1706. Stevens, Span. Dict., I. Vicio,… Rankness, Viciousness in Land, or the like.
3. Improper or illegal procedure.
1802–12. Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), II. 458. In the cases above brought to view, as cases of unfairness or vitiousness.
