[f. WEIGHTY a. + -NESS.] The quality or condition of being weighty: a. fig., the fact of being of much weight, importance or consequence; grave or serious character.
1530. Palsgr., 287/2. Weightynesse, aggrauation.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 152 b. The weightines of the cause also requireth, that many of us should come to the counsell.
1596. Lodge, Marg. Amer., 42. If thou faint through feeblenesse of bodie, I will default through waightinesse of discontent.
1618. Barnevelt’s Apol., C 3. I had … complained … of the weightinesse of the Office imposed vpon me.
a. 1665. J. Goodwin, Filled w. the Spirit (1867), 371. The weightiness or penetrating force of those arguments.
a. 1713. Ellwood, Autobiog. (1714), 15. The Weightiness that was upon their Spirits and Countenances.
1744. M. Bishop, Life, 14. Observing the Weightiness of the Concern, this was my Method of proceeding.
1905. ‘J. Oxenham,’ White Fire, xvi. 161. ‘The matter is worth consideration,’ he said, with an assumption of weightiness.
b. of material things.
1539. Elyot, Cast. Helthe, III. vii. There is felt in the entrayles … a weyghtynesse with tension or thrustyng outwarde.
1591. Spenser, Ruins of Time, 571. The Caue … with her owne weightinesse Vpon them fell.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., II. xxxi[i]. § 18. The peculiar Weightiness, and yellow Colour of Gold.
1832. L. Hunt, Sir R. Esher (1850), 33. It was relieved from an appearance of too much weight by the very weightiness of the hanging sleeves.
1839. Bailey, Festus, 25. A deathless spirit’s state, Freed from gross form and bodily weightiness.
