a. Obs. [f. WORD sb. + -ISH1.]
1. Consisting in or concerned with words, esp. mere words (as opposed to realities); verbal: cf. WORDY a. 3.
a. 1586. Sidney, Apol. Poetry (Arb.), 33. A perfect picture I say, for hee yeeldeth to the powers of the minde, an image of that whereof the Philosopher bestoweth but a woordish description. Ibid., 69. Both [Poetry and Oratory] haue such an affinity in this wordish consideration.
1657. J. Sergeant, Schism Dispach’t, 36. Blundering the plainest truths with multitudes of wordish evasions.
1675. Crowne, Calisto, V. 73. All wordish praise she is so much above That eloquence would prophanation prove.
1697. J. Sergeant, Solid Philos., 454. To make the Doctrine of Words to be a … part of Philosophy, is to make Philosophy Wordish.
2. Using, or containing, an excess of words; verbose: = WORDY a. 1.
1604. Scoloker, Daiphantus, Argt., More desirous to be thought honest, then so to be wordish beyond discretion.
a. 1657. R. Loveday, Lett. (1663), 19. I have made my story too wordish;… I should have pared much away.
Hence † Wordishly adv., † Wordishness.
1657. J. Sergeant, Schism Dispach’t, 26. Loquacity, that is, voluntary talking wordishly without a syllable of sense. Ibid., 390. The emptie wordishnes in his ‘Reply.’ Ibid. (1697), Solid Philos., 286. All the Wordishness, and empty Disputes among Trivial Philosophers.
