[f. WORLDLY a. + -NESS.]
1. The condition of being worldly; devotion to worldly affairs to the neglect of religious duties or spiritual needs; love of the world and its pleasures.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 121. Þes proude possessioners lien on seyntis & sclaundren hem wiþ worldly lif … And þei bryngen forþ poyntis of here worldlynesse whanne þei diden aȝenst holy lif & techynge.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 522/1. Werdlynesse, mundialitas.
c. 1480. Henryson, Fables, Trial of Fox, 36. O fulische man! plungit in warldlines, To conqueis warldlie gude.
c. 1590. Faire Em, I. ii. 41. Yet may our myndes as highly scorne to stoope To base desires of vulgars worldlynes.
1685. Baxter, Paraphr. N. T., Mark xii. 37. Hypocrites … who by their long Liturgies, and Ceremonies,… do but cloak their Worldliness, Pride and Oppression.
a. 1768. Secker, Serm., Haggai i. 5 (1771), VII. 12. But, supposing we are clear both of Worldliness and Vanity, still what can we answer with respect to Pleasure?
1845. Sarah Austin, Ranke’s Hist. Ref., II. 163. The Latin church stood in need of reform. Its thorough worldliness … rendered this necessary in a religious view.
1884. A. R. Pennington, Wiclif, viii. 266. The sight of the vice and worldliness of many of the bishops around him.
† 2. Worldly affairs. Obs. rare.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., V. lxxxiii. (1811), 61. The Saxons … couenaunted wt. the Brytons, yt the Brytons shuld entende theyr worldlynes and other necessaries. And the Saxons as theyr Sowdiours shuld defende the lande.
