[OE. carfulnys: see CAREFUL and -NESS.] The quality or state of being careful.
a. Solicitude, anxiety, concern. arch. b. Heedfulness, vigilance, attentiveness, exactness, caution.
a. 1000. in Thorpe, Hom., II. 280 (Bosw.). Godes cwydas sind to smeaʓenne mid micelre carfulnysse.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., III. 210. Briwas niman ʓestreon mið carfulnysse ʓe[tacnað].
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 115. Mið carfulnesse haldan þas bebodan.
1535. Coverdale, Ps. cxxvi[i]. 2. Eate the bred of carefulnesse.
1553. Grimalde, Cicero’s Offices, I. (1558), 13. It is harde to haue a carefulnesse ouer other mens matters.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. i. § 3 (1873), 8. There groweth carefulness and trouble of mind.
1685. Baxter, Paraphr. N. T., 1 Cor. vii. 32. Carefulness about the World is so bad a thing, that I would have you escape it if you can.
1823. Lamb, Elia (1860), 213. The face … full of thought and carefulness.
1863. Fr. A. Kemble, Resid. in Georgia, 16. You may rely upon the carefulness of my observation.
1865. Monsell, Hymn, ‘O Worship the Lord,’ ii. Low at His feet lay thy burden of carefulness.
