Clearness

sb. Also cler-, clere-, etc., -nesse, -nes. [ME. clernesse, f. cler CLEAR + -nesse, -NESS.] The quality of being clear; in various senses of the adj.

  † 1.  Brightness, luminousness; splendor, brilliancy; fairness, beauty; fineness of weather. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 12573. Þe clernes self o godds light Schan on him.

c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., B. 1353. In þe clernes of his concubines & curious wedez.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 81. Clerenesse of wedyr, serenitas.

c. 1440.  Gesta Rom., v. 12 (Harl. MS.). Þere shynith the sonne in here clerenesse.

1631.  Eng. Primer our Lady, 477. Send us from the heavenly coast Cleerenes of Thy beames so bright.

  2.  Freedom from opacity, obscurity or discolorment; distinctness or purity of light or color; transparency, pellucidness.

1692.  Dryden, St. Evremont’s Ess., 372. You see upon her face a lively Clearness, an air of Health.

1860.  Gosse, Rom. Nat. Hist., 91. The extreme clearness of the water permits the coral shrubs and groves to be distinctly seen.

1856.  Stanley, Sinai & Pal., x. (1858), 370. The clearness of the eastern atmosphere.

  3.  Distinctness of vision, sound, expression, comprehension, etc.

1535.  Coverdale, Prov. xv. 30. Like as y^e clearnesse of y^e eyes reioyseth y^e herte.

a. 1600.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., VI. i. § 1. That clearness of well-advised judgment.

1665.  Boyle, Occas. Refl. (1675), 30. Does much improve one’s voice, both as to strength and clearness.

1690.  Locke, Hum. Und., IV. iv. (1695), 324. That which is requisite to make our Knowledge certain, is the Clearness of our Ideas.

1751.  Johnson, Rambler, No. 176, ¶ 11. They see with great clearness whatever is too remote to be discovered by the rest of Mankind.

1856.  Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. ii. 123. Touching the pith of the matter with telling clearness.

1885.  F. Temple, Relat. Relig. & Sci., v. 149. The New Testament affirms with a clearness previously unknown the immortality of the soul.

1885.  Spectator, 24 July, 5/1. His sufferings did not abate the clearness of his intellect.

  † 4.  Purity; innocence; openness. Obs.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 142 b. Some more, some lesse, as the clerenes of theyr conscyences requireth.

1561.  Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573), 157. Which [blame] being taken out of the way, all clearenesse should seeme to come agayne.

1625.  Bacon, Ess., Simulation & D. (Arb.), 507. The former Opinion … of their good Faith, and Clearnesse of dealing.

1662.  Fuller, Worthies (1840), II. 311. Termed Purevale … because of the clearness of the corn growing therein.

1701.  Whitehead, Truth Prev., To Rdr. 7. Knowing my own Innocency and Clearness … from any Design of such Palliation.

  5.  Freedom from anything obstructive.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., III. i. 133. I require a clearenesse.

1721.  Bradley, Philos. Acc. Wks. Nat., 171. The Clearness of their Stems, without Knots.

1869.  Daily News, 30 March, 6/2. This unusual clearness of the road considerably facilitated their march.