[f. as prec. + -NESS.] The quality of being cunning or knowing.

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  † 1.  Knowingness; skilfulness, skill, cleverness; something requiring skill; = CUNNING sb. 2, 3, 4.

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1375.  Barbour, Bruce, III. 712. It wes gret cunnannes to kep Thar takill in till sic A thrang.

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a. 1400.  Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS. (1867), 12. Worldely mene … þat castes þaire conaundenes … Vn-to couetyse.

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c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 121. Konyngnesse of þe leche.

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1609.  Douland, Ornith. Microl., 67. Thou … hast … in singing a graceful cunningnesse.

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1755.  Connoisseur, No. 70, ¶ 10. For all your learning, and policy, and cunningness, and judgment.

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  2.  Craftiness, slyness, artfulness; = CUNNING sb. 5.

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a. 1625.  Fletcher, Woman’s Prize, IV. ii. Such a drench of balderdash, Such a strange carded cunningness.

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1654.  Cokaine, Dianea, I. 69. With all candidnesse … or else with a cunningness.

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1702.  W. J., trans. Bruyn’s Voy. Levant, xl. 157. The Cunningness of Apes and Falcons.

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1727.  in Bailey, vol. II.; and in mod. Dicts.

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