1. Freedom from discomfort or anxiety.
1691. Ray, Creation, II. (1722), 237. That Rest and Easiness we enjoy when a sleep.
2. The quality of being easy in attitude, behavior, style, etc.
1567. Drant, Horace’s De Arte Poet., A j. I followe flowinge easynes, my style is clearely marde.
1742. Richardson, Pamela, III. 343. Her Easiness of Behaviour makes him secure of acceptance.
a. 1791. Wesley, Wks. (1830), XIII. 378. Perspicuity, purity, propriety, strength and easiness, constitute a good style.
1841. D’Israeli, Amen. Lit. (1867), 551. Virgil … wanting much of that natural easiness of wit that Ovid had.
3. Indolence, carelessness, indifference.
1581. Sidney, Def. Poesie (Arb.), 49. They are full of very idle easines.
1602. Shaks., Ham., V. i. 75. Custome hath made it in him a property of easinesse.
1699. T. C[ockman], Tully’s Offices, 207. Ruin’d by his Easiness and Neglect.
1825. Houlston Tracts, I. xxx. 3. There was no reason for deferring it, but only just his easiness.
4. The quality of not being difficult or burdensome; facility.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. lvii. (1495), 172. Many and dyuerse boones ben in the body and that for … easynesse of mouynge.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 728. No man … should with too much easinesse be promoted without witnesses.
1602. Shaks., Ham., III. iv. 166. Refraine to night And that shall lend a kinde of easinesse To the next abstinence.
1616. Surfl. & Markh., Countrey Farme, 320. The easinesse of the purchase makes the profit so much the greater.
1800. Stuart, in Wellington’s Disp. (1877), 575. Besides easiness of conquest, they would find wealth.
5. The quality of not being harsh or exacting; gentleness, indulgence, kindness.
1483. Vulg. abs Terentio, 20 a. To holde chylder vndir wyth shame & gentillnes sofnes or esynes.
1611. Beaum. & Fl., Maid’s Trag., IV. i. Do you raise mirth out of my easiness?
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., IV. xliv. 347. The Easiness of our Saviour, in bearing with offences [etc.].
1748. Butler, Serm., Wks. 1874, II. 304. That easiness of temper, which … is expressed by the word good-humour.
1862. Trench, Mirac., xxiii. 344. Behind a seeming severity lurks the real love, while under the mask of greater easiness selfishness lies hid.
† 6. The quality of being easily influenced; in bad sense, credulity; want of firmness, fickleness.
a. 1619. Daniel, Coll. Hist. Eng. (1626), 35. The King … working vpon the easinesse of his youth, and ambition.
1674. Ch. & Court of Rome, 12. Persons … who practised upon their easiness.
1705. Stanhope, Paraphr., II. 496. The Envy and Spight of the Chief Priests and Pharisees, The Easiness and Fury of the Common People.
a. 1797. H. Walpole, Mem. Geo. II. (1847), III. vii. 174. All made advantage of English easiness and dissipation.
