Forms: α. 5–6 enormyte(e, -ie, -ye, 6–7 -itie, 6– enormity. β. 7 inormitie, -y, innormity. [ad. Fr. énormité, ad. L. ēnormitātem, f. ēnormis (see ENORM).]
† 1. Divergence from a normal standard or type; abnormality, irregularity. Obs. or arch.
1538. Starkey, England, I. iii. 84. The partys in proportyon not agreyng … leue much enormyte … in thys polytyke body.
1647. H. More, Song of Soul, II. iii. III. lxx. The strange absurd enormity Of staggering motions in the azure skie.
1865. Mozley, Mirac., v. 95. Pure, boundless enormity, then is itself incredible.
† b. concr. Something that is abnormal; an irregularity, extravagance, eccentricity. Obs.
1494. Fabyan, VI. cxlix. 135. for his dulnesse and his other enormytes in hym exercysyd. Ibid., VII. ccxxiv. 251. That tyme clerkes … rode with gylte spurres, with vsynge of dyuerse other enormytees.
1575. Vautrouillier, Luther on Ep. Gal., 23 b. And yet we can not remedie this enormitie.
1687. Death’s Vis., ix. (1713), 41, note 4. The Irregularities and Enormities that appear in the Mundane System.
1710. Addison, Tatler, No. 250, ¶ 1. Enormities in Dress and Behaviour.
1781. J. Moore, View Soc. It. (1790), I. xxxix. 432. Keep the citizens from reflecting on … the enormities of the new form of government.
2. Deviation from moral or legal rectitude. In later use influenced by ENORMOUS 3: Extreme or monstrous wickedness.
1563. Homilies, II. Repentance II. (1859), 537. Our natural uncleanliness and the enormity of our sinful life.
1777. Robertson, Hist. Amer. (1778), II. V. 138. Stained an illustrious name by deeds of peculiar enormity and rigour.
1863. Bright, Sp. Amer., 30 June. The protest … against the enormity of the odious system.
1872. Black, Adv. Phaeton, xxvi. 358. Lecture her two boys on the enormity of telling a fib.
b. concr. A breach of law or morality; a transgression, crime; in later use, a gross and monstrous offence.
1475. Caxton, Jason, 134 b. Certes Madame sayd yet Jason for these enormytes know that I have left and repudied her.
1549. Coverdale, Erasm. Par. Hebr., 16. Beware that we fal not agayne into our olde enormyties.
1664. H. More, Myst. Iniq., iv. 10. Provided there be but found a colour for these gross enormities.
1713. Addison, Guardian, No. 116, ¶ 1. There are many little enormities in the world which our preachers would fain see removed.
1766. Fordyce, Serm. Yng. Wom. (1767), II. xiv. 267. A single look is construed into I know not what enormity!
1842. H. Rogers, Introd. Burke’s Wks. (1842), I. 28. The enormities of Debi Sing, one of the worst agents of Indian tyranny.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, xi. 119. Other enormities Catiline had been guilty of.
† 3. Excess in magnitude; hugeness, vastness. Obs.; recent examples might perh. be found, but the use is now regarded as incorrect.
1792. Munchhausen’s Trav., xxii. 93. A worm of proportionable enormity had bored a hole in the shell.
1802. Howard, in Phil. Trans., XCII. 204. Notwithstanding the enormity of its bulk.
1830. Fraser’s Mag., I. 752. Of the properties of the Peak of Teneriffe accounts are extant which describe its enormity.
1846. De Quincey, Syst. Heavens, Wks. III. 183. The whitish gleam was the mask conferred by the enormity of their remotion.
[Mod. ‘“You have no idea of the enormity of my business transactions,” said an eminent Stock Exchange speculator to a friend. He was perhaps nearer the truth than he intended.’]
b. concr. Something enormous. (humorous.)
1825. Hone, Every-day Bk., I. 436. This waxen enormity [the paschal taper] was lighted.
