[OE. efenniss: see EVEN a. and -NESS.]
1. The quality or state of being smooth or level; smoothness, levelness.
1580. Baret, Alv., P 441. The plainenesse or euennesse of the sea.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Limé, Scraped, or shauen vnto a sleeknesse, or euennesse.
1644. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 91. For stateliness of the buildings, paving, and evenness of the street … far superior to any in Europe.
1714. Derham, Astro-Theol., Prel. Disc. (1750), 33. The evenness of the surface of the lunar spots.
1885. Manch. Weekly Times, Suppl. 20 June, 4/3. The paring down must of course be done with great evenness and accuracy.
2. Uniformity in shape, texture, arrangement, etc.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 182. Trees of admirable height & euennesse.
1684–5. Boyle, Min. Waters, 69. The length and evenness of the stem.
1726. Leoni, trans. Alberti’s Archit., I. 27 b. The Sallow, the Hornbeam … and the Fig … by their Dryness and Evenness, are … wonderfully soft and easy under the Carver’s Tool.
1878. L. P. Meredith, Teeth, 2. The evenness, the whiteness … in a beautiful set of teeth.
3. Of movement or action: Uniformity, freedom from fluctuations in speed or intensity; equability. Also of the mind, temper, etc.: Equability; calmness, equanimity.
1574. H. G., Briefe Tables, G ij a. Thou, for to cause that the raye maye go with an euennesse, shalte cause this maniple to go by fiue in a rancke in breadth.
1655. Jer. Taylor, Unum Necess., iii. § 5 (1705), 129 (R.). A good man may … in a sudden anger go beyond the evenness of a wise Christian.
1683. Temple, Mem., Wks. 1731, I. 401. His Recovery, next to the Blessing of God, was owing to the great Evenness of his Temper.
1701. Grew, Cosmol. Sacra, I. ii. 9 (J.). It [Æther] most readily yieldeth to the Revolutions, and the making of them [Celestial Bodies] with that Evenness and Celerity as is requisite in them all.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 147, ¶ 2. Evenness of Voice and Delivery.
1867. A. J. Ellis, E. E. Pronunc., I. iv. 331. The evenness with which a Frenchman pronounces the syllables.
† 4. Balanced condition, equipoise. lit. and fig. Also. Equidistance from extremes; the just mean.
1398. Trevisa, Barth De P. R., III. xxiii. (1495), 71. Some pulse hyght meane euyn and temperate. This meane and euinnes comyth of moche and lytyll.
a. 1420. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 140. He lucre & losse weiethe in evennesse.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., IV. (1604), 182 (J.). That so it [a crooked stick] may settle it selfe … in a middle estate of euennes.
1646. J. Whitaker, Uzziah, 22. It [is] a difficulty for an unsteady paralyticall hand to carry a full cup with evennesse.
1653. Rouse, Myst. Marr., 316. The one are so ballanced with the other that the soul is kept in an evenness.
1660. Andromania, I. i. in Hazl., Dodsley, XIV. 200. See the ambassadors entertain’d With such an evenness as should be us’d to men We neither fear nor love.
5. Of the administration of justice: Equitableness, impartiality. † Formerly in wider use: Equity, righteousness.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Spelm.), cxviii. [cxix]. 144 (Bosw.). Efennys ʓecyðnys ðin on ecnysse.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter ix. 9. And als deme sal he World of erþe in evennesse.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. xxviii. (1869), 19. To varie it at your wille … after that the cas asketh and right and euenenesse is.
1607. Hieron, Wks., I. 138. Be carefull … in the duties of equity and euennesse amongst men, this is religion.
1679. Burnet, Hist. Ref., Pref. 5. They have delivered things to posterity with much candour and evenness.
1866. Kingsley, Herew., I. xvi. 302. Without it … these noble knights and yourself [had never known] the whole evenness of Count Baldwin’s justice.
¶ pl. after the Vulgate and the Heb.: Right things.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xvi[i]. 2. Þin eghen se euenesses.
† 6. Equality. Obs.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., III. xxiv. (1495), 73. The line of the euynesse of daye and nighte.
1530. Palsgr., 217/2. Evennesse, equalité.
1668. Wilkins, Real Char., II. i. § 4. 34. Evenness, Parity.
