Exactness

[f. EXACT a. + -NESS.] The quality or condition of being exact.

  † 1.  Consummate skill; perfection of workmanship, high finish; elaborateness. Obs.

1564.  Haward, Eutropius, To Rdr. 6. That worthy orator apperceived that Tully should in processe of time bereft y^e Gretians of theyr exactnesse in all sciences.

1658.  Ussher, Ann., VI. 592. Young men, who gave offence to every body by … the exactnesse of their hair.

1668.  D. Smith, Voy. Constantinople, in Misc. Cur. (1708), III. 19. For curious Painting rich Altars, and exactness of Architecture, incomparable.

1695.  Ld. Preston, Boeth., III. 121. How fleeting, and of how short Duration is Beauty and Exactness of Feature.

1697.  C’tess. D’Aunoy’s Trav. (1706), 123. He went to walk in his Gardens, whose exactness yields in nothing to ours.

  † 2.  Of laws, rules, observances: Strictness, rigor. Obs.

1631.  R. Byfield, Doctr. Sabb., 82. They observed their Festivals with severe exactnesse from all worke.

1633.  Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, N. T., 34. If thou knewest the exactnesse of the law and thine owne weakness.

1732.  Berkeley, Alciphr., IV. § 23 (ed. 3), 182. Doth any one find fault with the Exactness of Geometrical Rules, because no one in Practice can attain to it?

1747.  Wesley, Prim. Physick (1762), p. xvii. Observe … the greatest Exactness in your Regimen.

  3.  Of processes, results, methods, statements, etc.: Minute accuracy, precision.

1646.  Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., IV. vii. 197. We made triall in Scales of good exactnesse.

1658.  A. Fox, trans. Würtz’ Surg., II. v. 58. Other Wounds … require not such exactness in the dressing.

1667.  Phil. Trans., II. 435. But at Sea,… the Meridian is not so easie to be found to any tolerable exactness.

1736.  Butler, Anal., Introd. Wks. 1874, I. 4. Persons … who require things to be stated with greater exactness than our faculties appear to admit of.

1747.  Berkeley, Tar-water in Plague, Wks. III. 487. These [medicines] require an exactness in the dose, where a small error may produce a great mischief.

1841.  W. Spalding, Italy & It. Isl., II. 47. A plan of the old church, representing with sufficient exactness its state at Charlemagne’s coronation in 800.

1876.  J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., I. II. v. 263. This very absence of scientific exactness … constituted in Roman eyes a principal charm of Cicero’s compositions.

  4.  Minute attention to detail; carefulness, accuracy. In pl. Instances of the same.

1645.  Milton, Tetrach., Ded. (1851), 141. The industry, the exactnesse, the labour in it, confess’d to be more then ordnary.

1662.  Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., III. i. § 16. With the same exactness hee goes through all the parts of the body.

1716.  Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., I. ii. 10. I shall follow your orders with great … exactness.

1754.  Richardson, Grandison (1810), VI. lii. 337. Has Lady G. dated? No, I protest! We women are above such little exactnesses.

1797.  Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, III. iii. 112. He reviewed, with exactness, the late behaviour of the Marchesa.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 462–3. He had … that sort of exactness which would have made him a respectable antiquary.

1875.  Whitney, Life Lang., ii. 29. Every writer who aims at exactness has to begin with definitions.

  † b.  Of personal habits: Regularity, punctuality. Of deportment, dress, etc.: Preciseness, formal propriety. Obs.

1683.  D. A., Art Converse, 4. A certain exactness in all our words and expressions.

1689.  Burnet, Tracts, I. 8. A mixture of a French openness and an Italian exactness.

1712.  Steele, Spect., No. 423, ¶ 2. An unaffected Exactness in his Dress and Manner.

1800.  Mrs. Hervey, Mourtray Fam., I. 167. Six o’clock is our hour: you know my exactness.