Largeness

[f. LARGE a. + -NESS.]

  † 1.  Liberality, open-handedness; freedom in giving or spending. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 27404. Largenes [es] sett again couetteis.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 174. Prestis weiward of lif … colouren … glotonye bi largenesse & fedynge of pore men.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 3404. Syn it lokid has þe largenes of þe lord of heuen, Þat me þis diademe of Dary demed is & graunted.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, xlvi. 84. Luve makis wreches full of lergeness.

a. 1540.  Barnes, Wks. (1573), 362/1. The grace, which is geuen of the largenes of God.

1598.  Grenewey, Tacitus’ Ann., I. xi. (1622), 21. That Germanicus had purchased the souldiers fauour by largenesse.

a. 1626.  Bp. Andrewes, Serm., vii. (1661), 436. His largenesse or bounty, as it were … the casting abroad of His new coine.

  personified.  1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. V. 632. Largenesse the lady heo let in ful manye.

c. 1430.  Hymns Virg., 63. Quod largenes in almesse dede.

1627.  Donne, Serm., clvii. VI. 274. Alacrity married with a Thoughtfulness and Largeness married with a Providence.

  † 2.  Lengthiness or prolixity (of discourse or writing). Obs.

1561.  T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., III. 221. Y^e stile runneth of it selfe into such largenesse with plentie of matter, y^t [etc.].

1597.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. l. § 3. In other things we may be more briefe, but the waight of these requireth largenes.

1655.  Fuller, Ch. Hist., IV. ii. § 5. The Reader I presume will pardon our largeness … in relating the proceedings against this first Martyr.

1655.  Stanley, Hist. Philos., I. (1701), 46/2. By reason of the largness of the Discourse.

1664–94.  South, Serm., II. 192. If the Matter of our Prayers lies within so narrow a compass, why should the Dress and Out-side of them spread … into so wide and disproportioned a largeness?

  3.  Amplitude of dimension; great size, volume or bulk; bigness. † Also, magnitude or size in the abstract (obs.).

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 7024. Myȝte no man ayme þe largenesse [F. grandur].

c. 1430.  Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 794. In a twelmonth he waxed more Of largenes … Than any othir in yeres thre.

1448.  Hen. VI., Will, in Willis & Clark, Cambridge (1886), I. 370. Ouer the said librarie an hows of the same largenesse.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 68. For all þe largenes of lenth at he luke myȝt.

1523.  Act 14 & 15 Hen. VIII., c. 6. One other way … of as greate largenesse in bredeth or larger than the said olde way.

1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 85. The bones of a great … man, among the which bones, the huckle bone … was of such largenesse, as … did declare the man to be .xiiii. foote.

1603.  Owen, Pembrokeshire (1891), 2. Other sheres in Wales of farre more lardgnes.

1653–4.  Whitelocke, Jrnl. Swed. Emb. (1772), I. 111. By reason of the largenes, and roughnes of the water.

1661.  Lovell, Hist. Anim. & Min., Introd. b 6. Their motion is slow, by reason of their largenesse.

1708.  J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., II. I. ii. (1737), 305. Glasgow … in respect of Largeness, Building, [etc.] … is the chief city in the Kingdom next to Edinburgh.

1726.  Swift, Gulliver, II. i. 98. Each hook about the largeness of six scythes.

1785.  Sarah Fielding, Ophelia, I. xix. The largeness of the assembly.

1807.  G. Chalmers, Caledonia, I. III. x. 458. They were similar, in the largeness of their joints, and in the likeness of their hair.

  b.  semi-concr.

c. 1611.  Chapman, Iliad, XVIII. 314. Then wrapt the body round In largenesse of a fine white sheete.

1871.  R. Ellis, trans. Catullus, lxxxvi. 3. In all that bodily largeness Lives not a grain of salt, breathes not a charm anywhere.

  4.  Of immaterial things: Amplitude; (large) size or extent; extensiveness.

1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 220. Of suche largenes it may of ryght be sayd and called catholicall.

1605.  Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. Ded. I … wonder at … the largenesse of your capacitie.

1606.  Shaks., Tr. & Cr., I. iii. 5. The ample proposition that hope makes … Fayles in the promist largeness.

1651.  Fuller, Abel Rediv., Fox (1867), II. 85. Considering the height of his friends and largeness of his deserts.

1832.  Ht. Martineau, Each & All, viii. 109. Complaints were made against the largeness of their profits.

1856.  Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. i. 57. The largeness of the power … committed to the councils was at once a temptation … to abuse those powers.

1864.  Bowen, Logic, xiii. (1870), 428. The largeness of his information.

1886.  Manch. Exam., 9 June, 5/3. The unexpected largeness of the majority.

  † 5.  Breadth, width. Obs.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (1839), xxv. 258. It … strecchethe toward the West in lengthe … in largenesse, it durethe to the Cytee of Alizandre.

1597.  A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 14/2. Consideringe the largenes and length of the wounde.

1607.  Markham, Caval., VI. (1617), 19. Lay ouer it two or three other Blankets at their vttermost largenesse.

1747.  Carte, Hist. Eng., I. 11. The largeness, depth or rapidity of the stream of rivers, which they had occasion to pass.

  6.  The attribute or quality of not being circumscribed or limited in scope, range or capacity; the reverse of narrowness.

1382.  Wyclif, 1 Kings iv. 29. God ȝaf wisdam to Salomon, and myche prudence…, and laargenesse of herte.

1551.  T. Wilson, Logike (1580), 8 b. If any worde be used that hath a double meanyng, restrain the largenesse thereof, and declare how you will have it taken.

1690.  Locke, Hum. Und., IV. xvii. (1695), 388. Some Men of that Strength of Judgment, and Largeness of Comprehension, that [etc.].

1692.  R. L’Estrange, Fables, viii. (1708), 10. If the Largeness of his Heart shall carry him beyond the Line of Necessary Prudence.

a. 1715.  Burnet, Own Time (1724), I. 589. A man of his temper, and of his largeness in point of opinion.

1845–6.  Trench, Huls. Lect., Ser. I. iii. 36. One who … in the largeness of his love would send none empty away.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xx. IV. 492. A man … distinguished … by the largeness of his views and by his superiority to vulgar prejudices.

1874.  Green, Short Hist., viii. § 1. 456. The largeness of temper which characterized all the nobler minds of his day.

  b.  Of artistic treatment: Breadth.

1885.  Manch. Exam., 21 May, 5/4. A frequent largeness of phrase, with quaintness of response.

1885.  Athenæum, 23 May, 669/3. This picture … may be mentioned as a true illustration of breadth and largeness of style.

  † 7.  Freedom, scope, opportunity. Obs. rare.

a. 1631.  Donne, Lett., lxxx. Serm. etc. (Alford), VI. 397. Your man brought me your letter of the 8th of December this 21st of the same, to Chelsey and gives me the largeness, till Friday, to send a letter to Paul’s house.

  8.  Lofty bearing, pomposity.

1887.  Hall Caine, Deemster, xxvii. 175. The perspiration started from his temples, but his dignity and his largeness did not desert him.