[f. as prec. + -NESS.] The quality of being tawdry.
1670. Moral State Eng., 161. There was a kind of tawdriness in their Habits.
1693. Perrinchief, Charles I., 39. These are the Ornaments of Dr. Gauden’s Writings; and differ as much from the Gravity and Majesty of the King’s Book, as Tawdriness does from a Genteel and Accomplish’d Dress.
1753. Hogarth, Anal. Beauty, vi. 35. That tawdriness may not destroy the proper effect of variety.
1806. T. G. Fessenden, Democracy Unveiled (ed. 3), II. 6, note. The object of their adoration was tricked out with characteristic tawdriness, and personated REASON at that time [during the French Revolution] the idol of those atrocious infidels.
1841. Gallenga, Italy (1848), I. 139. The tinsel and tawdriness of an imitative dauber.
1915. Anne W. Armstrong, Seas of God, vii. 271. ‘You’ve attained splendour, in a small way, without tawdriness,’ he pronounced gravely.
‘Tawdriness! Tawdriness!’ she repeated, mockingly.
