| 释义 |
-ness, suffix
representing OE. -nes(s), -nis(s), -nys(s), fem. (inflected, and later also in nom., -nesse, etc.) = OFris. -nesse, -nisse, OS. -nesse, -nessi, -nissi, -nussi (also -nissea, -nussea; MDu. -nesse, -nisse, Du. -nis), OHG. -nessi, -nassi, -nissi (also -nissa; MHG. -nisse, G. -niss), Goth. -nassus; the -n is originally part of the stem, the real suffix being -assus, formed from weak verbs in -atjan. The variations in the vowel of the West Germanic forms have not been satisfactorily explained.
In middle and early modern English the initial of the suffix is occasionally omitted when preceded by another n, as in brownesse brownness, clenesse cleanness, kenesse keenness, meanesse meanness, etc. (cf. note to finesse).
2. In OE. -nes is the suffix most usually attached to adjectives and past participles to form substantives expressing a state or condition, as biternes, deorcnes, heardnes, ábolᵹennes, forþryccednes, etc. A large number of these survive in middle and modern English, and new formations of the same type have been continually made in all periods of the language, it being possible to add the suffix to any adjective or participle, whatever its form or origin may be. Formations from compound adjectives are also common, as selfconceitedness, kindheartedness, square-toedness, water-tightness, tonguetiedness, etc.; and even from adjectival phrases, such as used-upness, get-at-ableness, up-to-dateness, à-la-modeness, little-boyishness; few of the latter, however, are in established or serious use, and most of them are of recent introduction. This is also the case with formations on pronouns, adverbs, etc., as I-ness, me-ness, whatness; whyness, withoutness, nowness, everydayness, etc. The following are examples of some of the more exceptional uses of the suffix by writers of the 19th century.
1804Coleridge in Lit. Rem. (1836) II. 414 The exclusive Sir-Thomas-Brown-ness of all the fancies. 1853Geo. Eliot in Cross Life (1885) I. 319 Dislike-to-getting-up-in-the-morningness. 1859Sala Gas-light & D. iv. 43 An irreproachable state of clean-shirtedness, navy blue-broadclothedness and chimney-pot-hattedness. 1891Bax Outlooks New Standp. iii. 199 All nowness is the form of I-ness. Ibid. 201 The in-itselfness which Kant saw behind the sense-impression. 1893Morris & Bax Socialism iii. 58 The this-worldliness..of barbarian society.
b. Used absolutely in pl.
1775S. J. Pratt Liberal Opin. lxxxv. (1783) III. 135 The shrewdness, acuteness,..and all other nesses that promised the man of wealth. 1888Lowell in Century Mag. Feb. 515/2 Cheerfulness, kindliness, cleverness and contentedness, and all the other good nesses.
3. Uses of the suffix somewhat varying from those mentioned above occur in a few words, such as forceness, milkness, wilderness, witness. |