conscientiousnessn.
/ˌkɒnʃɪˈɛnʃəsnəs/, U.S. /ˌkɑn(t)ʃiˈɛn(t)ʃəsnəs/ 1.
a. The quality or condition of being conscientious.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > duty or obligation > recognition of duty > [noun] > conscientiousness
consciencea1393
conscionableness1603
conscientiousnessa1631
a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1958) IX. 118 Is fraud, and circumvention so sure a way, of attaining Gods blessings, as industry, and conscientiousnesse is?
1651 R. Baxter Plain Script. Proof Infants Church-membership & Baptism 159 Any other Protestant that hath any profession of Conscientiousness.
1714 E. Calamy Obadiah's Char. 27 What tho' you find a strict Conscientiousness is attended with difficulties? When you have a Prospect of so ample a reward, both here and hereafter, it may make you easy.
1798 Monthly Mirror May 260 From a pure excess of conscienciousness, and a religious anxiety of doing justice to his scholars, [he is] guilty of a great error in judgment, by confining them, much too long.
1828 G. Combe Constit. Man ii. §4 Conscientiousness stands in the midway between self and other individuals.
1857 J. Ruskin Polit. Econ. Art Add. 206 A steady conscientiousness which seeks to do its duty wherever it may be placed.
1889 O. Dyer Great Senators U.S. Forty Years Ago vi. 284 It is, of course, understood that character does not come from intellect, but from morality, virtue, benevolence, courage, conscientiousness, firmness, fortitude.
1921 M. Moore Let. 26 July (1997) 172 Bryher has set her foot down—no changes; so in discussing matters, we may ‘lose our day’ as a slovenly maid of ours remarked apropos of too much conscientiousness.
1970 R. Tucker & F. R. Barkley Sons of Wild Jackass xvi. 383 His colleagues pay tribute to his conscientiousness by entrusting guardianship of personal measures to him when golf, poker or the home stay of the Washington Baseball Club necessitate their absence from the House.
2005 Business Rev. Weekly 10 Feb. 60 The flip side of absenteeism is presenteeism, when genuinely sick workers drag themselves into the office because of excessive conscientiousness or a lack of resources.
b. With of. Conscientious observance, application, or appreciation.
ΚΠ
1654 R. Whitlock Ζωοτομία 179 Constancy of Faith, and conscienciousnesse of Duty.
1667 H. More Divine Dialogues (1713) iii. xxvii. 246 What an early Conscienciousness [I had] of approving my self to [God].
1796 A. Gordon Coll. of Serm. xxii. 404 Where proper masters and mistresses can be procured, who have a religious conscientiousness of their duty in the business, much valuable knowledge may be obtained in course of time by such provision.
1823 Christian Observer May 309/1 If a schoolmaster is endued with good sense and a spirit of humanity, with conscientiousness of principle, and firmness of mind, we are comparatively little anxious to know what are the minutiæ of his plans.
1882 B. Harte Phyllis of Sierras (1888) i. 28 He, however, began to apply himself to the task given to him with his usual conscientiousness of duty, and presently acquired a certain manual dexterity in the operation.
1973 T. E. M. Boll Miss May Sinclair ii. xiv. 247 There is no showmanship in this novel, but a supreme conscientiousness of craft dramatizing the pathology of Conway.
1990 J. F. Gleichauf Unsung Sailors (2002) vi. 101 The report of the interview..gives a dramatic personal story of conscientiousness of duty and consideration of his men.
2. = consciousness n. 1. Usually with of. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > consciousness > self-consciousness > [noun] > internal knowledge or conviction
consciencec1384
consciousness1605
conscientiousness1640
self-consciousness1655
1640 G. Abbot Whole Bk. Iob Paraphr. (xxiii. 15) 154 He staies not long in a place, he flieth all company, his conscientiousnesse makes him lead a most miserably solitary, and base life, not daring to come nere any high way or place of concourse.
1646 J. Vicars Burning-bush not Consumed 110 The Liver-hearted Cholmley (now despairing together with the conscientiousnesse of his former guilt in his most trecherous defection from the Parliament, endevoured to escape to Sea, in his Pinnace.
1654 T. Gataker Disc. Apol. 9 Who hazards the loss of being reputed a good man, that he might not loose the realitie, and conscientiousness of it.
1710 E. Miller Some Remarks on Let. entituled Present State Trinity College 6 Dr Bentley's conscienciousness of the Good which he has done for the Society..and the Tenderness he had for the Reputation of some of the Accusers..might make him Averse to the Method the Publisher has taken.
1799 R. Johnson Let. 26 Aug. in Evangelical Mag. (1800) July 298 A conscientiousness of my own infirmities makes me delicate in exposing those of others.
1828 J. Everett Head-piece ii. 65 Persons who have been once enlightened, possess the same conscientiousness of right and wrong as before.
1864 Telegr. Jrnl. 2 (To our Readers) The conscientiousness of having performed a public service will enable us to bear the loss already incurred by our venture.
1918 Jrnl. Proc. Senate Maryland 28 Mar. 949 He lives a life of retirement among his people, serene in the conscientiousness of duty well performed, honored and respected by his neighbors and friends.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.a1631