poorlinessn.
/ˈpɔːlɪnᵻs/, /ˈpʊəlɪnᵻs/, U.S. /ˈpʊrlinᵻs/, /ˈpɔrlinᵻs/ Chiefly British.
The condition of being poorly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > ill health > [noun]
unhealc700
untrumnessc897
adleeOE
sicknessc967
cothec1000
unhealthc1000
woe?a1200
ail?c1225
lying?c1225
maladyc1275
unsoundc1275
feebless1297
languora1375
languishc1384
disease1393
aegritudea1400
lamea1400
maleasea1400
soughta1400
wilc1400
malefaction?a1425
firmityc1426
unwholesomenessc1449
ill1450
languenta1500
distemperancea1535
the valley of the shadow of death1535
affect?1537
affection?1541
distemperature1541
inability1547
sickliness1565
languishment1576
cause1578
unhealthfulness1589
crazedness1593
languorment1593
evilness1599
strickenness1599
craziness1602
distemper1604
unsoundness1605
invaletude1623
unhealthiness1634
achaque1647
unwellness1653
disailment1657
insalubrity1668
faintiness1683
queerness1687
invalidity1690
illness1692
ill health1698
ailment1708
illing1719
invalescence1724
peakingness1727
sickishness1727
valetudinariness1742
ailingness1776
brash1786
invalidism1794
poorliness1814
diseasement1826
invalidship1830
valetudinarianism1839
ailing1862
invalidhood1863
megrims1870
pourriture1890
immersement1903
bug1918
condition1920
1814 M. Wordsworth Let. 29 Oct. (1958) 25 I am glad they have got him out—for he has been very dejected over his boil—and his night sweats have returned, and poorliness since we had finished the M.S. for the Printers.
1827 J. J. Gurney in J. B. Braithwaite Mem. (1854) I. 323 Notwithstanding my poorliness.
1899 W. J. Locke White Dove ix. 140 If..any of the household showed signs of poorliness, he would worry himself to death about it.
1934 Times 18 Oct. 7/5 (advt.) Cod Liver Oil has an established reputation as a body-builder and defender against illness and general ‘poorliness’.
2001 Wales on Sunday (Nexis) 2 Dec. 8 Last time I went to see him with a non-specific feeling of general poorliness, he agreed to do a blood test.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1814