α. Middle English rustynes, 1500s rustines, 1500s–1600s rustinesse, 1600s– rustiness.
β. Middle English roustinesse.
rustinessn.1
/ˈrʌstɪnᵻs/, U.S. /ˈrəstinᵻs/ The state, condition, or quality of being rusty (in various senses of rusty adj.1); rust.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > [noun] > corrosion > rusty condition
rustinessa1398
the world > plants > disease or injury > [noun] > type of disease > fungal > rust disease or condition of having
rustOE
rustinga1398
canker?c1425
black rust1785
red gum1794
red rust1806
rust disease1816
red robin1821
red rag1841
crown rust1868
rustiness1882
stem rust1899
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 195 Grauel..haþ vertue for to clense metall and to waste rustynes [Morgan roustinesse; L. rubiginis] of metalle by frotyng and scowryng þer of.
?a1475 Ludus Coventriae (1922) 42 (MED) Rustynes of Synne is cawse of þese wawys; Alas in þis fflood þis werd xal be lorn ffor offens to god, brekyng his lawys.
a1492 W. Caxton tr. Vitas Patrum (1495) ii. f. ccv/1 Yf thou be harde as is the yron thou shalt lese thy Rustynes by fyre.
1567 T. Palfreyman Baldwin's Treat. Morall Philos. (new ed.) viii. iv. f. 186v Ydlenes..is a thinge..bothe to the bodye and to the soule, like to a cankeringe rustines.
1576 A. Fleming tr. Erasmus in Panoplie Epist. 357 Let us rub off the rustinesse of our tongues.
1601 J. Lyly Loves Metamorphosis ii. i Her teeth hollow and red with rustinesse.
1679 C. Ness Distinct Disc. Antichrist To Rdr. sig. A6 If the rustiness of Gold witness against men at the last day.
1708 W. King Art of Cookery 144 The whole Knife, and not only the Handle, was of Amber or Silver, lest the Rustiness of an ordinary Knife might prove infectious.
1797 F. Jacson Disobedience III. xi.150 From the rustiness of the iron, which nearly resembled the colour of the dark wood, her eye had been uncertain what it was.
1851 N. Hawthorne House of Seven Gables i. 25 The rustiness and infirmity of age gathered over the venerable house itself.
1882 Garden 3 June 389/1 This rustiness [in strawberries] is caused by the sun.
1907 J. Conrad Secret Agent ii. 14 There were red, coppery gleams..on the broad back of Mr. Verloc's overcoat, where they produced a dull effect of rustiness.
1959 A. Nin Ladders to Fire 118 Listening..to Sabina's voice, the way its hoarseness changed from rustiness to a whisper.
2002 Independent 24 Oct. 32/2 Henman showed no signs of rustiness as he powered past Cedric Pioline 6–1, 6–4.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
rustinessn.2
/ˈrʌstɪnᵻs/, U.S. /ˈrəstinᵻs/ slang. Now rare.
Irritability, bad temper; an instance of this. Also: restiveness. Cf. rusty adj.3
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > irritability > [noun]
impatiencec1230
eagernessa1400
unsufferancea1400
impatiency1526
testiness1526
impatientness1550
touchiness1603
tetchiness1623
irritability1791
twitchiness1834
rustiness1860
soreheadedness1860
shirtiness1868
chippiness1877
rattiness1898
cabin fever1918
snarkiness1960
edginess1963
1860 G. J. Whyte-Melville Market Harborough 104 Old Isaac,..subject to occasional ‘rustiness’, and imbued with a strong aversion to what he called being ‘put upon’.
1900 G. B. Shaw Let. 14 Mar. (1972) II. 156 In the old days I was always standing between Bland and the rustinesses that used to come from his Tory imperviousness to the Radical notions with which Socialism was adulterated.
a1916 J. London Michael Brother of Jerry (1917) xxx. 277 Five minutes of hilarity delayed the turn which, when at last started, was marked by rustiness and erraticness on the part of the dogs.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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