† seelinessn.
Obsolete.
1. Happiness, blessedness.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > happiness > [noun]
selthc888
bliss971
eadinessOE
seleOE
eadilaikc1175
blissfulnessc1374
seelinessc1374
felicityc1386
seelihead14..
beneurte1480
brightnessa1500
happinessa1500
glee1579
faustity1656
eudemony1727
a song in one's heart1862
the bluebird of happiness1911
c1374 G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde iii. 813 So worldly selinesse,..Y-medled is with many a bitternesse!
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 10816 All cristen men þat was and es, Has thorut hir þair selines.
1447 O. Bokenham Agnes in Lyvys Seyntys 135 Swetter þe loue, feyrere þe face, And of selynes mych gretere þe grace.
c1470 J. Hardyng Chron. xxx. iv In mykill ioye and worldly selynesse.
1532 (c1385) Usk's Test. Loue in Wks. G. Chaucer i. f. cccxxxvv For thou wenest thilke ioye to be selynesse or els ease.
2. Simplicity; silliness. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > weakness of intellect > simplicity, simple-mindedness > [noun]
simplenessa1382
innocencec1385
simplessec1391
simplicityc1450
innocencya1513
simplehead1543
greenness1548
insipidity1603
seeliness1642
niaiserie1657
silliness1736
simpletonism1825
simple-mindedness1827
simpletonianism1848
noodleness1931
1642 D. Rogers Naaman 45 As old Eli overrules Samuels seelinesse.
1653 T. Gataker Vindic. Annot. Jer. 10.2 164 Any simple Reader may easily discry the selinesse of your Arguments.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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n.c1374