† soothnessn.
Obsolete.
1. The fact, quality, or condition of being true (in various senses); truth or verity; fidelity, faithfulness; reality, fact:personif.1362 W. Langland Piers Plowman A. ii. 163 Soþnesse sauh hem wel and seide bote luyte.
a. Without article.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > [noun]
soothc950
soothOE
rightOE
soothnessc1275
soothness1297
soothshipc1320
soothhead1340
very1382
trotha1387
trutha1391
verity1422
veriment1528
true?1531
trueness1559
veriness1574
reality1604
veracity1664
veridicalness1727
the fact of the matter1808
truthfulness1835
actualité1840
the straight1866
satya1879
straight goods1892
veridicalitya1901
truth value1903
dinky1941
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > [noun] > personified
soothnessc1275
truthc1390
society > morality > duty or obligation > recognition of duty > faithfulness or trustworthiness > [noun]
truthOE
trotha1225
truefastnessa1225
trueshipa1225
trueness?c1225
soothnessc1275
faithc1300
good faithc1300
trustc1300
trueheadc1325
traistnessa1340
truthheada1400
faithfulnessc1400
loyaltyc1400
tristiness1408
trustinessc1450
confiance1490
fealty?1515
surety?c1535
loyalness1592
troth-keeping1605
true-heartedness1608
confidence1642
trustworthiness1662
responsibleness1706
dependence1752
reliability1810
trustihood1823
faithworthiness1828
reliableness1841
dependableness1860
dependability1901
c1275 Passion our Lord 365 in Old Eng. Misc. Þo seyde pilates him to, hwat is soþnesse.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 988 Vor me mai bet soþnesse of þe moder þan of þe fader iwite.
a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1865) I. 71 Fame þat is false..falliþ out of mynde, oþer is despreued by soþenesse i-knowe.
c1440 Eng. Conq. Ireland 102 He was..of mych speche, & lytel sothnesse.
1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 273/1 Sothenesse, ueritè.
1587 Sir P. Sidney & A. Golding tr. P. de Mornay Trewnesse Christian Relig. iv. 49 Verily the most in effect that we can knowe concerning his being,..whether we terme it Soothnesse or Wisdome,..or Godhead,..it can not fit him.
b. in soothness, in truth, reality, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > [adverb]
mid or with (‥) soothc888
soothfastlya890
soothfastc950
rightOE
yeaOE
soothlyOE
soothOE
trulyc1225
soothrightc1275
purec1300
verament1303
verily1303
purelyc1325
verimentc1325
indeedc1330
veirec1330
soothfully1340
faithlyc1350
of very (due) right?a1366
leallya1375
amenc1384
in soothnessc1386
verya1387
in certaina1400
truea1400
without(en) wougha1400
in veirec1400
in deedc1405
without famec1430
in veramentc1450
utterlyc1460
veritably1481
veritable1490
voirably1501
seriously1644
quite1736
quite1881
c1386 G. Chaucer Second Nun's Tale 261 Sayst thou thus to me In sothenes, or in drem I herkne this?
1412–20 J. Lydgate tr. Hist. Troy i. 330 For in sothnesse of al þer was noon That lyue myȝt by that fatal lawe.
c1475 (?c1400) Apol. Lollard Doctr. (1842) 27 Wan he is þus iugid & rettid of men, þow he be not so in soþnes.
2. With the. The truth.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > [noun]
soothc950
soothOE
rightOE
soothnessc1275
soothness1297
soothshipc1320
soothhead1340
very1382
trotha1387
trutha1391
verity1422
veriment1528
true?1531
trueness1559
veriness1574
reality1604
veracity1664
veridicalness1727
the fact of the matter1808
truthfulness1835
actualité1840
the straight1866
satya1879
straight goods1892
veridicalitya1901
truth value1903
dinky1941
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. (Rolls) 7236 Hii wepe & made deol ynou vor hii seye þe soþnesse.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 44 Hede þe zoþnesse of þe þinge þet me wyle zelle.
c1374 G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (1868) i. pr. vi. 26 Ne neuer nas ȝit day þat myȝte putte me oute of þe soþenesse of þat sentence.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1913; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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