tenacityn.
/tɪˈnasɪti/ The quality or property of being tenacious.† 3. Tendency to keep fast hold of money; miserliness, niggardliness, parsimony. Obsolete.
1. Cohesiveness, toughness; viscosity, clamminess (of a liquid); also, adhesive quality, stickiness.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > constitution of matter > strength > [noun] > toughness
tenacity1555
toughness1674
the world > matter > constitution of matter > density or solidity > state of being thick enough to retain form > [noun] > cohesiveness
toughnessc1440
tenacity1555
retinence1642
tenaciousness1658
cohesiveness1727
clinginess1775
cohesibility1826
retentiveness1879
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde iii. x. f. 145 A certeyne..iuise, whose substaunce is of suche tenacitie and clamminesse, that it wyll neuer weare awaye.
1660 R. Boyle New Exper. Physico-mechanicall ii. 41 Water, to which Sope has given a Tenacity.
1718 J. Quincy Pharmacopœia Officinalis 3 For the same reason..many light Substances have such strong Cohesions or Tenacities.
1805 R. Jameson Treat. External Characters Minerals 77 By tenacity is understood..the different degrees of cohesion of the particles of minerals.
1866 J. E. T. Rogers Hist. Agric. & Prices I. xxi. 538 No doubt the bigness of the [plough-]shoe varied..with the lightness or tenacity of the soil.
2.
a. The quality of retaining what is held, physically or mentally; firmness of hold or attachment; firmness of purpose, persistence, obstinacy.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > obstinacy or stubbornness > [noun]
obstination?1387
pertinacyc1390
obstinacya1393
thronessa1400
stubbornnessc1440
obstinance?a1475
durenessc1480
pertinacity?1504
stomacha1513
stiffness1526
tenacity1526
persistence1546
obstacleness1548
obstinateness1561
stiffneckedness1570
self-mindedness1574
intractability1579
persistency1600
obstinancy1614
contumacy1619
stomachfulness1621
tenaciousness1642
pertinaciousness1651
irresignation1657
peremptoriness1747
mulishness1763
strongheadedness1793
dourness1794
unmovableness1818
stoutheartedness1826
bullet-headednessa1849
stalwartism1879
camelishness1883
thick and thin1884
stupidity1886
jusqu'auboutisme1917
die-hardism1922
obstinative-
the world > movement > absence of movement > hold or holding > [noun] > firmness of hold
tenaciousness1786
tenacity1823
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection iii. sig. MMMviiiv Son: whose tenacite and hardnesse, is reproued in this peticion.
a1682 Sir T. Browne Christian Morals (1716) ii. 52 The tenacity of Prejudice and Prescription.
1795 W. Paley View Evidences Christianity (ed. 3) I. i. i. 23 They clung to this hope..with more tenacity as their dangers or calamities increased.
1823 Spirit of Public Jrnls. (1824) 492 They..began tugging him towards the door, he..clinging to every hold he made with astonishing tenacity.
1830 J. W. Croker in Croker Papers 14 May (1884) II That tenacity of life which his family have constitutionally.
1878 W. E. H. Lecky Hist. Eng. 18th Cent. I. iv. 552 The tenacity of the English bull-dog.
b. Retentiveness (of memory).
ΚΠ
1814 W. Scott Waverley I. iii. 38 A memory of uncommon tenacity . View more context for this quotation
1871 J. S. Blackie Four Phases Morals i. 93 What animal when it has learned anything can retain the lesson with equal tenacity?
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > retaining > niggardliness or meanness > [noun]
fastship?c1225
scarcenessa1300
scarcity1340
niggardyc1390
nithingheada1400
scarcehead1420
nigonryc1430
niggardship?a1439
pinching1440
straitheadc1450
straitnessc1460
niggard cheap1463
niggardnessc1487
nigonshipa1500
niggardise1502
niggishness1519
niggardliness1556
parsimony1561
illiberality1581
nearness1584
tenacity1586
Euclionism1599
paring1607
servilitya1610
niggeralitya1612
scanting1625
scant-handednessa1627
closefistedness1631
niggardess1632
close-handedness1646
strait-handedness1649
penury1651
unbountifulness1660
parsimoniousness1671
penuriousness1672
stinginess1682
closeness1712
illiberalness1727
meanness1755
cheeseparing1834
scrimping1835
churlishness1846
screwing1848
skinflintism1853
screwiness1856
flint-paring1860
skinflintiness1861
scrimp1864
flint-skinning1873
penny-pinching1895
skimping1898
tight-fistedness1975
1586 A. Day Eng. Secretorie i. sig. E3 Vnbrideled luste, couetous tenacitie, prodigalitie, or detestable excesse.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan ii. xxix. 173 The passage of mony to the publique Treasure obstructed, by the tenacity of the people.
1656 T. Blount Glossographia Tenacity, fast-keeping, sure holding, niggardlinesse, misery.
1706 in Phillips's New World of Words (new ed.)
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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