soleness Now rare.
(ˈsəʊlnɪs)
[f. sole a.]
† 1. Solitude; solitariness. Obs.
| c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. xv. 235 Forto haue quietnes and soolnes to preie to God or to a Seint. 1534 Whitinton Tullyes Offices i. (1540) 63 A large house is ofte a reproche to his master, if there be in it soolnesse and no recourse. 1612 J. Davies (Heref.) Muse's Sacr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 68/2 Solenesse, brings sadnesse; Company, but strife. a 1618 Sylvester Monodia 100 Her selfe to sadnesse and to solenesse taking. |
2. The state or condition of being sole, alone, or apart.
| 1587 Golding De Mornay vi. 90 The first God..being afore the Beeër, and alone,..yet..abydeth still in the solenesse of his vnitie. 1631 R. Bolton Comf. Affl. Consc. xi. (1635) 274 He is much troubled with solenesse in suffering. a 1661 Fuller Worthies (1840) I. 39 The laurel importing conquest and sovereignty, and so by consequence soleness in that faculty. 1748 Chesterfield Lett. (1792) II. clx. 74 An advantage which France has;..which is (if I may use the expression) its sole-ness, continuity of riches and power within itself. 1889 Macm. Mag. Jan. 205/1 The Greek islander is never coarse, balanced, as he is, with curious soleness, between the barbarian and the gentleman. |