† ˈthesterness Obs.
Forms: see thester a.
[OE. þéosternes, etc., f. þéostre, thester a. + -ness.]
Darkness. lit. and fig.
| c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xxxiv. §8 Þesternes. c 893 ― Oros. vi. ii. §3 Wearð micel þeosternes ofer eallne middanᵹeard. c 1000 Ags. Hom. (ed. Assmann 1889) 203 Þa com..þære nihte þysternys. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 61 Þe engles a-dun follon in to þe þosternesse hellen. a 1200 Moral Ode 277 Eure þer is vuel smech, þusternesse and eie. c 1200 Ormin 16737, & menn ne lufenn nohht te lihht Acc lufenn þessterrnesse. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1942 Quiles he slep, In ðis ðisternesse, old and dep. c 1300 Havelok 2191 Gon was þisternesse of þe nith. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xvi. 160 On a thoresday in thesternesse þus was he taken. ? a 1500 Chester Pl. ii. 12 Twynned shalbe throughe my mighte the lighte from Thesternes. |