animosity
(ænɪˈmɒsɪtɪ)
Also 5–6 -te, 6–7 -tie.
[a. Fr. animosité, f. L. animōsitātem, n. of quality f. animōs-us spirited; see animous.]
† 1. Spiritedness, high spirit, courage, bravery. Obs.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (1865) I. 61 The cause is for euery thynge is of more animosite and audacite in his vniversalle then his parte parcialle. 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie (Arb.) 296 It was thought a decent countenance and constant animositie in the king to be so affected. 1658 Sir T. Browne Hydriot. iv. 66 Confirming his wavering hand unto the animosity of that attempt. a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams i. (1692) 20 Such as are of a high-flown animosity affect fortunas laciniosas. |
2. Excitement of feeling against any one; hostility of mind tending to break out into action, active hatred or enmity.
| 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xxiii. §48 (1873) 249 The natures and dispositions of the people..their animosities and discontents. 1644 Heylin Laud ii. 349 To foment those animosities..raised in that nation against the King. 1660 in Somers Tracts II. 168 To forget what is past, and lay aside all Animosities for the future. 1674 Owen Holy Spirit (1693) 204 Forming new Parties and reviving old Animosities. 1754 Hume Hist. Eng. ii, It is a just remark, that the more affinity there is between theological parties, the greater commonly is their animosity. 1852 M{supc}Culloch Taxation i. ii. 84 The jealousies and animosities that formerly subsisted between the privileged classes and the mass of the people. |