prolixity
(prəʊˈlɪksɪtɪ)
Also 5–6 -ite, -yte, -itye, etc.
[a. F. prolixité (13th c. in Littré), ad. late L. prōlixitās, f. prōlix-us prolix: see -ity.]
The state or quality of being prolix.
1. Lengthiness of spoken or written matter; length of discourse; copiousness and minuteness of detail; esp. tedious or tiresome lengthiness.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 1515 (1564) But flee we now prolixite beste is. 1483 Caxton Cato I. ix, For to eschewe prolyxyte and longe wordes. c 1555 Harpsfield Divorce Hen. VIII (Camden) 84 Which for avoiding of prolixity I do pretermit. 1678 R. R[ussell] tr. Geber ii. i. ii. xv. 64 Without prolixity or tediousness of Words. 1755 Washington Lett. Writ. 1889 I. 201, I hope your Honor will..excuse the prolixity of this. 1864 Burton Scot Abr. II. ii. 135 The confusion, ambiguity, and verbose prolixity of the narrative. |
b. Tedious slowness of action. rare.
| 1827 Lytton Pelham lviii, An appetite once thrown away can never, till the cruel prolixity of the gastric agents is over, be regained. |
† 2. Of time: Long or wearisome duration. Obs.
| a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI 91 Twenty other, whiche for prolixitie of tyme I thinke necessary to be omitted. 1577 Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619) 187 When he hath exactly sifted every one of you by experience and prolixitie of time. |
3. Material length. Now humorous.
| 1543 in Sharpe Cal. Let. Bk. D. Lond. (1902) p. xi, [Wearing a beard] of more notable prolyxyte or length. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 56 Haire long or short,..the prolixity or brevity whereof we cannot positively determine. 1784 Cowper Task i. 265 These chesnuts rang'd in corresponding lines;..The obsolete prolixity of shade. 1851 Hawthorne Ho. Sev. Gables xi, The monkey..with a thick tail curling out into preposterous prolixity from beneath his tartans, took his station at the Italian's feet. |