[f. ABRUPT a. + -NESS.] The state or quality of being abrupt. Hence.
1. Suddenness, unexpectedness of action.
1603. B. Jonson, Pt. of King’s Entert’mt., Wks. 1846, 533. Pardon, if my abruptnesse breed disease.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 139, ¶ 7. The beginning [of Samson Agonistes] is undoubtedly beautiful and proper, opening with a graceful abruptness.
1838. Dickens, Nich. Nick. (C. D. ed.), xxii. 176. Nicholas could not refrain from smiling at the abruptness of the question.
2. The presence of sudden breaks; the roughness or interruption thereby caused; esp. ruggedness in literary style or social manner.
1642. Howell, For. Trav. (1869), § 12. 58. Some other languages … as having no abruptnesse of Consonants, have some advantage of the English.
1695. Woodward, Nat. Hist., IV. 173. Crystallized Bodies found in the perpendicular Intervalls have always … Abruptness at the end of the Body whereby it adhered to the Stone … which Abruptness is caused by its being broke off from it.
1772. J. Warton, Ess. on Pope, i. 10. Pope lengthened the abruptness of Waller, and at the same time contracted the exuberance of Dryden. Ibid., ii. 27. The abruptness and brevity of the sentences are much in character.
1865. Mrs. Whitney, Gayworthys (1879), xxiii. 214. Full of little merry sarcasms and abruptnesses.
1874. Athenæum, May 2. A certain abruptness in his manner, and … scant appreciation of her society, at once repel her and pique her curiosity.
3. Precipitousness, ruggedness, steepness.
1620. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 38. I had much ado to reach hither; for besides the monstruous abruptness of the way, these parts of the Pyreneys … are never without thieves.
1876. Page, Adv. Text-Book Geol., ii. 40. Breadth or abruptness of its valleys.
