Sc. [f. as prec. + -NESS.] Sagacity, skilfulness, prudence, cautiousness; gentleness, quietness.
1645. Baillie, Lett. (1841), II. 261 (Jam.). When the canniness of Rothes had brought in Montrose to our party, his more than ordinare and civill pride made him very hard to be guided.
1847. Examiner, 11 Dec., 787/2. He [Ld. Loughborough] is at no time so violent but there is a ‘canniness’ to give him smoothness.
1878. P. Bayne, Purit. Rev., iii. 81. James, with all his absurdity, had in him an inextinguishable spark of sagacity, of native Scotch prudence and canniness.
