[f. CHOICE a. + -NESS.]
1. Selectness; special excellence, value or fitness.
1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. 18 (R.). More after the choicenesse of the Phrase, and the round and cleane composition of the sentence, and sweet falling of the clauses.
1649. Bp. Reynolds, Serm. Hosea, Epist. The Choiceness of the Auditory might require the exactest preparation.
1792. Copper-Plate Mag., vi. Mrs. North’s … flower-garden … in neatness, and the choiceness of its contents.
1877. Mrs. Forrester, Mignon, I. 264. The choiceness of the cuisine.
2. Discrimination in choosing; fastidiousness.
a. 1665. J. Goodwin, Filled w. the Spirit (1867), 109. Here is no matter for choiceness of wisdom to shew itself.
a. 1687. H. More, Antid. Ath., Pref. Contents (1712), 1. His caution and choice-ness in the Managing such arguments.
1886. J. W. Sherer, Worldly Tales, 76. He won the appellation of ‘Spatts,’ from a supposed excessive choiceness in the selection of that equipment.
