[OE. yfelnyss, f. as prec. + -NESS.] The quality or condition of being evil.
1. Badness, viciousness; wickedness, depravity.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., II. 278. Þæt we sceoldon wistfullian na on yfelnysse beorman, ac on þeorfnyssum.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 17. Þet he icherre from þan uuelnesse ear his ende dei.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter li. 5 [lii. 3]. Þou loved ivelnes ovre betternes.
1489. Caxton, Faytes of A., I. i. 4. That cometh nothyng of the right of warre but by euylnes of the peple.
1553. Bp. Ponet, in Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. II. xxiii. 445. The evilness of the abuse hath marred the goodness of the word.
1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., I. ii. 55. The … evilness … and unseasonableness of moral or natural actions, which falls not within the verge of a brutal faculty.
1730–6. in Bailey (folio).
† 2. Evil influence, hurtful character, noxiousness. Obs.
1563. T. Hyll, Arte Garden. (1593), 19. That the euilnes and corruptnes of the grounde, may be washed awaye with the winter showers.
1564–78. Bulleyn, Dial. agst. Pest. (1888), 31. When as the Sunne and Moone doe enter into any of their circles in those greate bodies, then our little bodies in earth do feele the goodnes or euilnesse of them.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, Introd. 7. The Inhabitants, by reason of the euilnesse of the aire, haue grosse and earthy spirits.
† 3. Ill-health, illness. Obs.
1599. Harsnet, Agst. Darell, 315. I oftentimes heard M. Darrell say before my pretended Evilnes that [etc.].
† 4. Poor or bad quality, inferiority. Obs.
1548. Cecil, Pref. to Q. Catherine’s Lament. Neither the goodnes of the cause can mooue them to saie more, neither the euilnesse less.
1549. Latimer, Ploughers (Arb.), 27. They saye that the euylnes of money hath made all thinges dearer.
1621. Ainsworth, Annot. Pentat., Gen. xli. 20. I have not seen their like, in all the land of Egypt, for evilness.
