For forms see LIGHT a.1 [f. LIGHT a.1 + -NESS.] The quality or fact of being light, in various senses.
1. The quality or fact of having little weight. Of a vessel: The fact of being lightly laden. Of a crop: Smallness of the quantity present.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 83. Oli haueð huppen him lihtnesse and softnesse and hele.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., III. pr. xi. 77 (Camb. MS.). Wher-for elles berith Lythnesse the flaumbes vp.
c. 1586. C’tess Pembroke, Ps. LXII. iv. Ev’n he that seemeth most of might With lightnesse self if him you weigh, Then lightnesse self will weigh more light.
1590. Sir H. Lee, in Archæologia (1888), LI. 171. A new brest [plate] … of gret litenes and strengthe.
1667. Lond. Gaz., No. 140/1. A Holland Vessel … unable because of her lightness to bear sail.
1765. A. Dickson, Treat. Agric. (ed. 2), 231. The lightness of it, and particularly the shortness of the share … make it go very unsteadily.
1831. Sir J. Sinclair, Corr., II. 86. The different kinds of air, and the superior lightness by which some of them were distinguished.
1848. Mill, Pol. Econ., I. xii. § 2 (1876), 110. It is long … before an English eye becomes reconciled to the lightness of the crops [in the United States].
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 194. The lightness of bows and arrows is convenient for running.
b. Of bread, pastry, etc.: (see LIGHT a.1 9 b).
1836. Penny Cycl., V. 372/2. To give the bread … porous texture and lightness.
1864. Mrs. Stowe, House & Home Papers, x. (1865), 112. The matter of lightness is the distinctive line between savage and civilized bread.
† 2. The condition of being lightened or relieved; alleviation. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24480. Her-wit come me son succur And sum lightnes o mi langur.
1357. Lay Folks Catech., 332. In lightenes and alegeaunce of their sekenesse.
3. Absence of heaviness or pressure in action or movement; want of force or moment. Said both of material and immaterial things.
1795. Nelson, in Nicolas, Disp. (1845), II. 15. From the lightness of the air of wind, the Enemy’s Fleet and our Fleet were a very long time in passing.
1833. Regul. Instr. Cavalry, I. 48. Lightness of hand consists in an almost imperceptible feeling and alternate easing of the bridle.
1885. Spectator, 30 May, 704/2. The lightness of touch that so charmingly characterises the literature of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
1893. Westm. Gaz., 17 June, 5/2. The lightness of the weather spoiled yesterday’s race.
1893. Law Times, XCIV. 600/2. The tax falls with … undue severity upon one class, and with unreasonable lightness upon others.
4. Of form or outline: Freedom from heaviness or clumsiness, graceful slenderness.
1808. Scott, Prose Wks., IV. Biographies, II. (1870), 35. She had lost much of the lightness of her figure.
1837. Penny Cycl., VII. 218/1. In them we observe a progressive change from heaviness to lightness—from columns less than four diameters in height to those of nearly seven.
1885. Truth, 28 May, 848/2. The spray is rendered with much lightness and delicacy.
5. The quality of moving lightly; agility, nimbleness, swiftness. Also in immaterial sense.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Miller’s T., 198. To shewe his lightnesse and maistrye He pleyeth Herodes vp on a Scaffold hye.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. lvii. (1495), 172. The bones are holowe for the more lyghtnesse of mouynge.
1483. Cath. Angl., 216/2. A Lightenes, agilitas.
1530. Palsgr., 239/1. Lightnesse of understandinge, facilité d’entendre.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. xxxiv. 304. All these beasts for their lightnesse … have passed from one world to an other.
1859. J. Brown, Rab & Friends (1862), 26. Rab … trotted up the stair with much lightness.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xxv. 187. The contemplation of the brightening east … seemed to lend lightness to our muscles.
† 6. Ease, facility, readiness, esp. of belief. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 27735. Lightness o rage.
1549. Coverdale, etc., Erasm. Par. Gal. 8. I … blame your lightenes to beleue, & easynes to be persuaded.
1572. R. H., trans. Lauaterus’ Ghostes (1596), 152. Oftentimes these men, through their too muche lightnesse of beleefe, fall into great daungers.
1620. Venner, Via Recta, iii. 63. Linnets are both for lightnesse of digestion, and goodnesse of meate better then Sparrowes.
1741. Richardson, Pamela, I. Introd. 24. Note with what Lightness even Men of good-natur’d Intention fall into Mistakes.
7. Levity in behavior; fickleness, unsteadiness, frivolity, thoughtlessness, unconcern.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 308. Lightnes of hert reves þam drede.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., 344. Forto forsake God in a liȝtnes and in a rechelesnes.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 95. This chaunge will … double thy lyghtnesse in tourning so often.
1679. Burnet, Hist. Ref., I. 424. Imputing this insurrection … to their folly and lightness.
1760. Ann. Reg., 52. The general lightness of his faith with regard to his former allies.
1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, vii. My Catharine hath not by any lightness or folly of hers afforded grounds for this great scandal.
1887. E. J. Goodman, Too Curious, iii. The lightness of tone with which I uttered such serious words.
† b. Wantonness, lewdness, incontinence. Obs.
1516. Life Birgette, in Myrr. our Ladye (1873), p. xlviii. She somwhat suspectynge the lyghtnesse of the virgyn commaundyd a rod to be brought vnto hir.
1541. Act 33 Hen. VIII., c. 21. If they … perceive any wil acte or condicion of lightnes of bodie in hir, which for the time being shall be queene of this realme.
1601. ? Marston, Pasquil & Kath., II. 11. Women of leuitie and lightnesse.
1652. C. B. Stapylton, Herodian, III. 18. With him of lightnesse she was much suspected.
8. Freedom from depression or dullness, esp. in lightness of heart; high spirits, joy, mirth.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., III. xix. (1495), 66. The instrument of smellyng is not in a beest onely for lightnes and fayrnesse.
a. 1420. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 1244. Myn hert is al nakid of lightnesse.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 64 b. And this lyghtnesse or myrth may come somtyme of the clerenes of mannes conscyence.
1653. R. Sanders, Physiogn., 55. They signifie Quarrels picked out of lightness of heart.
1828. R. Nesbit, in Mem., iii. (1858), 83. I am able to pursue my proper work with my usual lightness of spirit.
1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxf., xxi. (1889), 195. He really hardly knew what to do to give vent to his lightness of heart.
