[f. SOLID a.] The quality of being solid, in lit. and fig. senses; solidity.
(a) 1600. Surflet, Countrie Farme, III. lxviii. 591. Grosse peeces [of gold] in respect of their solidnes consume but a verie little.
1620. I. Jones, Stone-Heng (1725), 50. The Plainness and Solidness of the Tuscan Order.
1650. Venner, Via Recta, 154. Peare-Wardens, in regard of the solidnesse of their substance, may be longest kept.
1730. Bailey (fol.), Substantiality,… Solidness, Firmness.
1838. Dickens, Nickleby, xxxiv. ‘Here’s flesh’ cried Squeers, turning the boy about…. ‘Here’s firmness, here’s solidness!’
(b) 1630. Lord, Banians, 95. To settle vs in the solidnesse of our owne faith.
1668. H. More, Div. Dial., II. vi. (1713), 108. The fulness and Solidness of the Cause we contend for is not to be measured from what we utter thus extemporarily in the defence thereof.
1681. Manton, Wks. (1872), VIII. 23. When they excel you … for solidness and settledness in manners.
