[f. SOUND a.]
1. The quality or state of being sound or free from disease; sound or healthy condition; healthiness.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. vi. (Bodl. MS.). Puella is a name of age, of soundenes without wem, and also of honestee.
1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. xli. 13. Soundnesse may be referred too the body as to the mynd in this wyse.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, I. ii. 24. I would I had that corporall soundnesse now.
a. 1610. Healey, Cebes (1616), 134. The Physician … corroborates the vitals; and finally confirmeth the body in perfect soundnesse.
1701. G. Stanhope, Augustine’s Medit., II. xviii. (1720), 167. There shall be in us all imaginable Soundness and Vigour, without any sort of Disease or Decay.
1768. Tucker, Lt. Nat., I. II. 322. Though a man would wish in the first place to enjoy vigour of limbs and soundness of constitution.
1830. R. Knox, Béclard’s Anat., 372. These tissues resemble the tissues of the human body in a state of soundness.
1866. J. G. Murphy, Comm., Exod. xix. 9, 195. The hand changed from soundness to leprosy, and again to soundness.
fig. 1643. Milton, Divorce, Introd., Wks. 1851, IV. 3. A certain big face of pretended learning, mistaken … for the wholsome habit of soundnesse and good constitution.
b. Of the mind, etc.: (see SOUND a. 2 b).
1548. Elyot, Sanitas, helth,… soundenesse of memorie.
1602. J. Davies (Heref.), Mirum in Modum, Wks. (Grosart), I. 15/1. The Soule can not her soundnesse more bewray, Then when she doth Temptations strong resist.
1639. J. Sedgwick (title), The Bearing and Burden of the Spirit. Wherein the sicknesse and soundnesse of mans spirit is opened.
1678. (title) The Temperate Man, or the Right Way of Preserving Life and Health, together, With Soundness of the Senses, Judgment, and Memory unto extream Old Age.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), V. 537. Conclusive evidence of the capacity of such vouchee, as to the soundness of his mind.
1860. Pusey, Min. Proph., 36. The minds of the wicked … lose their soundness as it were without knowing it.
c. Firmness, solidity; freedom from weakness, defect or damage; goodness of condition or repair. Also fig.
1548. Elyot, Soliditas,… soundenesse.
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, s.v. Firmitas, The hardenes or soundeness of the matter.
1663. S. Patrick, Parab. Pilgrim (1687), 414. He considers not that a crazy state of things cannot be so soon amended and restored to entire soundness.
1685. Baxter, Paraphr. N. T., 1 John ii. 5–6. It is they that keep his Word, in whom the Love of God doth shew its soundness and perfection.
1827. Faraday, Chem. Manip., xviii. (1842), 484. That rigidity which was so dangerous to the apparatus and fatal to its soundness.
1859. Act 22–23 Vict., c. 66 § 13. The [gas] Meter shall be tested for Soundness or Leakage only.
1875. Manning, Mission H. Ghost, xii. 334–5. If you … saw before you a bridge the soundness of which was doubtful.
2. Orthodoxy in respect of religious belief, political views, or other opinions.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. (1882), 91. Persons … whose soundnesse in religion … they are not ignorant of.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, III. § 30. 236. So too just cause is given for their prayers to be suspected in regard of the soundnesse of them.
1682. Sec. Plea for Nonconf., 2. The Worthiness of their Persons,… Soundness of their Faith, Exemplary Morals.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 10 March 1687. The Church of England, whose doctrine for Catholic and soundness he preferr’d to all the Communities … of Christians in the world.
1872. De Vere, Americanisms, 266. Often it is not enough to ascertain the soundness of the candidate.
3. The quality or fact of being in harmony with solid or well-established principles or facts: a. Of judgment, reasoning, etc.
a. 1600. Hooker, Eccles. Pol., II. (1666), 49 (J.). It may stand then very well with strength and soundness of reason, even thus to answer.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, V. § 6. 416. Soundnesse of judgement, Sharpenesse of wit, Quicknesse of conceit.
1782. Miss Burney, Cecilia, V. iv. The soundness of her judgment had hitherto guarded her both from error and blame.
1799. J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, 552. They have a soundness of understanding equal to the task.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxxiv. The soundness of thinking which she had displayed in conversation.
1885. Manch. Exam., 18 Feb., 3/2. In critical soundness and penetration, he is infinitely superior to Johnson.
b. Of views, acts, principles, etc.
1739. Waterland, Sacram. Pt. Eucharist Expl., 18. I will not answer for the Acuteness, much less for the Soundness of his Distinction.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Ella of Gar., vii. 81. I always doubt the soundness of a plea which is urged in such a hurry.
1837. P. Keith, Bot. Lex., 275. The soundness of the principle on which the Linnæan nomenclature is founded.
1885. Law Times, LXXIX. 131/2. The soundness of this decision seems to us beyond doubt.
4. Thoroughness, completeness.
1853. Lynch, Lett. Scattered (1872), 357. If he wait long enough, he will be flogged with most efficient soundness.
