deceitfulness

deceitfulness

English

Etymology

From deceitful +‎ -ness.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /dɪˈsiːtfəlnəs/

Noun

deceitfulness (usually uncountable, plural deceitfulnesses)

1. The state or quality of being deceitful.
   • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts XIII:

     O full off all sutelte and disseytfulnes the chylde off the devyll, and the enemye of all righteousnes thou ceasest not to pervert the strayght wayes off the lorde.

   • 1839, Charles Dickens, chapter 42, in Nicholas Nickleby:

     'This is the hend, is it, of all my bearing with her deceitfulness, her lowness, her falseness, her laying herself out to catch the admiration of vulgar minds . . .'

   • 1903, Andy Adams, The Log of a Cowboy: A Narrative of the Old Trail Days, ch. 20 "A Moonlight Drive",

     The lanterns both rear and forward being always in sight, I was as much at sea as any one as to the length of the herd, knowing the deceitfulness of distance of campfires and other lights by night.

References

• deceitfulness in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• “deceitfulness” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.