inwardness en · NOUN
Etymology
From Middle English inwardnesse; analysable as inward + -ness.
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) The characteristic of being inward or directed towards the inside.
-
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) The internal or true state; the essential nature.
the inwardness of conduct
Sense cannot arrive at th’inwardness of things.
1642, H[enry] M[ore], “(please specify the chapter)”, in ΨΥΧΩΔΙΑ [Psychōdia] Platonica: Or A Platonicall Song of the Soul, […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel, printer to the Universitie, →OCLC:
-
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) Familiarity; intimacy.
Signior Leonato, let the friar advise you: / And though you know my inwardness and love / Is very much unto the prince and Claudio, / Yet, by mine honour, I will deal in this / As secretly and justly as your soul / Should with your body.
1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
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(countable, obsolete, uncountable) Earnestness; heartiness.
The prophets perpetually reminded their nation of the superiority of judgment and justice to any exterior ceremony like sacrifice. […] [W]hat was wanted was more inwardness, more feeling. This was given by adding mercy and humbleness to judgment and justice.
1873, Matthew Arnold, “Religion New-given”, in Literature & Dogma: An Essay towards a Better Apprehension of the Bible, London: Smith, Elder, & Co. […], →OCLC, section 1, page 83:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| inwardnesses | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
heart · gist · soul · substance · brass tacks · heartstring · drift · crux · meat · nitty-gritty · nub · sum · moral of the story · core · stuff · pith · spirit · punctum saliens · crux · bowels · marrow · quintessence · heart and soul · inwardness · guts · essence · gist · tenor · kernel · nuts and bolts · gravamen · heartstrings
Translations (4)
bg същност (true state; essential nature) · bg природа (true state; essential nature) · ru и́стинная приро́да (true state; essential nature) · ru су́щность (true state; essential nature)