owliness

English

Etymology

From owly +‎ -ness.

Noun

owliness (uncountable)

1. The condition of being an owl or having owllike characteristics.
   • 2011, Louise Rennison, Withering Tights, HarperTeen, →ISBN, page 217:

     Like Monty had told us, I thought about the "qualities" of owliness. My wise nature. Where my home might be. What I would have for supper. Mouse, I fancied.

2. The state of being in an ill temper; crankiness.
   • 1979 August 10, Ian Dutton, “Weather was cool, but teams' tempers weren't”, in The Leader-Post:

     The teams obviously studied at the Hatfield-McCoy school of diplomacy and graduating at the top of his class in owliness was Eston playing-coach Don Sasser.

Synonyms

• (condition of being an owl or owl-like): owlishness
• (state of being in an ill temper): crabbiness, crankiness, grumpiness, orneriness

Anagrams

• Lewisons, lewisson