tetricity

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin tetricitas, taetricitas. By surface analysis, tetric +‎ -ity.

Noun

tetricity (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) The quality of being tetric: crabbedness, harshness, bitterness.
   • 1751, [Jacques Pernetti], “Letter IV”, in Philosophical Letters upon Physiognomies. To which are added, Dissertations on the Inequality of Souls, Philanthropy, and Misfortunes, London: Printed for R. Griffiths, […]; W. Meyer, […]; J. Payne and J. Bouquet […], page 27:

     His Manner of Laughter is no way agreeable, opening his Mouth too wide: It even ſeems to indicate ſome Conſtraint and Pain: When he ſhuts his Mouth it gives a Tetricity to his Looks; his Noſe is all of a Piece; his Countenance wears a ſettled Gloomineſs; and his Forehead is of the uſual Size and Figure.

   • 1810, Alicia Tindal Palmer, The Daughters of Isenberg, page 77:

     "Had you truinated this matter with imprejudication," said the Lady Marguerite, "prior to the existimation you have with so much tetricity delivered, it must have been obvious to you, Doctor Gregory Martimas, that your incondite baniloquence must appear to me either arising from incogitancy, or an innane knodoxy, which gives you an exopation temerariously to insinuate, that those of my sex must necessarily be nescious on topics of erudition."

   • 1850, William Littell Tizard, The Theory and Practice of Brewing Illustrated, page 118:

     Notwithstanding the excellency of many inventions, byu which men have professed to purify water, no permanent and economical filter which has yet been devised, can answer the especial purposes of the brewer; not has any, howeverr ingeniously constructed, been found to sweeten foul water when its tetricity has passed from suspension to combination; nor will any other means yet known , including evaporation, do it on a scale suitable to brewing.

Further reading

• “tetricity”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.