ungraciousness
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From ungracious + -ness.
Noun
[edit]ungraciousness (uncountable)
- The state or quality of being ungracious.
- 1742, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter 52”, in Pamela; Or, Virtue Rewarded. […], 3rd edition, volume IV, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; and sold by J. Osborn, […]; and J[ohn] Rivington, […], →OCLC, page 319:
- For (I am sorry to say it) when one turns one’s Eyes to the bad Precedents given by the Heads of some Families, it is hardly to be wonder’d at, that there is so little Virtue and Religion among Men. For can those Parents be surpris’d at the Ungraciousness of their Children, who hardly ever shew them, that their own Actions are govern’d by reasonable or moral Motives?
- 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter 12, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume III, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC:
- Her mother’s ungraciousness, made the sense of what they owed him more painful to Elizabeth’s mind; and she would, at times, have given any thing to be privileged to tell him, that his kindness was neither unknown nor unfelt by the whole of the family.
- 1921, Knut Hamsun, chapter 14, in W. W. Worster, transl., Dreamers[1], New York: Alfred A. Knopf, published 1904, page 156:
- Old Mack came walking toward them. He frowned, spoke sharply, and walked on ahead of Rolandsen to the office. All ungraciousness. Then he said: ¶ “Last time, I asked you to sit down. This time, I don’t.”