hardiness

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English hardynesse; equivalent to hardy +‎ -ness.

Noun[edit]

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hardiness (countable and uncountable, plural hardinesses)

  1. The quality of being hardy.
    1. The quality of being able to withstand fatigue and hardship; (of a plant) the quality of being resistant to cold or other environmental conditions.
      Kale is known for its winter-hardiness.
      • 1642, John Milton, An apology against a pamphlet call’d A modest confutation of the animadversions upon the remonstrant against Smectymnuus[1], London: John Rothwell, page 13:
        [] with usefull and generous labours preserving the bodies health, and hardinesse; to render lightsome, cleare, and not lumpish obedience to the minde,
      • 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Relates Several Particulars of the Yahoos. []”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. [] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: [] Benj[amin] Motte, [], →OCLC, part IV (A Voyage to the Houyhnhnms), page 284:
        But the Houynhnhnms train up their Youth to Strength, Speed, and Hardineſs, by exerciſing them in running Races up and down ſteep Hills, and over hard and ſtony Grounds []
      • 1915, Nellie McClung, chapter 4, in In Times Like These[2], Toronto: McLeod & Allen:
        Wild wheat is small and hard, quite capable of looking after itself, but its heads contain only a few small kernels. Cultivated wheat has lost its hardiness and its self-reliance, but its heads are filled with large kernels which feed the nation.
    2. (obsolete) The quality of being bold in the face of risk or authority.
      Synonyms: hardihood, audacity, boldness, firmness, assurance
  2. (obsolete) Hardship; fatigue.

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