abstemiousness
English edit
Etymology edit
abstemious + -ness
Pronunciation edit
- (General American) IPA(key): /æbˈsti.mi.əs.nəs/, /əbˈsti.mi.əs.nəs/
Audio (US) (file)
Noun edit
abstemiousness (uncountable)
- The quality of being abstemious, temperate, or sparing, particularly in the use of food and strong drinks. [from early 17th c.][1]
- 1833, [Charles Lamb], “Preface. By a Friend of the Late Elia.”, in The Last Essays of Elia. […], London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page ix:
- He was temperate in his meals and diversions, but always kept a little on this side of abstemiousness. Only in the use of the Indian weed he might be thought a little excessive.
Usage notes edit
- It expresses a greater degree of abstinence than temperance.
Translations edit
austerity
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References edit
- ^ Lesley Brown, editor-in-chief, William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, editors (2002), “abstemiousness”, in The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles, 5th edition, Oxford, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 9.