dulcity
English
editEtymology
editNoun
editdulcity (uncountable)
- (literary) Sweetness (literal and figurative).
- [1623, Henry Cockeram, The English Dictionarie of 1623, New York, N.Y.: Huntington Press, published 1930, page 58:
]Dulcitude. ⎫ ⎬ Sweetnesse. Dulcitie. ⎭
- 1634, Th[omas] Herbert, A Relation of Some Yeares Travaile, Begunne Anno 1626. Into Afrique and the Greater Asia, Especially the Territories of the Persian Monarchie: and Some Parts of the Orientall Indies, and Iles Adiacent. […], London: […] William Stansby, and Iacob Bloome, page 183:
- And amongſt other fruits as Orenges (which are ſweet, ſucculent and daintie) of ſo pleaſant a taſte and relliſh, that they affect the eater wonderfully offering the rinde with no leſſe pleaſure then the iuice, both which ſeeme to haue dulcitie and Acrimony mixt together […]
- 1657, Renodæus [i.e., Jean de Renou], translated by Richard Tomlinson, A Medicinal Dispensatory, Containing the Whole Body of Physick: Discovering the Natures, Properties, and Vertues of Vegetables, Minerals, & Animals: The Manner of Compounding Medicaments, and the Way to Administer Them. […], London: […] Jo: Streater and Ja: Cottrel, page 38:
- But when natural heat begins to domineer in the very matter, and the watry matter mixed with the terrene hath attained to maturity, then the auſterity evinced and expelled, dulcity succeeds in the same matter; and ſo auſtere Fruits after mutation become ſweet, which mutation is not of the matter, but quality.
- 1660, Daniel Bartolus, translated by Thomas Salusbury, The Learned Man Defended and Reform’d. A Discourse of Singular Politeness and Elocution; Seasonably Asserting the Right of the Muses; in Opposition to the Many Enemies Which in this Age Learning Meets with, and More Especially Those Two Ignorance and Vice. In Two Parts., London: […] R. and W. Leybourn, pages 163–164:
- Therefore it naturally comes to paſſe, that we follow that which pleaſeth: eſpecially, if the Genius of the Nature, accord with the Election of the Will: and the toiles therein undergone, either are not tedious' or elſe the bitterneſſe of the trouble, loſing it elſe in the dulcity of the operation; they are not felt toilſome.
- 1674, Marcus Antonius Flaminius, translated by John Norton, The Scholar’s Vade Mecum, or, The Serious Student’s Solid and Silent Tutor, London: […] T. Sawbridge, page 96:
- Wherefore then doth mi ſo miſerabl wretched Soul reſent, relliſh, feel the dulcitie, Suavitie, ſweetneſs of Thour præſence?
- 1941, Granger Ryan, Helmut Ripperger, transl., The Golden Legend of Jacobus de Voragine, part two, London, New York, N.Y., Toronto, Ont.: Longmans, Green and Co., page 453:
- Then, as Peter and Paul raised the bier, Peter began to sing and say: Exiit Israel de Ægypto, Alleluia! And the other apostles sweetly took up the chant; and the Lord covered the bier and the apostles with a cloud, so that they were not visible, and only their voices were heard. And angels also were present with the apostles, singing with them and filling the whole earth with the dulcity of their music.
- 2014, Ignacio Haro, “To Brenda (d.)”, in My Strength and My Defense, WestBow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan, →ISBN, page 44:
- Within our soules shall thy semblance live / To teach us love, compassion, and felicity; / For He whom to thee your life did give / Hath recalled thee to this heavenly dulcity.