malapertness
English
editAlternative forms
edit- malepertness (archaic)
Etymology
editFrom Middle English malepertnesse; equivalent to malapert + -ness.
Noun
editmalapertness (uncountable)
- (obsolete) The condition of being malapert. [15th–18th c.]
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, translated by John Florio, The Essayes […], London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:, II.12:
- if once it be possessed with the boldnesse to despise, and malapertnesse to impugne the opinions which tofore it held in awfull reverence […], they will soone and easily admit an equall uncertainty in all other parts of their beleefe […].