Animosity. While ‘animosus’ belongs to the best period of Latin literature, ‘animositas’ is of quite the later silver age. It was used in two senses; in that, first, of spiritedness or courage (‘equi animositas,’ the courage of a horse), and then, secondly, as this spiritedness in one particular direction, in that, namely, of a vigorous and active enmity or hatred (Heb. xi. 27, Vulg.) Of these two meanings the latter is the only one which our ‘animosity’ has retained; yet there was a time when it had the other as well.
When her [the crocodile’s] young be newly hatched, such as give some proof of animosity, audacity, and execution, those she loveth, those she cherisheth.—Holland, Plutarch’s Morals, p. 977.
Doubtless such as are of a high-flown animosity affect fortunas laviniosas, as one calls it, a fortune that sits not strait and close to the body, but like a loose and a flowing garment.—Hacket, Life of Archbishop Williams, part i. p. 30.
In these cases consent were conspiracy; and open contestation is not faction or schism, but due Christian animosity.—Hales, Tract concerning Schism.
Cato, before he durst give the fatal stroke, spent part of the night in reading the Immortality of Plato, thereby confirming his wavering hand unto the animosity of that attempt.—Sir T. Browne, Hydriotaphia.
| Annoy, | } |
| Annoyance. |
Now rather to vex and disquiet than seriously to hurt and harm. But until comparatively a late day, it admitted no such mitigation of meaning. [The subst. annoy is the O. Fr. anoi (Mod. Fr. ennui), Sp. enojo, O. It. inodio, from Lat. in odio, lit. in hatred, used in the phrase in odio habui, I had in hatred, i.e. I was sick and tired of.]
For the Lord Almygti anoyede [nocuit, Vulg.] hym, and bitook him into the hondes of a womman.—Judith xvi. 7. Wiclif.
Thanne cometh malignité, thurgh which a man annoieth his neighebor, as for to brenne his hous prively, or empoysone him, or sleen his bestis, and semblable thinges.—Chaucer, The Persones Tale (Morris, p. 306).
Against the Capitol I met a lion,