inwardness

Noun

inwardness (countable and uncountable, plural inwardnesses)

1. The characteristic of being inward or directed towards the inside.
2. (obsolete) The internal or true state; the essential nature.
   • the inwardness of conduct
   • Sense cannot arrive at th’inwardness of things.1642, H[enry] M[ore], “(please specify the chapter)”, in ΨΥΧΩΔΙΑ [Psychōdia] Platonica: Or A Platonicall Song of the Soul, […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel, printer to the...

   Synonyms:

   crux, gist, bowels, sum, brass tacks, core, essence, drift, guts, gravamen

3. (obsolete) Familiarity; intimacy.
   • Signior Leonato, let the friar advise you: / And though you know my inwardness and love / Is very much unto the prince and Claudio, / Yet, by mine honour, I will deal in this / As secretly and justly as your soul / Should with your body.1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
4. (obsolete) Earnestness; heartiness.
   • The prophets perpetually reminded their nation of the superiority of judgment and justice to any exterior ceremony like sacrifice. […] [W]hat was wanted was more inwardness, more feeling. This was given by adding mercy and humbleness to judgment and justice.1873, Matthew Arnold, “Religion New-given”, in Literature & Dogma: An Essay towards a Better Apprehension of the Bible, London: Smith, Elder, & Co. […], →OCLC, section 1, page 83