extremity (obs. or archaic senses, for most of which ‘extreme’ would be the modern equivalent)
1.
extreme or utmost degree
Err. I. i. 141
“the of dire
mishap,”
Lr. V. iii. 209
“another . . . would
make much more, And top ,”
Lucr. 969
“Devise extremes beyond
,”
Sonn. li. 6
“swift ”
(=the extreme of swiftness); phrase “in ,” in the highest
degree
MND. III. ii. 3
“Which she must dote on
in ,”
Ham. III. ii. 180.
2.
extreme severity or
rigour
Err. V. i. 309
“O, time's ,”
Wint. V. ii. 134
“ of
weather,”
R3 I. i. 65,
Cæs. II. i. 31
“run to these and these
extremities,”
Oth. V. ii. 137, Cym. III. iv. 17.
3.
extravagance Wiv. IV. ii. 77, 173
