coltishness

coltish +‎ -ness

coltishness (uncountable)

1. The quality of resembling a colt, especially:
   1. The quality of being lively, playful and undisciplined.

      Synonyms: abandon, exuberance, friskiness, spirit, spiritedness

      • 1839, George Greenwood, Hints on Horsemanship, to a Nephew and Niece; or, Common Sense and Common Errors in Common Riding, London: Edward Moxon, p. 94,

        The grand thing is to get rid of dogged sulks and coltishness—of that wayward, swerving, hesitating gait, which says, “Here’s my foot, and there’s my foot,” or “There is a lion in the street, I cannot go forth!”

      • 1915, Ethel M. Dell, The Keeper of the Door, New York: A. L. Burt, Chapter 12, p. 396,

        “He hasn’t learned the art of taking it gracefully,” said the Major. “But he shouldn’t show temper. It’s a sign of coltishness that I don’t care for.”

        “Ah, well, he’s young,” said Daisy, with a sigh. “He’ll get over that.”

      • 1927, Sinclair Lewis, Elmer Gantry, London: Jonathan Cape, 1930, Chapter 12, p. 209,

        But the day of halcyon October sun was too serene even for his coltishness and sedately they tramped up the hill, swinging their joined hands;

      • 1973, Nelson Algren, “Hand in Hand Through the Greenery” in The Last Carousel, New York: Seven Stories Press, p. 76,

        The younger literary generation has come on the run because it’s cold out there. The sobriety, and lack of coltishness, constitute their qualifications for reporting fashions or sports; or teaching “Creative Writing” on another campus. They bespeak a readiness to be cowed in return for a stall in the Establishment barn; at whatever cost in originality.

   2. The quality of being tall, thin and awkward (usually of a young person).

      Synonym: gangliness

      • 1916, Sheila Kaye-Smith, Sussex Gorse, London: Cassell, 1922, Prologue, p. 19,

        Though only a year younger than Reuben, in the midst of the awkward age, his growing limbs quite lacked the coltishness of his brother’s.

      • 1952, Agatha Christie (as Mary Westmacott), A Daughter’s a Daughter, New York: Dell, 1976, Book 2, Chapter 1, p. 111,

        Laura Whitstable was struck by her beauty. The awkward touch of coltishness had gone, she was now a remarkably attractive young woman, with a quite unusual loveliness of face and form.

      • 1982, Liza Cody, Bad Company, New York: Scribner, Chapter 3, p. 21,

        The hair was young, but the style was mature, and there was no hint of immaturity in the body. Claire, though small, was in perfect proportion without a trace of either coltishness or puppy-fat.