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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Sprightliness

Sprightliness \Spright"li*ness\ (-l[i^]*n[e^]s), n. The quality or state of being sprightly; liveliness; life; briskness; vigor; activity; gayety; vivacity.

In dreams, observe with what a sprightliness and alacrity does she [the soul] exert herself!
--Addison.

Wiktionary
sprightliness

n. The property of being sprightly.

WordNet
sprightliness

n. animation and energy in action or expression; "it was a heavy play and the actors tried in vain to give life to it" [syn: liveliness, life, spirit]

Usage examples of "sprightliness".

He was not ungenteel, nor entirely devoid of wit, and in his youth had abounded in sprightliness, which, though he had lately put on a more serious character, he could, when he pleased, resume.

Sophia, with the highest degree of innocence and modesty, had a remarkable sprightliness in her temper.

The lovely Sophia shone forth that day with more gaiety and sprightliness than usual.

First, she endeavoured to conceal a throbbing melancholy heart with the utmost sprightliness in her countenance, and the highest gaiety in her manner.

On most men his age it would have had an effect the opposite of rejuvenation, but he had an inner sprightliness that carried it off.

Her elegance, her gentleness, her sprightliness, had struck him at sight, and her forlorn condition was very interesting.

Bad, once you discount its bad press, has a lot going for it, in terms of sprightliness, if nothing else.

He looked at his father and saw that behind the sprightliness the old man was tired.

He pleased the mother with his sprightliness and his simple talk, which at once went straight to the point.

Go therefore thou, bold of heart, brisk, full of the sprightliness of the barber, and enter to him.

Even Chatellerault, when he has a fancy for a jest - as in your case perpetrates it with the grace of a bear, the sprightliness of an elephant.

Although on occasions the Traveller seemed to drift off into a reverie, there was a vigour and a sprightliness in his step which, his companions saw by contrast, had been conspicuously absent when he was in the village.

Next, Nicholas, with a healthy colour in his face, and a carefully veiled sprightliness in every movement of his head and body.

Truth is, wherever the girl went she was light and cheerfulness, although her ways were quiet and her sprightliness was mostly in her looks.

She responded with a little laugh which was not unlike his, but there was something more: that old sweet sprightliness of her youth, shot through with a haunting modulation,--almost pensiveness, but her face was self-possessed.