| [17th c. candor, a. L. candor (-ōrem) dazzling whiteness, brilliancy, innocency, purity, sincerity, f. root cand- of candēre to be white and shining, ac-cendĕre to set alight, kindle: cf. candid, candle. F. candeur (16th c. in Littré) may have aided; the 14th c. example is properly Latin.] [† = obsolete] †1. Brilliant whiteness; brilliancy. Obs. [1398 TREVISA Barth. De P.R. XIX. xi. (1495) 871 Candor is passynge whytnesse.] 1634 SIR T. HERBERT Trav. 91 This nights travaile was bettered by Cynthias candor. 1692 TRYON Good House-w. ii. 25 Milk..the Emblem of Innocence, deriving that aimable and pleasant Candor from a Gleam of the divine Light. †2. Stainlessness of character; purity, integrity, innocence. Obs. 1610 B. JONSON Alch. V. v. (1616) 676 Helpe his fortune, though with some small straine Of his owne candor. 1675 TRAHERNE Chr. Ethics xxv. 388 If afterwards he comes to see the candor of his abused friend. 1703 ROWE Fair Penit. I. i. 376 Pure native Truth And Candour of the Mind. a1704 T. BROWN Eng. Sat. Wks. 1730 I. 29 My lord Dorsets morals and integrity, his candor and his honour. 3. Freedom from mental bias, openness of mind; fairness, impartiality, justice. a1637 B. JONSON Epigr. cxxiii. (R.) Writing thyselfe, or judging others writ, I know not which th' hast most, candor or wit. 1653 Hales' Dissert. Peace in Phenix (1708) II. 388 If thou hast but a grain of Candor in thy heart, and wilt pass Sentence according to the Prescript of Truth. 1702 Clarendon's Hist. Reb. I. Pref. 2 The candor, and impartiality of what he relates. 1794 PALEY Evid. III. ii. (1817) 282 A species of candour which is shown towards every other book, is sometimes refused to the Scriptures. 1836 WHATELY Chr. Evid. v, To exercise candour in judging fairly of the evidences. 1857 H. REED Lect. Brit. Poets xv. 202 In criticism candour with its comprehensive sympathies, is as rare, as bigotry is frequent. †4. Freedom from malice, favourable disposition, kindliness; ‘sweetness of temper, kindness’ (J.). Obs. 1653 WALTON Angler To Rdr., If he [the Reader] bring not candor to the reading of this Discourse, he shall..injure me..by too many Criticisms. 1666 DRYDEN Ann. Mirab. Ded. (Globe ed.) 42 Your candour in pardoning my errors. 1751 JOHNSON Cheynel Wks. IV. 508 He shews himself sincere, but without candour. 1765 Pref. Shaks. Wks. IX. 252 That bigotry which sets candour higher than truth. 1802 Med. Jrnl. VIII. 226 A gentleman of unbounded candor, and a most benevolent disposition. 5. Freedom from reserve in one's statements; openness, frankness, ingenuousness, outspokenness. 1769 Lett. Junius ii. 11 This writer, with all his boasted candour, has not told us the real cause of the evils. 1836 HOR. SMITH Tin Trump. (1876) 72 Candour in some people may be compared to barley sugar drops, in which the acid preponderates over the sweetness. 1876 J. H. NEWMAN Hist. Sk. I. II. iv. 257 Openness and candour are rare qualities in a statesman. Copyright © 1989 Oxford University Press
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