besottedness

He tramped, begged and stole, lied or threatened as the case might warrant, and drank to besottedness whenever he got the chance.

THE HOBO AND THE FAIRY 2010

I once went on a music course at Guidlhall, I was doing my Blues and soul keyboards and something I noticed was the was the endearing self besottedness of singers.

Blog Standard Office Newmania 2008

The already published literature of the Clinton administration reveals a certain besottedness on the part of many of these aides with the perks of the presidency which have them, not just the president, riding around in chauffeured cars and being able to summon up all sorts of special privileges at a moment's notice.

'The White House Wants' 2008

It was in the matter of some tax-titles which the magnate had acquired, and, in court, Joe treated the case with such horrifying simplicity that it seemed almost credible that the great man had counted upon the ignorance and besottedness of Joe's client -- a hard-drinking, disreputable old farmer -- to get his land away from him without paying for it.

The Conquest of Canaan Booth Tarkington 1907

It was in the matter of some tax-titles which the magnate had acquired, and, in court, Joe treated the case with such horrifying simplicity that it seemed almost credible that the great man had counted upon the ignorance and besottedness of Joe's client -- a hard-drinking, disreputable old farmer -- to get his land away from him without paying for it.

The Conquest of Canaan 1905

Italians, lovers of freedom and unrestraint, were the first to fill the world with tales about the moral besottedness of Luther!

Luther Examined and Reexamined A Review of Catholic Criticism and a Plea for Revaluation 1904

He tramped, begged and stole, lied or threatened as the case might warrant, and drank to besottedness whenever he got the chance.

The Turtles of Tasman Jack London 1896

I did warn him freely, but he was stout in his besottedness.

The Black Arrow Robert Louis Stevenson 1872

As for Ed, within his circle of jocks, the boys are baffled by his besottedness with Min, while the girls are alternately irritated and tolerant.

NYT > Home Page By MONICA EDINGER 2011

The noisiest outcry came from a vet, which was only to be expected, British besottedness with dogs being his meal ticket.

Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph 2011