Definition of "alacrity"

Besides, a wealthy man, well at ease, may pray to God quietly and merrily with alacrity and great quietness of mind, whereas he who lieth groaning in his grief cannot endure to pray nor can he hardly think upon anything but his pain.

1553 (posth.), Thomas More, A Dialogue of Comfort against Tribulation, Book I, Chapter 19

I have not that alacrity of spiritNor cheer of mind that I was wont to have.

c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene iii]

"I'll get into the clothes this minute, if they're here," said Sam, with great alacrity.

1837, Charles Dickens, chapter 12, in The Pickwick Papers

You have an overgrown alacrityFor saying nothing much and hearing less […]

1920, Edward Arlington Robinson, “Tasker Norcross”, in The Three Taverns

This evening, however, he was struck by the beaming alacrity of the aide-de-camp's greeting.

1922, Edith Wharton, chapter 24, in The Glimpses of the Moon

Yet this government never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way.

1849, Henry David Thoreau, On the Duty of Civil Disobedience

He had a uniform jacket with one button off, and seeing a white man on the path, hoisted his weapon to his shoulder with alacrity.

1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], part I, page 205, column 2

Not just that, but if the inlet of a turbopump impeller runs dry, it would overspeed with blinding alacrity.

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