| 释义 |
ˈmeeterly, a. and adv. north. dial.
Also [? 4–5 materly], 9 meterly.
[app. related to meet a., but the formation is obscure: possibly influenced by witterly or some similar word. The materly of the first quotation is difficult to connect with the other forms: cf. ON. mátalega, mátulega, f. máte measure, moderation.
A synon. meetherly, meederly, meeverly occurs in dialects (see E.D.D.), and may possibly be referable to methe n.]
a. adj. Moderate, middling, fairly good.
b. adv. ‘Tolerably, moderately, fairly; handsomely, modestly, agreeably’ (E.D.D.).
[c1400Rule St. Benet 2306 Þus bi ensaumpil sal scho take Materly al thinges to make (= L. sic omnia temperet, etc.).] 1674Ray N. C. Words, Meeterly, Meetherly, Meederly: handsomely, modestly; As bow meeterly, from meet, fit. c1746Collier (Tim Bobbin) View Lanc. Dial. Wks. (1862) 54 M... Is Seroh o Rutchots so honsome? T. Eigh, hoos meeterly. 1847E. Brontë Wuthering Heights I. xiii. 321 They's a pack uh corn i' t' corner, thear, meeterly clane. 1865B. Brierley Irkdale II. 99 I'm metterly..for an 'owd body. |