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nicely, adv.|ˈnaɪslɪ|
Also 4 nise-, 5 niceliche; 4–6 nycely, (6 -lie), 5–6 nysely.
[f. nice a. + -ly2, after OF. nicement.]
†1. Foolishly, unwisely. Obs.
c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 297 Sir Hugh of Crissengham he did nycely & mys. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 373 For no man schulde niseliche wende yn wiþ oute leue of þe bisshop. 1423Jas. I. Kingis Q. xii, Impressioun Off my thoght causith this Illusioun, That dooth me think so nycely in this wise. 1494Fabyan Chron. vii. 607 Eugeny the fourth,..beyng admytted, demeaned hym so nycely in the begynnynge, yt he was put out of Rome. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cclxiii. 389 They thought nat to departe nysely out of their aduantage.
†2. Slothfully, sluggishly. Obs. rare—0.
c1440Promp. Parv. 355/2 Nycely, inerte.
†3.
a. Finely, elegantly, refinedly, daintily. Obs.
c1400Chron. Eng. (Caxton) ccxxxiii. 6 The women more nysely yet passed the men in aray & coriousloker. c1440Gesta Rom. lxxi. 388 (Add. MS.), His neghbores..seydyn ‘se this man! that late was a pore man, how nysely [he] arayes his childryn!’ 1530Palsgr. 839/2 Nycely, fetly, coyntement. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 311 Let not your gowne sitt vppon your backe too nicely, nor yet weare it too slouenly. 1601Shakes. Twel. N. iii. i. 17 They that dally nicely with words, may quickely make them wanton. 1690Locke Educ. §7 How..mortal a thing, taking Wet in the Feet is, to those who have been bred nicely. 1728Young Love of Fame vi. 146 Aspasia's highly born, and nicely bred, Of taste refin'd, in life and manners read.
b. In an attractive, agreeable, pleasing, or pretty fashion.
1714Mrs. Manley Adv. Rivella 119 A Bed nicely sheeted and strow'd with Roses, Jessamins or Orange-Flowers. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. iv, The walls on the inside were nicely white-washed. 1822Byron Vis. Judgm. xcix, In two octavo volumes, nicely bound. 1830Moore in Mem. (1854) VI. 138 A dinner-party at my mother's;..All very nicely done. 1860Rutledge 30 The tea tasted very nicely out of the thin china cup. 1881‘Rita’ My Lady Coquette iii, How nicely you have done your hair to-night.
c. Very well, satisfactorily.
In quots. 1935 and 1938 = ‘merry from the effects of drinking’.
1829Landor Imag. Conv., Lucian & Timotheus Wks. 1853 II. 31/2 Your flesh, properly cured, might hang up nicely against the forthcoming bean-season. 1852Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xiii, ‘How is thee, Ruth?’ she said... ‘Nicely’, said Ruth. 1880Mrs. Forrester Roy & Viola I. 19 It is a great thing to have provided so nicely for yourself. 1935G. Heyer Death in Stocks xvi. 178 It was quite obvious he'd been at a pub all the time, because he was quite nicely. 1938N. Marsh Death in White Tie v. 55 I'm not inebriated..but I am..a little exalted. What I believe is nowadays called nicely thank you. 1943Times 31 May 10/8 Aurelia Weatherbournes generally do quite nicely, thank you, on council estates. 1949N. Marsh Swing, Brother, Swing ix. 207 ‘How are you, Mr. Fox?’ ‘Nicely, thank you, sir. And you?’ 1954A. S. C. Ross in Neuphilologische Mitteilungen LV. 43 Possible negative non-U answers are I'm doing nicely, thank you and (Quite) sufficient, thank you.
4.
†a. With coyness or reserve; also, sparingly, grudgingly. Obs.
1530Palsgr. 839/2 Nycely, straungly, coyement, nicement. 1579Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 418/2 He..giueth it, but so nicely yt men may but licke their fingers with it (as the Prouerbe is). a1600Hooker Answ. Travers §13 It is not their wont to speak so nicely of things definitively set down in that council. 1695Ld. Preston Boeth. ii. 44 She, who nicely conceals herself to others, is wholly displayed and open to thee.
†b. Fastidiously, squeamishly. Obs.
1547Homilies i. Good Wks. ii. D iv, Thei wold, as it wer nicely take a fly out of their cup, and drynke doune a whole camel. 1591Harington Orl. Fur. Pref. ⁋8 Some more nicely found fault with so many two sillabled and three sillabled rimes. 1618Latham 2nd Bk. Falconry (1633) 36 If you doe finde her to bee tutchie or nicely addicted. 1671Milton P.R. iv. 377 Thou shalt have cause To wish thou never hadst rejected thus Nicely or cautiously my offer'd aid. 1791Boswell Johnson an. 1781 Such small particulars are intended for those who are nicely critical in composition.
c. Scrupulously, punctiliously, in respect of conduct. Now rare.
1605Shakes. Lear v. iii. 144 What safe, and nicely I might well delay, By rule of Knight-hood, I disdaine and spurne. a1677Manton Serm. Ps. cxix, civ. Wks. 1872 VIII. 5 To stand nicely upon terms of duty is to run in harm's way. 1709Steele Tatler No. 11 ⁋4 There are Women who are not nicely Chast, and Men not severely Honest, in all Families. 1741Middleton Cicero I. v. 357 Nicely tender of his reputation. 1854H. Miller Sch. & Schm. i. (1857) 9 For a man who had often looked death in the face, he had remained nicely tender of human life.
†d. Cautiously, gingerly, lightly, gently. Obs.
1590Nashe Pasquil's Apol. i. D j, He treads nicelie, as one that daunceth vpon a lyne. 1606Bp. Hall Medit. & Vows ii. §12 As nettles, which if they bee nicely handled, sting and pricke. 1613Donne Epithal. Eliz. 75 What mean those ladies which, as tho' They were to take a clock to pieces, go So nicely about the bride?
5.
†a. With insistence on detail; strictly. Obs.
1599Shakes. Hen. V, v. ii. 94 Happily a Woman's Voyce may doe some good, When Articles too nicely vrg'd, be stood on. 1659Hammond On Ps. cxxxix. 13 It..is not so strictly or nicely to be taken as to denote a creation.
b. With close attention, closely, minutely.
1690Locke Hum. Und. iv. vii. §9 When we nicely reflect upon them, we shall find [etc.]. 1728Pope Dunc. i. 163 Here studious I..lost blunders nicely seek. 1739Johnson Wks. (1787) IV. 324 It being his custom to draw a line under any passage which he intended more nicely to consider. 1858Froude Hist. Eng. III. xiv. 198 The Privy Council had been obliged to levy men without looking nicely to their antecedents. 1871Smiles Charac. iv. (1876) 115 His action becomes suspended in nicely weighing the pros and cons.
c. With particular care.
1697Vanbrugh æsop v. 477 Be clean in your clothes, but nicely so in your persons. a1715Burnet Own Time iii. (1724) I. 553 He used to pare his nails very nicely. 1839Ure Dict. Arts 592 Another workman is occupied in drying very nicely the surface of the glass that is to be silvered.
6. Accurately, precisely, exactly:
a. With reference to adjustment, correspondence, etc.
1611Shakes. Cymb. ii. iv. 90 Two winking Cupids Of Siluer, each on one foote standing, nicely Depending on their Brands. 1697Potter Antiq. Greece i. viii. (1715) 42 Amphitheaters..were not nicely Orbicular, but Oval. 1715Arbuthnot Let. to Pope 9 July, A Translation nicely true to the Original. 1745P. Thomas Jrnl. Anson's Voy. 236 A small portable Balance..so nicely made that..the thousandth Part of a Crown will sensibly turn the Scale. 1866Seeley Ecce Homo i. ii. 17 In its strangeness it is so nicely adapted to the character of Christ. 1866R. M. Ferguson Electr. (1870) 23 It consists of a needle nicely poised on a point.
b. With ref. to judgement, discernment, etc.
1638Junius Paint. Ancients 123 Such as are provoked, judge more nicely. 1683Moxon Mech. Exerc., Printing xiii. ⁋4 He..Files off the Bur..that he may the better and nicelier discern how well he has begun. 1705Stanhope Paraphr. I. 68 A due Recompence nicely awarded, according to the Behaviour of each Man in Particular. 1755B. Martin Mag. Arts & Sci. i. xvi. 110 If I do not nicely understand your Proportion of Squares, and such Things, you must excuse me, at present. 1839Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl. II. 329/2 A wire..being found suitable for enabling the eye to estimate very nicely the shade of the intercepted light. 1855Bain Senses & Int. ii. ii. §3 A very feeble impression cannot be nicely discriminated.
†c. Closely. Obs. rare—1.
1690Norris Beatitudes (1694) 73 It is not safe..to nourish a Passion which..borders so nicely upon Hatred.
†d. Slightly, very little. Obs. rare.
1698Petiver in Phil. Trans. XX. 315 This nicely differs from the Amaranthus Siculus spicatus..in having rounder Leaves. 1702Ibid. XXIII. 1262 This and No. 271 are nicely different, if not the same.
7. Comb. as nicely-balanced, nicely-bound, nicely-established, † nicely-gauded, nicely-laden.
1607Shakes. Cor. ii. i. 233 Our veyl'd Dames Commit the Warre of White and Damaske In their nicely gawded Cheekes to th' wanton spoyle Of Phœbus burning Kisses. 1837Howitt Rur. Life ii. i. (1862) 93 The iron tray of nicely laden patty-pans goes into the oven. 1855J. R. Leifchild Cornwall Mines 57 The man..sent the nicely-balanced wonder of nature..banging down the crags. 1858W. Ellis 3 Visits Madagascar viii. 220, I saw, amongst other nicely-bound books, ‘The Women of England’. 1875Whitney Life Lang. viii. 136 Under government of nicely-established rules. |