| 释义 |
▪ I. softly, a. Now dial. and U.S.
[f. soft a.]
1. Of sound, etc.: Quiet, gentle, soft.
1576Fleming Panopl. Ep. 276 Out of the hill ranne a pleasant spring, which made a gentle and softly sounde. 1653Holcroft Procopius, Gothic Wars iv. 141 They..heare a softly voice calling them to the businesse. 1859Hawthorne Fr. & It. Note-bks. (1872) II. 291 Their decorous and softly steps.
†2. Soft; yielding to pressure. Obs.
1589Fleming Virg. Georg. iii. 39 The fole or colt..laies down to rest his softly legs.
†3. Of pace: Easy, slow, gentle. Obs.
1572Lavater Ghosts 59 The image goeth before with a softely pase. 1596Spenser F.Q. vi. vii. 6 The gentle Prince..they spyde, Ryding a softly pace. 1633P. Fletcher Purple Isl. vi. lxxvii, The stealing night with softly pace. 1647Trapp Comm. Epist. 671 When God came to punish Adam he came slowly,..with a softly pace and still voice.
†4. Characterized by gentleness, weakness, simplicity, or effeminacy. Obs.
1606G. W[oodcocke] Lives Emperors in Hist. Ivstine H h 4 This was a prince of a softly wit. 1643Baker Chron. (1653) 46 The softly disposition of his son Robert. 1672Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 83 A Person, as he saith himself, of such a tame and softly humour. 1740–42Richardson Pamela IV. 258 The Viscount, whose softly Character, and his Lady's..respectful Conduct to him, notwithstanding that, are both so well known.
5. Of persons:
a. Slow in action; lacking in energy or enterprise.
1664Verney Memoirs (1899) IV. 74 Many of them are very slow, and (as we call them) softly persons. 1687Miége Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., A softly man, a Man that lacks to be stirring. 1770J. Adams Diary 8 July Wks. 1850 II. 245 The softly people where I lodge..are the opposites of every thing great, spirited, and enterprising. 1869Mrs. Stowe Oldtown Folks xxvii, All that softly shiftless class, who..are never to be found with anything in hand at the moment that it is wanted.
b. Simple, foolish; soft-headed. Now dial.
1687Miége Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., A softly Man, a Nidget, or Ninny. 1715J. Barker Exilius I. 101 If woman did not moderate his Rule, He'd be a Tyrant, or a softly Fool. 1883Almondbury Gloss. 124 Softly, soft-headed; foolish.
▪ II. softly, adv.|ˈsɒftlɪ, -ɔː-|
Forms: α. 3–5 softeliche (4 -lyche), 4–5 softliche (4 -lich). β. 4 softili, 4–6 softely (5 -lie); 4 softli, 4– softly (5 sofft-, 6 soughtly), 5–6 softlie (6 -lye); 6 saftlie, saftely, 8– (Sc. and dial.) saftly.
[f. soft a. + -ly2. Cf. Du. zachtelijk, G. sanftlich, sänftlich.]
1. Gently, carefully, tenderly; in such a manner as to avoid causing pain or injury; without force or violence; with gentle action.
αa1225Ancr. R. 368 Ne gropie hire non to softeliche. 13..Guy Warw. (A) 1614 And so he dede sikerliche, & seþþe he was heled softliche. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 7, I sat Softeliche a-doun and seide my beo-leeue.
βa1300Cursor M. 8043 Quen þe kyng come ner þaa tres,..He drou þam softili vp i-nogh. 1390Gower Conf. II. 98 Into hire bedd myn herte goth, And softly takth hire in his arm. 1400tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 85 Sethe hem softly to þe half. c1440Gesta Rom. ii. xxiii. (Addit. MS.), The Fadir..had lever slee him softly than he shuld so rente hym self. 1545T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde 65 Then must ye fayre and softely thrust it backe agayne. 1592Arden of Feversham iii. vi, Then softly drawes she foorth her hand⁓kercher. 1611Bible Transl. Pref. ⁋13 Who gladly would heale the soare..softly and sleightly. ― Acts xxvii. 13 And when the South wind blew softly,..they sailed close by Creete. 1695Ld. Preston Boeth. iii. 151 It is then the Sovereign Good which ruleth all things powerfully, and disposeth them softly. 1784Cowper Task i. 762 The moon⁓beam, sliding softly in between The sleeping leaves. 1816J. Wilson City of Plague ii. ii. 219 How softly on the dreamer's head They lay their..hands. 1841James Brigand xxiv, Meyrand will treat you tenderly and softly.
2. With a soft or subdued voice or utterance; in a low or gentle tone.
13..Cursor M. 5140 (Gött.), Þer cam to him a messager, And tald him softli in his ere. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. iii. 38 Þenne com þer a Confessour..And seide ful softely in schrift as hit weore. c1430Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. lxxi. (1869) 41 Serteyn, quod j softeliche, ynowh me lakketh. 1544Litany in Priv. Prayers (1851) 570 Such among the people as have books..may read them quietly and softly to themself. 1590Spenser F.Q. iii. ii. 5 Thereat she sighing softly, had no powre To speake a while. 1614Donne Lett. (1631) 196 One thing I must tell you, but so softly, that I am loath to hear myself. 1687A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 49 They that are present say softly, or aloud, if they please [etc.]. 1719De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 447 Some [words] he spoke softly, and I could not well hear, others audibly. 1794Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xxxviii, Emily sighed softly, and bowed her thanks. 1829Landor Imag. Conv. Wks. 1853 I. 574/1, I must come behind your chair and whisper softlier. 1894H. H. Gardener Unoff. Patriot 314 They shook hands over the situation and both fell to crying softly.
3. a. With a slow, easy, or gentle pace or motion.
1362Langl. P. Pl. A. ii. 135 On a sysoures backe þat softly trotted. 1393Ibid. C. xvi. 29 We reuerencede reson, and romed forth softeliche. c1450St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 6088 On a staffe he leend, he went forthe softely. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 78 b/2 Late thy famylye come softly after with thy wif. 1531Elyot Gov. (1534) 92 b, As farre or nyghe the marke is his arowe whanne he goeth softly, as whan he renneth. 1560Bible (Geneva) Isaiah viii. 6 This people hathe refused the waters of Shiloah that runne softely. 1603Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 268 Surcharged..with the spoile, he was glad to march softlier. 1654Gayton Pleas. Notes iv. xxiv. 282 Jaques spurr'd and spurr'd, and switch'd, Ride softlier Jaques, shee beseech'd. 1721Swift Let. to Stella 30 Apr., He could easily have overtaken me; for I walked softly on purpose. 1759R. Brown Compl. Farmer 13 Ride him half an hour softly. 1822Shelley Faust i. 75 You give me full permission To lead him softly on my path.
†b. In a leisurely manner. Obs. rare.
c1440Alph. Tales 186 He began to syng þis antem,..and sang it softlie vnto þe end. 1577B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. (1586) 128 b, Looke besides that they be..great feeders, but softly, and not ouerhastily.
c. fair and softly: see fair adv. 7, and sense 10 below. (Cf. soft adv. 7.)
4. a. Quietly, silently, noiselessly; lightly.
c1386Chaucer Reeve's T. 138 Out at the dore he gooth.., Whan þat he saugh his tyme, softely. a1400–50Alexander 698 He..Sylis softely him selfe þe cite with-outen. 1587Turberv. Trag. Tales (1837) 152 And up they thrust the same [i.e. the door], And softly entred in. 1610Shakes. Temp. iv. i. 194 Pray you tread softly, that the blinde Mole may not heare a foot fall. 1681Glanvill Saduc. Triumph Pref. F iv b, Therefore not to make much noise to disturb these infallible Huffers.., I softly step by them. 1774Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) III. 207 When the cat walks, it treads very softly, and without the least noise. 1865Mrs. Carlyle Lett. III. 274 Coming down stairs very softly, for fear of waking me. 1902R. Hichens Londoners 5 She withdrew from the room as softly as a cat.
b. So as to avoid observation or notice; unobtrusively.
1781Cowper Conversat. 389 We next inquire, but softly and by stealth. 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. ii. vi, Necker sees good..to withdraw softly, almost privily. 1889Macm. Mag. Aug. 253/1, I lay stirless, softly sneaking my right hand to the pistol.
c. softly, softly, catchee monkey (and varr.): proverbial phr. advocating caution or guile as the best way to achieve an end. Also ellipt. as softly, softly and (with hyphen) attrib.
1907G. Benham Cassell's Bk. of Quotations 849/1 ‘Softly, softly’ caught the monkey.—(Negro.) 1942N. Balchin Darkness falls from Air x. 176 Softly catch monkey... That's the answer. 1960Times 1 Oct. 7/2 That colloquial adage—‘softly, softly, catchee monkey’. 1962P. Brickhill Deadline xiii. 152, I didn't pursue it any further then. Softly, softly, catchee monkey—and I hated that phrase. 1967Autocar 28 Dec. 7/1 Softly, softly is our policy too, but not at such expense in time. 1970Sunday Times 5 July 11 (heading) Ulster: end of ‘softly, softly’. 1971E. F. Schoeters in B. de Ferranti Living with Computer viii. 71 Users are naturally applying a ‘softly-softly’ approach. 1979Now! 14 Sept. 53/2 Sadat and Begin..are both adopting a ‘softly-softly’ approach to the Palestinian problem.
5. a. In ease or comfort; so as to be soft or comfortable; luxuriously.
a1400N. T. Prol. (Paues) 6 Bote he seiþ þat þis wysdom ne is noȝt y-founde in þe lond of men þat lyfeþ softelyche. a1425tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 58 Etyng and slepyng more swetely or softely. 1565Cooper Thesaurus, Recubare mollius, to lie more softely. 1648Hexham ii, Zachtelick slapen, to sleepe Softly or Quietly. a1715Burnet Own Time (1766) I. 80 They endured great hardships; for those parts were not fit to entertain men that had been accustomed to live softly. 1825Scott Talism. vii, His couch was trimmed more softly than his master's. 1871R. Ellis Catullus lxviii. 5 Whom nor softly to rest love's tender sanctity suffers. 1884W. C. Smith Kildrostan 75 When You make your nest here.., 'Twere well to feather it softly.
b. With or in soft surroundings.
1567J. Maplet Greene Forest 46 It groweth in waterie places and those softlye dighted and banked about. 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. vii. vi, Beautiful all; softly embosomed; as if in sadness, in the dim moist weather!
†6. With quiet resignation. Obs.—1
c1400Rule St. Benet (Prose) 45 Sho sal recaiue þe cumandement softelie and wid mekenes.
†7. In small quantity. Obs. rare.
c1400Rule St. Benet (Verse) 1610 Þarfor es wit..Wine or aile softly to tast.
8. Gradually; gently.
1784Cowper Task iii. 629 The shapely knoll, That, softly swell'd and gaily dress'd, appears A flow'ry island. 1835Lytton Rienzi vi. iii, A high but softly sloping and verdant hill. 1864Lowell Fireside Trav. 269 Hills which round softly upward to Monte Cavi.
9. In a subdued manner.
1817Shelley Pr. Athanase i. 63 A cloud..Through which his soul..Shone, softly burning. 1882Sharp Rossetti iii. 184 Behind..is a figure, also softly aureoled.
10. Used interjectionally: = soft adv. 8.
1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. i. ii. 238 Softly my Masters. 1611― Wint. T. iv. iii. 76 Softly, deere sir: good sir, softly. 1671Milton Samson 115 Softly a while, Let us not break in upon him. 1797Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xvi, ‘Fair and softly,’ replied the officer. 1852Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xvii, ‘Softly, softly; don't thee snap and snarl, friend,’ said Phineas.
11. Comb.
a. With ppl. adjs., as softly-featured, softly-hinted, softly-shadowed, etc.
1598Shakes. Merry W. i. iv. 25 A softly-sprighted man, is he not? 1842Tennyson Day-Dream 89 Glows forth each softly-shadow'd arm. 1844Kinglake Eothen xxiv, He sent me a softly-worded message. 1859Dickens T. Two Cities ii. ix, His softly-slippered feet made no noise. 1876‘Ouida’ Winter City ix. 249 Making the trifle the medium of a softly-hinted tenderness. 1922Joyce Ulysses 342 This..lent to her softly⁓featured face at whiles a look..that imparted a strange yearning tendency to the beautiful eyes.
b. With ppl. adjs. and pres. pples., as softly-breathing, softly-burning, softly-gliding, etc.
1681Dryden Span. Friar v. i, I..listned to each softly-treading Step. 1703Rowe Fair Penit. ii. i, The sprightly String and softly-breathing Flute. 1725Pope Odyss. xv. 390 The softly-stealing pace of Time. 1818Gentl. Mag. LXXXVIII. 62/1 Thames does, by Oxford, softly-pacing, run. 1864W. C. Bryant Thirty Poems 38 The softly gliding, bashful stream. 1890‘R. Boldrewood’ Col. Reformer (1891) 168 The softly-gliding magical motion. 1907Joyce Chamber Music p. xv, Eastward the gradual dawn prevails Where softly⁓burning fires appear. 1918D. H. Lawrence New Poems 48 Ah, love, Could I but..remove Its softly-stirring, crimson welling-up Of kisses! 1923― Birds, Beasts & Flowers 38 Vicious, dark cypresses: Vicious, you supple, brooding, softly-swaying pillars of dark flame. 1924E. Sitwell Sleeping Beauty xvii. 68 To catch the softly⁓smiling wind.
c. With adjs., as softly dark, softly-strong, softly sweet.
1794Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho xv, A single note..That, softly sweet, at distance dies. 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. ii. v. ii, Parliaments..which..were to follow in softly-strong indissoluble sequence. 1898H. Newbolt Admirals All 31 The Norman arch, the chancel softly dark. |