comelilyadv.
/ˈkʌmlᵻli/, U.S. /ˈkəmləli/ Now archaic and rare.
In a comely manner; attractively; gracefully; courteously; (also) appropriately.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beauty > pleasing appearance > [adverb]
fairlyOE
comelyOE
hendly?c1225
goodlyc1275
seemlya1325
sweet1338
quaintly1340
properlyc1390
well?a1400
comelilyc1400
seemlilyc1400
jollilyc1426
formally1548
handsomely1560
sightly1592
handsome1600
winsomely17..
nicely1714
in one's best (also worst) looks1816
presentably1848
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > [adverb] > and pleasing
comelyOE
winlyc1000
comelilyc1400
trimly?a1513
trima1547
sweetly1594
cleverly1697
nicely1714
tidy1824
sweet1846
wally1847
the world > action or operation > behaviour > good behaviour > [adverb] > with propriety
comelyOE
seemlyc1320
menskfullya1375
tallya1375
comelilyc1400
comelywise1440
decently1552
decent1716
decorously1808
properly1811
wise-like1822
the mind > attention and judgement > good taste > pleasing fitness > [adverb] > in seemly or decorous manner
comelyOE
menskful?c1225
seemlyc1320
menskfullya1375
tallya1375
comelilyc1400
comelywise1440
handsomely1525
decently1552
civilly1593
decent1716
comme il faut1756
decorously1808
wise-like1822
spiffily1977
c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 974 He kysses hir comlyly.
a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) 1 Kings x. 7 Whanne alle thesse signes bifallen to thee..dispose thee to regne comelili and myȝtily.
c1450 ( G. Chaucer Bk. Duchess (Fairf. 16) (1871) l. 848 I sawgh hyr daunce so comelely [a1450 Tanner comly].
1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. iv. f. 66 Paul commandeth that al thinges be done comlily and according to order.
1588 A. Fraunce Arcadian Rhetorike ii. iv. sig. K The face & countenance must bee comelilie and orderlie composed.
1666 J. Smith Γηροκομία Βασιλικὴ 187 Muscles..at length..become shorter and narrower, than that a man can comelily be wrapped up in them.
1690 C. Ness Compl. Hist. & Myst. Old & New Test. I. 263 Two Colours being comelily compounded, nothing can be more laudable, lively and lovely.
1825 C. Mills Hist. Chivalry I. vi. 278 He who carried his lance comelily and firmly was more worthy of praise.
1873 T. Marzials Gallery of Pigeons 82 The boughs of roses, she and I Are courting 'neath so comelily.
1909 S. J. Day Fresh Fields & Legends Old & New 3 Ample and comelily made The space of its chambers Where friends shall resort.
1969 I. A. Richards in Times Lit. Suppl. 11 Sept. 998/3 Psyche's my name, kind sir, she said, Curtseying comelily.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2017; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.c1400