formerlyadv.
/ˈfɔːməli/, U.S. /ˈfɔrmərli/ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the past > antecedence or being earlier > [adverb]
erea900
beforeeOE
forec1000
toforec1175
therebeforec1200
toforehand1258
forne toc1275
orc1275
andersitha1300
alreadyc1300
rather?1316
beforehandc1330
erstc1330
aforec1350
theretoforea1375
aforehanda1387
forthwitha1400
forwitha1400
or?a1400
ereward14..
toforetimec1400
aforetimes1429
aforetime1433
afore seasons1463
heretoforetime1481
forouth1487
aforrow?a1513
beforrow1568
paravant1590
antecedently1593
formerly1596
precedently1611
preveniently1633
preallably1652
previously1655
precedaneously1657
somewhiles1657
antecedaneously1661
aft1674
prior1675
anteriorly1681
antecedent1690
previous1712
priorly1742
1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene vi. i. sig. Aa Calidore..Nimbler handed..Preuented him before his stroke could light, And on the helmet smote him formerlie . View more context for this quotation
1655 J. Howell 4th Vol. Familiar Lett. xi. 29 If I had not formerly read the Barons Wars in England, I had more admir'd that of the Liguers in France.
2. In former days, at some past time.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the past > [adverb]
erea822
fernOE
whileOE
erera1000
whilereOE
onceOE
somewhile1154
whilomc1175
herebeforec1200
somewhilesa1250
yorea1250
orc1275
rather?a1300
erewhilec1305
sometimea1325
sometimec1330
at or in sometime1340
in arrear1340
heretoforea1375
fernyear1377
once upon a timec1380
behinds1382
beforetimea1393
of olda1393
erenow1393
umquhilea1400
erst14..
fornec1400
yore whilec1400
of before1402
late1423
abefore1431
beforetimes1449
whilesc1480
sometime1490
aforrow?a1513
behind1526
quondamc1540
in foretime(s?c1550
erstwhile1569
erstwhiles1569
aleare1581
erewhiles1584
sometimes1597
formerly1599
anciently1624
olim1645
somewhile since1652
quondamly1663
forepassed1664
sometimea1684
backward1691
historically1753
time back1812
had-been1835
when1962
1599 Petition to Viceroy in R. Hakluyt Princ. Navigations (new ed.) II. i. 181 Requiring for the visiting no more then formerly they were accustomed to pay at their first comming.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Coriolanus (1623) iv. i. 54 You shall Heare from me still, and neuer of me ought But what is like me formerly . View more context for this quotation
1674 tr. P. M. de la Martinière New Voy. Northern Countries 58 After supper we went to our lodging, which as formerly was upon Bear-skin spread upon the floor.
1709 R. Steele & J. Addison Tatler No. 114. ⁋1 I had formerly conversed with him at this House.
1856 B. Brodie Psychol. Inq. (ed. 3) I. i. 5 We were sensible that we were not what we had been formerly.
1857 H. T. Buckle Hist. Civilisation Eng. I. xi. 626 The superstitious reverence with which kings were formerly regarded is extinct.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the future or time to come > newness or novelty > recency > [adverb]
neweneOE
newlyeOE
unyoreeOE
noweOE
newOE
lateOE
yesterdaya1300
freshlya1387
of newa1393
anewa1425
newlingsa1425
latewardc1434
the other dayc1450
lately?c1475
erst1480
latewards1484
sith late1484
alatea1500
recently1509
even now1511
late-whiles1561
late ygo1579
formerly1590
just now1591
lastly1592
just1605
low1610
this moment1696
latewardly1721
shortsyne1768
sometime1779
latterly1821
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. xii. sig. Aa8 Her faire lockes, which formerly were bownd Vp in one knott, she low adowne did lose.
1600 W. Shakespeare Merchant of Venice iv. i. 359 Thou hast incurd the danger formorly by me rehearst. View more context for this quotation
1665 T. Manley tr. H. Grotius De Rebus Belgicis 681 They who had formerly gone out of the Battel, to be refreshed and comforted, came in again.
1699 J. Potter Archæologiæ Græcæ II. iv. iv. 211 As has been formerly observ'd.
1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield II. xiii. 221 Those..whom I formerly rebuked with such sharpness.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1897; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.1590