α. See god n. and int. and -ly suffix1.
β. Middle English goodly, Middle English goodliche, Middle English goodely.
godlyadj.n.
/ˈɡɒdli/, U.S. /ˈɡɑdli/ A. adj.
1. Of or relating to God; coming from God; divine; spiritual. Now somewhat archaic.In quot. a1425: = theological adj. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the supernatural > deity > Christian God > [adjective]
godcundeOE
fatherlyeOE
godlyOE
rectoral1675
Jehovian1822
All-Fatherly1845
Jehovic1884
society > faith > aspects of faith > Bible, Scripture > [adjective]
godlyOE
theologal virtues1484
theological1526
scripturely1536
scriptural1578
hagiographical1585
theologic?1606
biblical1652
biblic1684
testamentary1849
society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > [adjective]
godcundlyeOE
godlyOE
ghostlyOE
spiritualc1384
espiritualc1405
sprituala1450
mystical1542
spiritualized1615
pneumatic1624
mystic1629
spirituousa1631
pneumatical1644
otherworldly1859
metaphysical1876
the world > the supernatural > deity > [adjective]
holyc825
divinec1374
greatc1380
sainta1400
divinelyc1400
deific1490
ethereala1522
deifical1563
godly1582
numinous1647
numinal1652
deiform1654
deical1662
sacred1697
theistic1854
OE Harley Gloss. (1966) 131 Dealibus, .i. deificis, godlicum.
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. ii. vii. 68 A ierarchie is a godly [MS goodly; L. diuinus] ordre, konnynge, and worke, iliche God [L. deiforme] as it is possible.
a1425 (?c1384) J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 340 Þes two godliche virtues [sc. faith and hope].
1530 Myroure Oure Ladye (Fawkes) (1873) 1st Prol. 4 In the syghte of hys Godly forknowynge.
1553 R. Eden tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India sig. Fiij Yet haue they no knowledge of dyuine or godly thinges.
1567 Compend. Bk. Godly Songs (1897) 146 Thow onlie Maker of all thing..From end to end all rewling Be thy awin godly mycht.
1582 R. Stanyhurst tr. Virgil First Foure Bookes Æneis ii. 41 Vowd to the godlye Ceres.
1616 B. Jonson Cynthias Revels (rev. ed.) v. i, in Wks. I. 235 The grace diuinest Mercvrie hath done me..Binds my obseruance..to his godly will.
1670 S. Wilson Lassels's Voy. Italy (new ed.) ii. 39 S. Gregory..moued by Godly instinction (as Iohn Stow sayth) sent Augustin.
1736 N. Bailey et al. Dictionarium Britannicum (ed. 2) Pref. Theopolity..a godly or divine Administration of the Republick.
1850 J. G. Saxe Poems 112 Daring the dangers of the angry main For civil freedom and for godly gain.
1868 H. Bushnell Serm. Living Subj. 437 Yet in Christ there is a godly or rather lambly sorrow.
1922 S. Anderson Winesburg Ohio 65 He thought that something like a halo of Godly approval hung over him.
1955 Catholic Times 27 May 6/1 Every utterance of Josef Stalin was held to be of godly infallibility.
1994 J. Kelman How Late it Was 2 Terrible brightness and he had to shield his own cause of it, like they were godly figures and the light coming from them was godly or something.
2. Devoutly observant of the laws of God; religious, pious.
a. Of conduct, speech, etc. Now somewhat archaic.In quot. c1390 the adjective is interpreted as ‘godly’ by the editor of the most recent edition (1950), while the variant reading would seem to support the interpretation ‘goodly’, as perhaps does the passage in Wohunge ure Lauerd (a1250) on which this is based, which reads ‘Menske and mildeschipe and debonairte of herte and dede’.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > aspects of faith > piety > [adjective]
GodfrightOE
goodOE
ghostlyOE
Godfrightya1225
seelya1225
devout?c1225
piteousc1300
spiritualc1384
graciousa1387
godlyc1390
pitifulc1449
inwardc1450
piousc1450
evangelica1475
servantly1503
obedientiala1513
Christian1526
well-believing1529
God-fearing1548
resigneda1555
heavenly minded1569
timorate1570
Godfull1593
pious1595
fearful1597
devoutful1598
devotea1625
serious1684
unctuous1742
theopathetic1749
fire-spirited1845
theopathic1846
unctional1849
interior1854
devotionate1864
sacramental1874
pi1891
c1390 Talkyng of Love of God (Vernon) (1950) 26 (MED) Summe mylde and Mekensse & deboner herte wiþ swete louereden and godliche [c1400 Simeon goodeliche] dedes.
1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. clxiiijv/2 He [sc. St. James the Less] is sayd the burthen or weyghte of good or godly maners that he vsed by exercitacion of vertues.
?1531 J. Frith Disput. Purgatorye i. sig. d8v These workes god wold haue vs do that the vnfaythfull might se the godlye and vertuous conuersasion of his faythfull.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Richard III f. lviij He..rendred to almightie God his harty thankes wt devoute and Godly orisons.
1577 H. Rhodes Bk. Nurture (new ed.) sig. E.i Delight to reade good Godly bookes, and marke the meaning well.
a1629 W. Hinde Faithfull Remonstr. (1641) xviii. 55 I hold him worthy great commendation..for his godly care in chusing [servants].
1645 Strange & Fearfull Newes from Plaisto 7 Some papers that were amongst the Bookes were carried quite away and lost, but none of the godly books were missing.
1740 J. Bell Piety Promoted VII. 158 Her meek and godly Behaviour from a Child, her Dutifulness to her Parents.
1770 O. Goldsmith Deserted Village 143 Remote from towns he ran his godly race.
1810 G. Crabbe Borough xvii. 232 Of both he keeps his Ledger:—there he reads Of gainful Ventures and of godly Deeds.
1879 Brit. & Foreign Evang. Rev. 28 54 These godly ballads and sacred rhymes had done their work in popularising the truth.
1939 E. B. White in Harper's Mag. Oct. 553/1 Honest, hopeful folks, their faces grooved with the extra lines that come from leading godly, toilsome lives.
1991 Tear Times (Tear Fund) No. 52. 10/2 Believers are falling sick with AIDS, even though they have lived godly lives since becoming Christians.
b. Of a person.
(a) In general use.
ΚΠ
c1485 ( G. Hay Bk. Law of Armys (2005) 277 A king..suld be..godly, and deuote to god and haly kirk.
?1518 A. Barclay Fyfte Eglog sig. A.iiiiiv God gyueth trewe honour To godly persones.
1529 T. More Dialogue Heresyes i, in Wks. 116/1 The good godly man Moyses.
1566 Briefe Exam. Certaine Declar. sig. A3v Godly men may vse them Godly, and to the glory of God.
1612 M. Drayton Poly-olbion xi. 178 What Age a godlier Prince then Etheldred could bring?
1669 J. Dryden Wild Gallant v. i. 71 I am somewhat godly at present.
1702 C. Mather Magnalia Christi i. v. 21/1 The more Learned, Godly, Painful Ministers of the Land.
1715 D. Defoe Family Instructor I. i. viii. 72 What, are you grown godly too, Pru?
1855 C. Kingsley Westward Ho! I. ii. 45 He was, at root, a godly and kind-hearted pedant enough.
a1862 H. T. Buckle Hist. Civilisation Eng. (1869) III. ii. 84 They were the godly men; and it was the business of the ruling classes to endow them with benefices.
1938 J. C. Archer Faiths Men Live By ix. 193 On the one hand, there were the ‘white-hued’, straight-nosed, sacrificial, and godly Aryans..; on the other, were the..‘black-skinned’, ‘riteless’, and ‘godless’ dasyus.
1963 M. Domandi tr. E. Cassirer Individual & Cosmos in Renaissance Philos. ii. 53 All the godliest and holiest teachers agree that everything visible is an image of the invisible.
2008 Independent 11 Feb. 8/5 Rowan Williams is a godly, gracious and clearly very able person in many ways, but I don't think he's got the gift of leadership that the Church needs.
(b) spec. Designating puritan supporters, typically Presbyterians and Independents (Congregationalists), of the parliamentary cause in the English Civil War, who gained political ascendancy during the period of the Commonwealth and the Cromwellian Protectorate with the aim of spiritually and morally reforming the nation; (later, by extension) designating zealous Nonconfomists or Low Church Anglicans who followed similar principles and practices. Now historical.Chiefly as a self-designation, but also used ironically by opponents as a derogatory label.
ΚΠ
1644 O. Cromwell Let. 5 July in Writings & Speeches (1937) (modernized text) I. 287 An absolute victory obtained by the Lord's blessing upon the godly party principally.
1648 C. Walker Relations & Observ. ii. 128 A Militia of Godly Cut-throats established in every County towards the putting downe of Monarchy.
1657 J. Canne Time of End shewing First 175 The godly party, and tender Consciences, who above all earthly things hee hath a fatherly care of.
1661 R. L'Estrange Relaps'd Apostate Ep. Ded. sig. A4 You are now crying up Those People for the Godly Party, whose wretched Souls were by the Magick of your Covenant-Holyness charm'd into Disobedience.
1691 A. Wood Athenæ Oxonienses II. 671 The godly faction [was] then plump'd up with hopes to carry on their diabolical designes.
1706 Short Way with Papists 6 No idle Stories or Slanders can come from such a Sacred Place; especially, when the Preachers are well affected to the Godly Party.
1899 E. Œ. Somerville & ‘M. Ross’ Some Experiences Irish R.M. (1901) i. 7 They were ‘Black Protestants’, all of them, in virtue of their descent from a godly soldier of Cromwell.
1994 S. H. Moore in A. Fletcher & P. Roberts Relig., Culture & Society in Early Mod. Brit. xi. 265 The departure of godly ministers illustrates this. They left only in the wake of the drive for conformity.
2000 S. F. Hughes in A. Hastings et al. Oxf. Compan. Christian Thought 673/2 The ‘godly’ or ‘Puritan’ elements who perceived the Church of England as ‘but half-reformed’ did want it reshaped after foreign templates, especially that of Geneva.
B. n. With the and plural agreement.
1. Godly people collectively.
ΚΠ
1545 G. Joye Expos. Daniel Ep. Ded. f. 4v Whiche my labours I permitte to the iugement of the godly and lerned.
1597 R. Hooker Of Lawes Eccl. Politie v. xliv. 92 The godly should be alwayes prepared to dye.
1631 W. Gouge Gods Three Arrowes i. §12. 17 Of the godlies exemption from the ungodlies destruction.
1747 T. Mall's Hist. Martyrs I. 24 Offending the Godly, whom either they provoke to fall with them, or make more careless and conscienceless, if they have fallen.
1785 S. Andrews Obed. Divine Rule 30 Christian fellowship..is an open invitation to the distressed, a constant relief to the godly.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. ii. 165 Soon the world begins to find out that the godly are not better than other men.
1931 Amer. Mercury Feb. 159/1 The godly of the State..straightway filled the air with the usual stories about his death bed repentance.
1982 S. Birdsell in R. Sullivan Stories by Canad. Women (1984) 357 Home of the rich and the godly, Betty's father calls these villages.
2. spec. Puritans who supported the parliamentary cause in the English Civil War and pursued the spiritual and moral reform of the nation during the period of the Commonwealth and the Cromwellian Protectorate, collectively; (later, by extension) zealous Nonconfomists or Low Church Anglicans who followed similar principles and practices, collectively. Cf. sense A. 2b(b). Now historical.
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society > faith > sect > Christianity > Protestantism > Puritanism > [noun] > person > collective
the BrethreneOE
godly1650
holiness1888
1650 O. Cromwell Let. 12 Sept. in Writings & Speeches (1939) (modernized text) II. 340 Improving the Covenant against the Godly and Saints in England.
1667 T. Tomkins Inconveniences Toleration 28 Nothing but the fear of a common Enemy..is able to keep the Godly of all Judgments from running foul one upon another.
1680 T. Otway Orphan Epil. sig. K4v Should I the Godly seek, And go a Conventicling twice a Week?
a1684 R. Leighton Wks. (1835) I. 119 It is no Wonder that the Godly are by some called Singular and Precise.
1721 Lett. from Mist's Jrnl. (1722) II. 248 A Country Fellow had the Misfortune to wed with one of the Godly.
1899 A. Paterson Oliver Cromwell xxv. 253 The interests of the godly, nay, of all honest men, were in imminent peril.
1971 K. Thomas Relig. & Decline of Magic vi. 162 In the seventeenth century the godly came to see themselves as a tiny minority in an unregenerate world.
1991 Past & Present Aug. 65 The godly were not translating their commitment into godly rule, however much they seemed to have the sword at their disposal.
Compounds
C1. Parasynthetic, as godly-hearted, godly-minded, etc., adjs.
ΚΠ
?1542 H. Brinkelow Complaynt Roderyck Mors xxii. sig. F3 There be many godly myndyd, I trust, in the parlament howse.
1593 R. Furse Diary in Devonshire Trans. (1894) 26 180 Necoll was a good and godlye mynded woman.
1679 J. Kid in G. Hickes Spirit of Popery (1680) 15 Many Godly-hearted men in this Island.
1743 Shameful Sin i. 29 All others that are virtuously inclin'd, and godly minded, would be very willing [to confess their sin].
1856 R. A. Vaughan Hours with Mystics (1860) I. 190 These are they whom St. Dionysius calls godly-minded men.
1902 T. L. Cuyler Recoll. Long Life xiv. 196 He was my ideal of a fearless, godly-minded herald of evangelical truth.
2011 A. Adib-Moghaddam Metahistory Clash of Civilizations i. 60 Depicting war against the Ottoman forces as gotselig (‘godly spirited’).
C2. † godly mother n. [after French pie mère or its etymon post-classical Latin pia mater (see pia mater n.)] Obsolete rare = pia mater n. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > nervous system > cerebrospinal axis > [noun] > membranes > pia mater
pia matera1398
soft (also dear, mild, near) mothera1398
rind1585
godly mother1594
pia1877
pia-arachnoid1881
1594 T. Bowes tr. P. de la Primaudaye French Acad. II. 149 Besides this skinne, there is another named the Godly mother [Fr. pie mere], which is fine and very slender.
1602 J. Davies Mirum in Modum sig. B2 Besides this Membrane, there is yet another, More fine and subtill, wou'n of many vaines, Hight Pia Mater, or the godly Mother.
godly sorrow n. [after Hellenistic Greek ἡ κατὰ Θεὸν λύπη, lit. ‘the sorrow according to God’ (New Testament: 2 Corinthians 7:10)] sorrow according to God's will; sorrow on account of sin.
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1526 Bible (Tyndale) 2 Cor. vii. 9 For godly sorowe causeth repentaunce [Gk ἡ γὰρ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη μετάνοιαν..ἐργάζεται].
1691 J. Hartcliffe Treat. Virtues 343 The fear and love of God, and godly Sorrow, and true Repentance [etc.].
1700 J. Lead Wars of David 95 How knowest thou but thou mayest find a Tear of Godly Sorrow, which God will bottle up.
1837 R. Anderson Disc. Beatitudes ii. 38 The man whose heart is touched with this godly sorrow, is grieved and humbled before God on account of sin.
1906 T. M. Lindsay Hist. Reformation I. ii. i. 201 The older, and surely the better theology, explained that this godly sorrow (contritio) must be based on love to God.
2002 16th Cent. Jrnl. 33 42 Some historians argue that the distinction between godly sorrow and reprobate despair was lost on most people.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
godlyadv.
/ˈɡɒdli/, U.S. /ˈɡɑdli/α. See god n. and int. and -ly suffix2.
β. late Middle English goodly.
Now rare.
In a godly manner. Formerly also: †by God; divinely (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > aspects of faith > piety > [adverb]
ghostlyeOE
piteouslyc1300
devoutlyc1325
devoutementa1400
godlyc1425
godlily1548
divinely1597
piously1599
obedientially1641
God-fearingly1860
c1425 Bk. Found. St. Bartholomew's (1923) 9 (MED) The place godly to hym y-schewid was conteyned withyn the kyngis market.
1530 Bible (Tyndale) Gen. Table sig. Lv That..true purgatorye of oure flesh, thorow which all must go that will lyue godly and be saued.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Prov. xix. A Better is the poore that lyueth godly, then the blasphemer that is but a foole.
1547 Act 1 Edw. VI c. 1 Preamble Many Things well and godly instituted.
1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 69 To have liued godly, and died Christianly.
1700 P. B. Help to Magistrates (ed. 2) lxxiii. 167 Whether their [Ho]spitals, Alms-houses, Schools, or Spittles,..be well and Godly used.
a1742 T. Story Jrnl. of Life (1747) 160 It teacheth all that will receive it, to deny Ungodliness and worldly Lusts, and to walk godly, righteously and soberly, in this present World.
1805 Connecticut Evangelical Mag. June 445/1 Christians may be pressed to live godly in Christ Jesus.
a1864 N. Hawthorne Septimius Felton (1872) 191 Now she tried to..talk reasonably and godly.
1934 ‘L. G. Gibbon’ Grey Granite ii. 160 Ma's niece Izey sniffled through her nose, godly, and pecked her eyes with a hanky.
2002 N. Tosches In Hand of Dante 192 Through that long trail of slime, not a scintilla of feeling, let alone love, expressed for her, with whom he had stood before God and been godly bound.
Compounds
C1. † godly-disposed adj. Obsolete
ΚΠ
?1545 J. Bale 2nd Pt. Image Both Churches ii. f. 77v Before the seate of the lorde was this songe vttred, which is the godlye disposed multitude.
1564 tr. M. Flacius Illyricus Godly Admon. Decrees Counsel of Trent (title page) Written for those godlye disposed persons sakes, whych [etc.].
1677 R. Haines Proposals Working-alms-house or Hosp. Postscript 6 The free Will Offrings of all able godly disposed people.
1881 St. Louis (Missouri) Globe-Democrat 5 June The bird dealer who advertises that he has some swearing parrots for sale will not be likely to find customers among the families of godly-disposed persons.
C2. † godly-learned adj. Obsolete that has studied theology.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > aspects of faith > theology > theologian > [adjective] > learned
godly-learned?1542
?1542 H. Brinkelow Complaynt Roderyck Mors xi. sig. C6 Make no iudgys therfore (I say) but such as be godly lernyd, and able to iudge betwene man and man.
1611 M. Smith in Bible (King James) Transl. Pref. 5 For all that the godly-learned were not content to haue the Scriptures in the Language which themselues vnderstood.
?1776 Lives Primitive Martyrs 28/1 God seeing idolatry, superstition, hypocrisy, and wicked living, used in this realm, raised up that godly learned man John Wickliffe.
godly-wise adj. wise in divine or religious things.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > aspects of faith > spirituality > inspiration or revelation > [adjective]
inspiredc1450
illumined1526
godly-wise1532
revealed1533
illuminate1563
enthusiast1578
lightsome1587
enthusiastical1588
entheate1603
enthusiac1603
enthusiastic1603
illuminated1606
illightened1609
enthean1612
theopneust1647
illuminative1649
entheous1682
revelational1693
entheal1736
entheastic1804
theopneustic1838
theophanic1884
inspirational1888
theophanous1909
Beatrician1943
1532 T. More Confut. Tyndale in Wks. 502/2 Is not this wene ye a Godly-wise waye?
1630 Bp. J. Hall Occas. Medit. §xxiii O God, let mee rather dye..then justly offend thy godly-wise, judicious, conscionable servants.
1703 Athenian Oracle II. 358/2 The Godly-wise on both sides bear with each other, and concur in the main.
1997 Philadelphia Inquirer 21 Sept. h 7 His advice..‘Read the Bible, pray, and seek the advice of godly-wise people’.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2014; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.n.OE
adv.c1425- game shooting
- game shot
- game show
- game soup
- game stealer
- game system
- game tenant
- game the system
- game theorist
- game theory
- game trespass
- game warden
- game winner
- game, set, and match
- game-battle
- game-bear
- game-cast
- game-changer
- game-changing
- game-designer
- game-destroying
- game-developer
- game-filled
- game-finding
- game-forcing