α. late Middle English neemly, late Middle English nemelie, late Middle English–1500s nemly, 1500s neembly.
β. 1500s nymbly, 1500s– nimbly; Scottish pre-1700 nimlie, pre-1700 nymlie, pre-1700 nymly.
nimblyadv.
/ˈnɪmbli/, U.S. /ˈnɪmb(ə)li/ 1. In a nimble or agile manner; quickly, actively; alertly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > bodily movement > [adverb] > agilely or nimbly
lighteOE
lightly?a1200
wightlyc1330
deliverlya1375
swipperly?a1400
wakerly?a1400
wighta1400
yaplya1400
featlyc1400
nimblyc1450
lightsomely1561
nimble1568
wimbly1594
yarelya1616
yare1622
featilya1640
agilely1663
cleverly1686
spry1855
lissomely1902
spryly1905
cattishly1913
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > [adverb] > swiftly and briskly
sharplya1000
smartc1300
smartlyc1300
spackc1330
wightlyc1330
spacklya1350
swipperly?a1400
wighta1400
nimblyc1450
quiverly1519
roundly1548
nimble1568
bragly1579
snap1583
yarelya1616
briskly1665
smartish1839
nippily1932
snappingly1976
α.
β. c1575 Perfect Bk. Kepinge Sparhawkes (1886) 15 Theare is a prety slaight to let her tyre through the hode and so nymbly whiles her beake is through to strike it on gently & neuer fayle.1597 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 13 So nymlie and trimlie, thir birds thay flew me by.1603 T. Dekker 1603: Wonderfull Yeare sig. F3 The Tinker..stript him starke naked, but first diu'de nimbly into his pockets.1665 R. Hooke Micrographia 12 On a very stiff Drum-head, which is vehemently or very nimbly beaten with the Drum-sticks.1709 R. Steele Tatler No. 93. ⁋7 I recovered so quick, and jumped so nimbly into my Guard.1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. v. 42 We saw a stag bound nimbly by.1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. xix. 193 The landlord bestirred himself nimbly.1879 M. Arnold Mixed Ess. 329 One alert figure..skips nimbly along at the horses' side.1936 R. Lehmann Weather in Streets i. i. 27 A porter was..dealing nimbly with the baggage.1991 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) 23 Nov. (Weekend Suppl.) 6/2 He still tried to lay down ground rules by insisting that Grobel only ask questions about Indians, a restriction the reporter nimbly side-stepped.c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1905) II. 448 He..put nemelie þe knyfe in hur hand.
1485 Malory's Morte Darthur (Caxton) xii. iii. sig. M.iv Ther with the bore torned hym nemly.
1535 Bible (Coverdale) Isa. lxiii. A What is he this, that..cometh in so neembly with all his strength?
c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy 1226 Duke Nestor Anon nemly persayuit Þat he [sc. Laomedon] was prinse of þe pepull.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > arming or equipping with weapons > [adverb] > lightly
nimbly appointed1600
1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. xliv. iv. 1172 The Romanes advanced forth to fight, nimbly appointed [L. expediti]; and the enemies likewise were lightly armed.
Compounds
† Modifying simple and participial adjectives, as nimbly-neat, nimbly-witted, etc. Obsolete.
ΚΠ
1579 Cyuile & Vncyuile Life (new ed.) sig. L You are..very nimbly witted.
1606 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. (new ed.) ii. iii. 93 Halfe a score of Reapers nimbly-neat.
1628 O. Felltham Resolves: 2nd Cent. lxx. 202 Poetry should be rather like a Coranto, short, and nimbly-lofty; than a Lesson, of a day long.
1785 T. Dwight Conquest of Canäan vii. 166 The chief; the steed ; the nimbly-rushing car; And all the horrors of the gloomy war.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.c1450