swiftlyadv.
/ˈswɪftli/, U.S. /ˈswɪf(t)li/ In a swift manner; with swift movement or action.
1. † c. swiftly horsed, swiftly mounted, mounted on a swift horse. Obsolete. rare.
a. With great speed or velocity; at a great rate; = quickly adv. 2c.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > [adverb]
yeverlyeOE
cofeOE
snellya1000
whatlichea1000
swiftlyc1000
yernea1023
skeetc1175
swithc1175
whatec1175
lightly?c1225
tidelyc1225
fastlyc1275
swithc1275
fastc1300
quickc1300
titec1300
quicklya1325
rada1325
snellc1330
titelyc1330
swithly?1370
hastlya1375
ketlya1375
ketec1380
speedlyc1380
speedfully1398
keenlya1400
skeetlya1400
speedilya1400
swiftc1400
yederlyc1400
apacea1423
rasha1475
runninglyc1475
speedful?c1480
rackly?a1500
rashly1533
stiffly1535
roundly1548
post1549
fleet1587
fleetly1598
speedy1601
raptly1646
fastisha1650
wingedly1651
rapidly1653
rapid1677
velociously1680
express1765
quicklike1782
spankingly1803
spankily1842
fleetingly1883
quick-foot1891
on the quick-foot1894
zippily1924
c1000 Ælfric Homilies I. 580 Zacheus ða swyftlice of ðam treowe alihte.
c1000 Lambeth Ps. vi. 11 Uelociter, hredlice vel swiftlice.
a1023 Wulfstan Homilies xlii. 200 Heora fyðera swegað swa swa wæteres dyne..hi fleoð swiftlice.
a1325 Prose Psalter xliv. 2 [xlv. 1] My tunge is penne of þe scriuayn swiflich wrytand.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) l. 3454 Wel was him in þe world þat swifliest miȝt hiȝe.
c1385 G. Chaucer Legend Good Women Prol. 200 Home to myn house ful swiftly I me sped.
1447 O. Bokenham Lyvys Seyntys (1835) 20 They rent hyr flesh..So dispetously that than a ryver Hyr blood to grounde swyftlyere dede glyde.
1595 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 3 ii. i. 109 Tidings as swiftlie [printed swiftie] as the post could runne, Was brought me of your losse.
1647 H. More Philos. Poems Notes 399 Ethereall matter floweth swiftlier in those places.
1735 G. Berkeley Querist §22 Whether..less money, swiftly circulating, be not, in effect, equivalent to more money slowly circulating?
1798 S. T. Coleridge Anc. Marinere vi, in W. Wordsworth & S. T. Coleridge Lyrical Ballads 39 Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship.
1878 A. Brassey Voy. Sunbeam xv. 255 The currents run very swiftly between these islands.
1907 J. H. Patterson Man-eaters of Tsavo i. 17 A swiftly-flowing stream.
b. transferred. Steeply.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > inclination > [adverb] > slopingly > steeply
pitchlongs?1440
brant1545
pitchlong1566
steepwise1577
steeply1772
declivitously1878
swiftly1893
1893 R. L. Stevenson Catriona i. 4 The narrow paved way descended swiftly.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > transport > riding on horse (or other animal) > rider > [adjective] > riding swift horse
swiftly horsed?1611
?1611 G. Chapman tr. Homer Iliads iv. 246 His swiftly mounted Greekes.
1651 Ld. Orrery Parthenissa I. i. ii. 120 I should comitt you to the charge of some Gentleman swiftly Horst.
2. Within a short space of time; = quickly adv. 2b. Obsolete or merged in sense 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > duration > shortness or brevity in time > [adverb] > instantaneously or with a short space of time
swiftlya1400
at one fling1556
at one (a) chop1581
per saltum1602
at one (fell, etc.) swoop1612
popa1625
instantaneously1644
in the catching up of a garter1697
in the drawing of a trigger1706
in a handclap1744
at a slap1753
momentaneously1753
in a whiff1800
in a brace or couple of shakes1816
bolt1839
at a single jeta1856
overnight1912
jiffy-quick1927
in two ups1934
the world > time > duration > shortness or brevity in time > swift movement of time > [adverb] > quickly
soonc825
quicklyc1300
rifelya1375
swiftlya1400
hourly1529
apace1535
in less than a lightning1591
quick time1816
succinctly1837
quickstep1855
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 341 All his comament was don, Suiftliker þen hee may wink.
c1430 How Good Wife taught Dau. 89 Þouȝ ony man speke to þee, Swiftli þou him grete.
c1440 York Myst. xxix. 144 Swiftely he swapped of my nere.
1817 P. B. Shelley Laon & Cythna vi. xi. 133 Those slaves were swiftly overthrown.
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. III. vii. v. 431 A swiftly-appointed, swift Military Tribunal.
3. Without delay; after a very short, or no, interval of time; = quickly adv. 2a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > immediacy > [adverb]
soonc825
ratheeOE
rathelyeOE
rekeneOE
rekenlyOE
thereright971
anonOE
forth ona1000
coflyc1000
ferlyc1000
radlyOE
swiftlyc1000
unyoreOE
yareOE
at the forme (also first) wordOE
nowOE
shortlya1050
rightOE
here-rightlOE
right anonlOE
anonc1175
forthrightc1175
forthwithalc1175
skeetc1175
swithc1175
with and withc1175
anon-rightc1225
anon-rights?c1225
belivec1225
lightly?c1225
quickly?c1225
tidelyc1225
fastlyc1275
hastilyc1275
i-radlichec1275
as soon asc1290
aright1297
bedenea1300
in little wevea1300
withoute(n dwella1300
alrightc1300
as fast (as)c1300
at firstc1300
in placec1300
in the placec1300
mididonec1300
outrightc1300
prestc1300
streck13..
titec1300
without delayc1300
that stounds1303
rada1325
readya1325
apacec1325
albedenec1330
as (also also) titec1330
as blivec1330
as line rightc1330
as straight as linec1330
in anec1330
in presentc1330
newlyc1330
suddenlyc1330
titelyc1330
yernec1330
as soon1340
prestly1340
streckly1340
swithly?1370
evenlya1375
redelya1375
redlya1375
rifelya1375
yeplya1375
at one blastc1380
fresha1382
ripelyc1384
presentc1385
presently1385
without arrestc1385
readilyc1390
in the twinkling of a looka1393
derflya1400
forwhya1400
skeetlya1400
straighta1400
swifta1400
maintenantc1400
out of handc1400
wightc1400
at a startc1405
immediately1420
incontinent1425
there and then1428
onenec1429
forwithc1430
downright?a1439
agatec1440
at a tricec1440
right forth1440
withouten wonec1440
whipc1460
forthwith1461
undelayed1470
incessantly1472
at a momentc1475
right nowc1475
synec1475
incontinently1484
promptly1490
in the nonce?a1500
uncontinent1506
on (upon, in) the instant1509
in short1513
at a clap1519
by and by1526
straightway1526
at a twitch1528
at the first chop1528
maintenantly1528
on a tricea1529
with a tricec1530
at once1531
belively1532
straightwaysa1533
short days1533
undelayedly1534
fro hand1535
indelayedly1535
straight forth1536
betimesc1540
livelyc1540
upononc1540
suddenly1544
at one (or a) dash?1550
at (the) first dash?1550
instantly1552
forth of hand1564
upon the nines1568
on the nail1569
at (also in, with) a thoughtc1572
indilately1572
summarily1578
at one (a) chop1581
amain1587
straightwise1588
extempore1593
presto1598
upon the place1600
directly1604
instant1604
just now1606
with a siserary1607
promiscuously1609
at (in) one (an) instant1611
on (also upon) the momenta1616
at (formerly also on or upon) sight1617
hand to fist1634
fastisha1650
nextly1657
to rights1663
straightaway1663
slap1672
at first bolt1676
point-blank1679
in point1680
offhand1686
instanter1688
sonica1688
flush1701
like a thought1720
in a crack1725
momentary1725
bumbye1727
clacka1734
plumba1734
right away1734
momentarily1739
momentaneously1753
in a snap1768
right off1771
straight an end1778
abruptedly1784
in a whistle1784
slap-bang1785
bang?1795
right off the reel1798
in a whiff1800
in a flash1801
like a shot1809
momently1812
in a brace or couple of shakes1816
in a gird1825
(all) in a rush1829
in (also at, on) short (also quick) order1830
straightly1830
toot sweetc1830
in two twos1838
rectly1843
quick-stick1844
short metre1848
right1849
at the drop of a (occasionally the) hat1854
off the hooks1860
quicksticks1860
straight off1873
bang off1886
away1887
in quick sticks (also in a quick stick)1890
ek dum1895
tout de suite1895
bung1899
one time1899
prompt1910
yesterday1911
in two ups1934
presto changeo1946
now-now1966
presto change1987
c1000 Ælfric Homilies I. 452 Þa ferde his gast swyftlice.
a1225 Leg. Kath. 690 Wittie wordes, þe schulen þe flit of þine fan swiftliche afellen.
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 140 Þe ournemens of boȝamnesse byeþ zeuen. Þet ys, þet me bouȝe prestliche, gledliche, simpleliche, klenliche, generalliche, zuyftliche, and wiluolliche.
a1400–50 Wars Alex. (Dublin) 2069 Þai swyftly hym sware & sothly hym tald.
1572 (a1500) Taill of Rauf Coilȝear (1882) 952 Thay swoir on thair swordis swyftlie all thre.
a1593 C. Marlowe Hero & Leander (1598) i. 292 Hate me not, nor from me flie To follow swiftly blasting infamie.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Taming of Shrew (1623) v. i. 1 Softly and swiftly sir, for the Priest is ready. View more context for this quotation
1709 W. Congreve tr. Ovid Art of Love iii. 220 Swiftly seize the Joy that swiftly flies.
1907 F. P. Verney & M. M. Verney Mem. Verney Family 17th Cent. (ed. 2 reissued) II. 450 Her life came gently but swiftly to a close.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1919; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adv.c1000