† voidlyadv.
Obsolete.
Vainly, uselessly; to no purpose.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > uselessness, vanity, or futility > [adverb]
idlyc825
vainly1382
voidly1402
waste1418
meanly?c1430
toomly1606
impertinently1631
insignificantly1651
objectlessly1860
futilely1881
1402 Polit. Poems (Rolls) II. 103 Thanne was the memento put fal[s]ly in the masse, and hooli chirche voidli or madli biddith preye.
1493 Festivall (1515) 157 b Of Christ thou takest thy name... And beware that thou bere not thy name voydely.
c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy 4384 At Vaxor þe vayn pepull voidly honourit Bachian..as a blist god.
1544 P. Betham tr. J. di Porcia Preceptes Warre i. cxcvi. sig. I iv By whych policie he shal neuer attempte, ne enterpryse anye matter voydelye,..but by all wayes he shall haue hys owne desyre.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1920; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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adv.1402