▪ I. † ˈmeetly, a. Obs.
Forms: 4 metli, 4–6 meteli, 4–7 metely, 6 metly, meetelie, -ly, 6–7 meetly.
[f. meet a. + -ly1. (But the early form metli may represent OE. ᵹemetlic, f. ᵹemet measure, moderation.)]
1. Moderate; of moderate size or quantity.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 18847 Metli har was on his chin. ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 822 With metely mouth and yen greye. c 1500 H. Medwall Nature (Brandl) i. 317 Leue thyn hawt conceytys and take a metely way. 1505 in Mem. Hen. VII (Rolls) 232 The fingers of the said queen be right fair and small, and of a meetly length and breadth before, according unto her personage very fair handed. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xvi. 18 Wherof they were well served for their horses, and at a metly price. 1600 Holland Livy x. xii. 359 After he had left at Falerii all his bag and baggage with a meetly garrison [L. cum modico præsidio]. 1620 Venner Via Recta iv. 73 Mullet..is of pleasant taste, and of meetly nourishment. |
2. Fitting, proper, suitable, meet.
| 1426 Audelay Poems 4 Fore love together thus cum thai schal be, Fore this makus metely maryage. 1492 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 455/1 Here is the place most metely for you, and where ye shall lak nothing. 1579–80 North Plutarch, Lysander (1595) 492 It was better, and meetelier for the Spartans they should choose them for their kinges, whom they found the meetest men of all their magistrates. 1633 Gerard Part. Descr. Somerset (1900) 182 The most refined and metely English now spoken. |
▪ II. meetly, adv.
(ˈmiːtlɪ)
Forms: 5 metly, 5–6 mete-, 6 meate-, meete-, 6– meetly.
[f. meet a. + -ly2. (But perh. partly repr. OE. ᵹemetl{iacu}ce, f. ᵹemet: see prec.)]
1. Moderately, fairly, tolerably. (Common in the 16th c.)
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 3069 Full metely made of a meane lenght. 1476 Paston Lett. III. 157 He is well spokyn in Inglyshe, metly well in Frenshe, and verry perfite in Flemyshe. 1551 Recorde Pathw. Knowl. i. Defin., Nowe haue you heard as touchyng circles meetely sufficient instruction. 1609 Holland Amm. Marcell. 402 Tall of stature, and faire of complexion, their haire meetly yellow. 1657 Howell Londinop. 339 A fine and meetly large Church. |
2. Fitly, suitably; as is meet.
| 1502 Hen. VII in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. I. 55 The King both with men and money metely and conveniently..wol yeve assistence. 1656 Sanderson Serm. (1689) 323 Then are we meetly prepared for his service. 1813 Scott Trierm. i. xx, The monarch meetly thanks express'd. 1857 H. Miller Test. Rocks iii. 138 And with this ancient elephant there were meetly associated in Britain..many other mammals of corresponding magnitude. 1878 Browning La Saisiaz 72 How I may..fix where change should meetly fall. |