▪ I. boldly, adv.
(ˈbəʊldlɪ)
[f. bold a. + -ly2.]
In a bold manner.
1. Courageously, daringly, fearlessly.
| a 1000 Juliana (Gr.) 492 Sume..ic bealdlice..minum hondum..sloᵹ. c 1205 Lay. 19923 Þer wes Bruttene weored {revsc} baldeliche isomned [c 1275 boldeliche gadered]. c 1305 St. Christ. 36 in E.E.P. (1862) 60 Cristofre hem mette baldeliche. 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 14 He bauldly thaim abaid. 1480 Robt. Devyll 30 He thought boldlyer for to abyde. 1611 Bible Mark xv. 43 Ioseph of Arimathea..went in boldly vnto Pilate, and craued the body of Iesus. 1728 Young Love Fame iii. (1757) 101 They who boldy dare, Shall triumph o'er the sons of cold despair. 1876 Green Short Hist. v. §1 (1882) 223 The Prince seized the opportunity to fall boldly on their front. |
2. In bad sense: With effrontery, impudently, shamelessly; presumptuously.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden Rolls Ser. IV. 281 His sones..stryue þe boldloker [licentius]. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 108 Fro hem þat beggun wiþ out nede..or for oþer vndu caus beggen baldly. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 43 Boldely or malapertly, effronter, presumptuose. 1586 Thynne Animadv. Introd. 70, I have like blind baiard boldlie run into this matter. a 1656 Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 150 He..that can sin the boldlyest. 1785 T. Jefferson Corr. (1830) 423 Their principle is to lie boldly that they may not be suspected of lying. |
3. Confidently, with assurance; without doubt, without hesitation; assuredly.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 125 Alswa baldeliche mei þe wrecchesta mon clepian drihtan him to federe. a 1300 Cursor M. 3586 Baldlik þat dar i sai. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame 581 Be ful assured boldely I am thy frende. c 1400 Destr. Troy 840 Ye shall boldly be blameles. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 388 Wherfore y dar wryte and baldelyche say. 1563 Homilies ii. Sacrament (1859) 442 So may we the boldlier have access thither. 1695 Ld. Preston Boeth. ii. 48, I dare boldly affirm, that, etc. 1810 Coleridge Friend (1865) 138 To hope too boldly of human nature. |
4. With bold expression or handling; strongly, vigorously, strikingly.
| 1762 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. I. 158 Several other figures, boldly painted, but not highly finished. 1828 Coleridge Eolian Harp 18 Its strings Boldlier swept. |
▪ II. † boldly, a. Obs.
Also 3 baldli, 4 baldeli.
[f. bold a. + -ly1; cf. goodly.]
Bold-looking.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 16032 (Gött.) Wid a ful baldli chere. Ibid. 8541 (Trin.) He was a boldly bachilere. 1819 Blackw. Mag. IV. 730 Scan ye near Those boldly lineaments. |