† ˈseelily, adv. Obs.
Forms: 1 séliᵹl{iacu}ce, 3 seliliche, seliliȝ, 4 selily, 5 selyly.
[ONorthumb. séliᵹl{iacu}ce (= WS. ᵹesǽliᵹl{iacu}ce): see seely a. and -ly2.]
Happily.
| [c 888 K. ælfred Boeth. xi. §1 Maniᵹe habbað ᵹenoᵹ ᵹesælilice ᵹewifod.] a 1000 Rituale Eccl. Dunelm. (Surtees) 79 Seliᵹlice, feliciter. c 1200 Ormin 17318 Þurrh whatt himm comm swa seliliȝ To findenn Godess are. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. pr. iv. 64 (Addit. MS.) Som man is wel and selily maried but he haþ no children. c 1425 Eng. Conq. Irel. (Dubl. MS.) xviii. 42 Yn hys lyf of thys world, chaunged wel selyly for þe lyf that euer shal lest without end. |