solely, adv.
(ˈsəʊllɪ)
Forms: α. 6 sooly, 6–7 solye, solie, 6–8 soly (7 solly, soley). β. 5– solely.
[f. sole a. + -ly2.]
1. As a single person (or thing); without any other as an associate, partner, sharer, etc.; alone; occas., without aid or assistance. (Cf. sole a. 4.)
| α 1539 Elyot Cast. Helthe 71 That none of the foure complexions haue sooly..dominion in one man. 1542–3 Act 34–35 Hen. VIII, c. 5 §4 Any act or actes lawfully executed in his life by him self solye. 1591 Lodge Catharos B iij, Who meanes to sit solie on Olympus, must suffer no climers. 1606 G. W[oodcocke] Lives Emperors in Hist. Ivstine Ll ij, The younger Andronicus gouerned solye. 1622 in Foster Eng. Factories Ind. (1908) II. 146 By the Persians turnd outt of all, and they left solly possessors. 1637 Decree of Star Chamb. in Milton's Areop. (Arb.) 13 Any Copy, book or books,..which the..Company of Stationers..haue the right..soly to print. |
| β 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 52 §1 The landes and tenementis that he held solely or joyntly with other. 1599 Shakes. Hen. V, ii. Prol. 4 Now..Honors thought Reignes solely in the breast of euery man. 1611 Knolles Hist. Turkes (1638) 243 Solyman shall..be driuen to leaue Asia, to be again by you solely possessed. 1635 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Banish'd Virg. 55 But grant, that they will defend themselves, tell me, will they doe it solely or joyntly? 1746 Francis tr. Hor., Sat. i. i. 6 Broken with Toils,..The Soldier thinks the Merchant solely blest. 1806–31 A. Knox Rem. (1844) I. 61 Those who..would think themselves solely qualified to mend the Established Church. 1860 Mozley Univ. Serm. vii. (1877) 151 Is it true that habit, solely and of itself, does produce positive inclination? |
† b. Apart from or unaccompanied by others; solitarily.
Obs. rare.
In
quot. 1611 passing into
adj.| 1582 Stanyhurst æneis iii. (Arb.) 93 Thus father æneas soly..His long dryrye viadge..chaunted. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. ii. iii. 17 Leaue me solely: goe, See how he fares. |
2. Only, merely, exclusively; also (contextually), entirely, altogether.
| α 1588 Kyd Househ. Phil. Wks. (1901) 261 It shall suffise me soly to aduise and counsell that [etc.]. 1594 ― Cornelia i. i, Soly through desire of publique rule, Rome and the earth are waxen all as one. 1628 Doughty Serm. Church-Schismes 13 Like hote furious spirits abroad, who delight soly in fights and vproares. 1663 Spencer Prodigies (1665) 241 God's Miraculous Works never come forth (like a Jugler's tricks) soly to make men stare and wonder. 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth ii. 84 The Deluge..was not solely levelled against Mankind, but principally against the Earth that then was. 1710 Prideaux Orig. Tithes iii. 155 The setting out of Tithes, as well as the payment of them, was soly left to the Consciences of men. |
| β 1750 tr. Leonardus' Mirr. Stones 37 This diversity proceeds solely from the diversity of the substance. 1792 Burke Corr. (1844) III. 387, I cannot say it was written solely with a view to the service of that party. I hope its views were more general. 1823 J. Marshall Const. Opin. (1839) 264 Spain did not rest her title solely on the grant of the Pope. 1855 Prescott Philip II, i. v. I. 62 In all his acts he relied solely on himself. 1885 Manch. Exam. 21 Feb. 5/3 The questions at issue do not relate solely to Egypt and the Soudan. |