greedily, adv.
(ˈgriːdɪlɪ)
Forms: α. 1 grǽdelice, 2 gredliche, 4–6 gredely, (6 greedely(e); β. 1 grǽdilice, 2–3 grediliche, -like, 4–6 gredyly, (4 gredili, -ly, 6 gredilie), 6– greedily.
[Two synonymous words seem to have coalesced: (1) OE. grǽdel{iacu}ce (= ON. gráðuliga), f. *grǽd (u-stem, = ON. gráð-r, Goth. grêdus: see greed n.) + l{iacu}ce -ly2; (2) OE. grǽdi(ᵹ)l{iacu}ce, f. grǽdiᵹ greedy + -l{iacu}ce -ly2. The former, if it had survived into mod.Eng., would have become *greedly; it is uncertain how far the α forms represent this type, as in the 16th c. they might be misspellings for greedily (cf., however, greedly a.).
A similar coalescence occurs in the case of OE. hęfel{iacu}ce, hęfiᵹl{iacu}ce heavily. Perh. in both cases the derivative of the adj. should be regarded as a refashioned form, arising when the primitive n. had ceased to be in common use. For the -e- representing the thematic vowel of a long u-stem in composition, cf. *feldefare (written feldeware): see fieldfare.]
1. As one that is hungry or thirsty; with keen appetite; hungrily, ravenously, voraciously.
| c 1000 Hexameron of St. Basil (Norman) xx. 28 Ðonne him hingraþ he yt grædilice. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 123 And þa ifelde þe deofel þene hoc þe he er gredliche forswealh. c 1220 Bestiary 321 He drinkeð water gredilike. a 1300 Cursor M. 27905 To ette ouer gredyly. a 1340 Hampole Psalter Cant. 497 Bird of swalugh þat gredily askis mete. c 1440 Jacob's Well v. 35 Þe smyth bad an-oþer man castyn of his breed to þe hog, & þe swyn eet it gredyly. 1574 T. Hill Conject. Weather vii, If the Oxen feede greedelyer. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 562 Greedily they pluck'd The Fruitage fair to sight. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 189 Flour and oil which the men had fallen greedily upon. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. I. xxiv. 318 Some..were greedily waiting for the shell-fish and sea-urchins which the old bird busied herself in procuring for them. |
| in fig. context. 1535 Coverdale Jer. xv. 16 When I had founde thy wordes, I at them vp gredely. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 92 If they heare him not..greedily and thirstily thereby to profit. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. v. 9 Cruell steele so greedily doth bight. Ibid. i. vi. 38 To see their blades so greedily imbrew, That dronke with blood yet thirsted after life. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. v. iii. (1848) 306 Death..devour'd them as greedily, as they did those Birds. |
b. Applied to the behaviour of material substances, to indicate rapidity of absorption or combination. (
Cf. greedy 1 b.)
| 1584 Cogan Haven Health ccxvii. 218 Sweete wines through their sweetenesse are greedily drawen of the members. 1671 J. Webster Metallogr. xiii. 203 Wherein Minerals that strike upon the Lunar passages are greedily refreshed. 1799 Med. Jrnl. I. 408 Nitrous gas..tends..to lessen the respirable portion, from its strong attraction for oxygen, which it greedily combines with to the point of saturation. 1878 Huxley Physiogr. 42 The drier and hotter the air happens to be, the more greedily does it drink up this moisture. |
2. As one that is greedy of gain; avariciously, covetously, rapaciously.
| c 1000 ælfric Hom. I. 66 He ᵹymð grædelice his teolunge. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 166 Siche þat gaderen gredili Cristis patrimonye. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 113 Þei..gredyly gon abowt to geyt al þat þey may. 1635 R. Bolton Comf. Affl. Consc. vi. (ed. 2) 38 And there gather Grace greedily as the most griping Usurer graspeth gold. 1874 Green Short Hist. v. §2. 227 The eyes of the feudal baronage turned greedily on the riches of the Church. |
3. With manifestation of strong desire; with avidity or eagerness; eagerly;
† jealously, zealously, fervently (
obs.).
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 173 Hie iseð bineðen hem deflen þe hem gredeliche kepeð. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xviii. xci. (1495) 839 The frogge..cryeth gredyly and makyth moche noyse. a 1400–50 Alexander 1435 His men & all þe messedones maynly ascendis And þai of Grece gredely girdis vp eftire. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. xi. 7–15 There is now no more to doe, but feruently and gredely to take that which..is now presently offered. 1575–85 Abp. Sandys Serm. xviii. 211 Greedilie expecting their looked for time. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 291 Some places that are ouer greedely geuen to sectes and deuisions. 1631 Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 40 Greedily affected to view the sacred Sepulchres. a 1680 Butler Rem. (1759) I. 25 Those who greedily pursue Things wonderful, instead of true. 1710 Berkeley Princ. Hum. Knowl. §141 This notion has been greedily embraced and cherished by the worst part of mankind. 1845 Ford Handbk. Spain 113 The candles lighted in these processions..are greedily purchased by women at treble their original cost. 1852 H. Rogers Ecl. Faith (1853) 279 Miraculous legends have been most greedily taken up by the vast majority of mankind. |