▪ I. godly, a.
(ˈgɒdlɪ)
[f. god n. + -ly1; parallel forms are found in the cognate languages much earlier than in English, as OHG. gotelîh (MHG. got(e)lich, göt(e)lich, G. göttlich); MDu. god(d)elijc, godlijc (Du. goddelijk) divine; ON. guðligr (Sw. gudlig, Da. gudelig) divine, pious. (The early identity in spelling of godly and goodly renders some quotations ambiguous.)]
1. Of or pertaining to God; coming from God; divine; spiritual. Obs. exc. arch.
In first quot. = theological, q.v.
| c 1380 Wyclif De Eccl. ii. Sel. Wks. III. 340 Þes two godliche virtues [faith and hope]. 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye 4 In the syghte of hys Godly forknowynge. 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 24 Yet haue they no knowledge of dyuine or godly thinges. 1567 Gude & Godlie Ball. (S.T.S.) 146 Thow onlie Maker of all thing..From end to end all rewling Be thy awin godly mycht. 1583 Stanyhurst æneis ii. (Arb.) 66 Uow'd to the godly Ceres. 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. v. i, The grace diuinest Mercurie hath done me..Binds my obseruance..to his godly will. 1849 Saxe Times 120 Daring the dangers of the angry main For civil freedom and for godly gain. |
2. Devoutly observant of the laws of God; religious, pious. a. Of conduct, speech, etc. arch.
godly sorrow, Tindale's rendering (followed in later versions) of ἡ κατὰ θεὸν λύπη.
| 1526 Tindale 2 Cor. vii. 9 For godly sorowe causeth repentaunce. c 1530 H. Rhodes Bk. Nurture 789 in Babees Bk., Delight to reade good Godly bookes, and marke the meaning well. a 1533 Frith Disput. Purg. (1829) 137 These works God would have us do, that the unfaithful might see the godly and virtuous conversation of his faithful. 1548 Hall Chron., Rich. III, 58 He..rendred to almightie God his harty thankes w{supt} devoute and Godly orisons. 1641 Hinde J. Bruen xviii. 55, I hold him worthy great commendation..for his godly care in chusing [servants]. 1691 Hartcliffe Virtues 343 The fear and love of God, and godly Sorrow, and true Repentance [etc.]. |
b. Of persons; also absol. as pl. the godly.
| 1529 More Dyaloge i. Wks. 116/1 The good godly man Moyses. 1564 Brief Exam. A iij b, Godly men may vse them Godly, and to the glory of God. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. xliv, The godly should be alwayes prepared to dye. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. xi. 178 What age a godlier Prince then Ethelred could bring? 1631 Gouge God's Arrows i. §12. 17 Of the godlies exemption from the ungodlies destruction. 1663 Dryden Wild Gallant v. i, I am somewhat godly at present. 1680 Otway Orphan Epil. 7 Should I the Godly seek, And go a conventickling twice a Week? 1715 De Foe Fam. Instruct. i. viii, What, are you grown godly too, Pin? 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 165 Soon the world begins to find out that the godly are not better than other men. a 1862 Buckle Civiliz. (1869) III. ii. 84 They were the godly men; and it was the business of the ruling classes to endow them with benefices. |
† 3. godly mother, a rendering of L. pia mater, the inner membrane inclosing the brain. Obs.
| 1594 T.B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. ii. 149 Besides this skinne, there is another named the godly mother, which is fine and very slender. |
4. Comb., as godly-hearted, godly-minded ppl. adjs.
| 1679 Kid in G. Hickes Spirit of Popery (1680) 15 Many Godly-hearted men in this Island. 1856 R. A. Vaughan Mystics (1860) I. 190 These are they whom St. Dionysius calls godly-minded men. |
▪ II. godly, adv. Now rare.
(ˈgɒdlɪ)
[See prec. and -ly2; cf. godlily.]
In a godly fashion.
| 1530 Tindale Gen. Table exp. Words s.v. Curse, That..true purgatorye of oure flesh, thorow which all must go that will lyue godly and be saued. 1535 Coverdale Prov. xix. 1 Better is the poore that lyueth godly, then the blasphemer that is but a foole. 1547 Act 1 Edw. VI, c. 1 Preamble, Many Things well and godly instituted. 1631 Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 69 To have liued godly, and died Christianly. 1871 Hawthorne Septimius (1879) 143 Now she tried to..talk reasonably and godly. |
b. Comb., as godly-disposed adj.; † godly-learned a., learned in divinity; † godly-wise a., wise in divine things.
| 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 502/2 Is not this wene ye a Godly-wise waye? 1545 Brinklow Compl. xi. (1874) 26 Make no iudgys therfore (I say) but such as be godly-lernyd, and able to iudge between man and man. 1564 Decrees Counsel of Trent (title-p.), Written for those godlye disposed persons sakes, whych [etc.]. 1611 Bible Transl. Pref. 5 For all that the godly-learned were not content to haue the Scriptures in the Language which themselues vnderstood. 1633 Bp. Hall Medit. & Vows xxiii. (1851) 29 O God, let me rather die..than justly offend thy godly-wise, judicious, conscionable servants. |