† redely, adv. Obs.
Forms: 3 reade-, 4 redeliche, -lyche, redeli, 4–6 redely. compar. 5 redelyer.
[App. a var. of redly adv.2, but metrical examples freq. indicate that the connecting e was pronounced. The various senses are not easily distinguished, and in some cases (see sense 4) the form is perh. written for redily readily (cf. also redily).]
1. Clearly, plainly, distinctly.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 344 Al he wule a domesdai reden ful readeliche [v.r. witterliche] uorte bicleopien þe mide. a 1300 Cursor M. 25852 Qua þat dees in dedli sin sal duell in bale,..And sua we find ful redeli. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 139, I schal thee redely Devise hou men therinne stonde. c 1400 Beryn 3116, I am wiser then yee ween, For there nys noon of ȝewe woot redely what I mean. 1470–85 Malory Arthur vii. xxxiv, Whan she sawe syr Gareth redely in the vysage she..fell doun in a swoune. |
2. Certainly, assuredly.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 461 Redeli bi resoun þerfore hem rette i mai mi sorwe. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame i. 130 Wel wyste I Hyt was of Venus redely The temple. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 811 On his fader riȝt hand redeliche he sitteþ. c 1440 Gesta Rom. lxx. 324 (Harl. MS.) ‘We ben redy’, quoþ thei, ‘to do this deede redely’. |
3. Carefully, attentively.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 93 This knyht behield hir redely. c 1400 Master of Game (MS. Digby 182) xxv, Þei do drawe hem nere hym as redely and warely as þei may. |
4. ? Readily, quickly.
| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 270 Euere suþþe y haue me raid redely to þy seruyse. c 1400 Song Roland 102 Redely the right ere he pullid from the hed. 1443 Paston Lett. I. 48, I sopose that I xal redelyer have tydyngys from yow herr dan I xulde have ther. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon ii. 64 She felle doun all in a swoune, and Reynawde toke her vppe redely. 1550 Marbeck (title) A Concordance, that is to saie a Worke wherein..ye maie redely finde any worde conteigned in the Whole Bible. |