sprightly, a. and adv.
(ˈspraɪtlɪ)
[f. spright n.1 + -ly.]
A. adj.
1. Of persons: Full of vivacity or animation; cheerful, gay, brisk.
| 1596 Nashe Saffron Walden To Rdr., Frisking come aloft sprightly Mercury, that hath wings for his moustachies, wings for his ey-browes, [etc.]. 1602 Marston Ant. & Mel. iv. Wks. 1856 I. 52 Seest thou that sprightly youth? 1670 Cotton Espernon ii. v. 208 Most sprightly and gay Nobility, and Gentry of the Court. 1740 Richardson Pamela Pref. (1824) I. 4 To engage the attention of the gay and more sprightly readers. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xxiii, Nor was I displeased at seeing them once more sprightly and at ease. 1807 Crabbe Birth Flattery 15 Thee, sprightly siren, from this train I choose. 1874 L. Stephen Hours in Library (1892) I. ii. 88 The..old tradesman could be..as sprightly and audacious as the most profligate man about town. |
| absol. 1734 Watts Reliq. Juv. (1789) 18 There are both the sprightly and the stupid, the foolish and the wise. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 174 ¶2 The error..is very frequently incident to the quick, the sprightly, the fearless, and the gay. 1825 C. Westmacott Eng. Spy I. 382 The spreeish or the sprightly. |
b. Of animals: Lively, sportive.
| 1735 Somerville Chase i. 86 To train the sprightly Steed, more fleet than those Begot by Winds. 1742 Young Nt. Th. i. 437 The sprightly Lark's shrill Mattin wakes the Morn. 1830 J. Milne Widow & Son (1851) I. 141 The crowing of the sprightly cock. 1883 ‘Annie Thomas’ Mod. Housewife 24 The mare was as sprightly as a cat. |
c. Of plants: Quick-growing.
rare—1.
| 1693 Evelyn De la Quint. Compl. Gard. 41 The principal Roots of..Raspish Bushes, and some other very sprightly Shrubs. |
2. Characterized by animation or cheerful vivacity:
a. Of actions, qualities, etc.
| 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iv. vii. 15, I will reward thee Once for thy sprightly comfort. 1646 Quarles Judgem. & Mercy Wks. (Grosart) I. 76/2 My bones are full of unctious marrow, and my blood, of sprightly Youth. a 1704 T. Brown Charms of Bottle Wks. 1711 IV. 160 Here the sprightly Repartees fly about with the Glass. 1788 F. Burney Diary 2 Aug., He was himself all ease and sprightly unconsciousness. 1831 Sinclair Corr. II. 89 The conversation was sprightly, and well calculated for the lively company. 1868 J. H. Blunt Ref. Ch. Eng. I. 111 Her beauty had faded away, her sprightly buoyancy had gone. |
b. Of personal bearing, looks, etc.
| 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. iv. xiv. 52 Wee'l hand in hand, And with out sprightly Port make the Ghostes gaze. 1635 Quarles Emblems iv. iii. 193 The sprightly voice of sinew-strengthning Pleasure. 1672–5 T. Comber Comp. Temple (1702) 157 Our looks were sprightly and chearful. 1748 Hervey Medit. (ed. 4) I. 33 How vain the Lustre of thy sprightly Eye! 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 179 ¶4 The sprightly trip, the stately walk, the formal strut. 1823 Scott Quentin D. ii, The combination of fearless frankness and good-humour, with sprightly looks. 1873 Dixon Two Queens xvi. v. III. 212 Her sprightly air..made her an attraction. |
| absol. 1784 Cowper Tiroc. 665 Behold that figure,..His sprightly mingled with a shade of sad. |
c. Of mind, disposition, or character.
| 1673 [R. Leigh] Transp. Reh. 12 One of those glorious enterprises..which the bishop's active and sprightly mind was busied in. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 330 The French, whose Temper is allow'd to be more volatile..and more sprightly. 1777 Sheridan Sch. Scand. Portr. 108 Such too her talents, and her bent of mind, As speak a sprightly heart by thought refined. 1878 Browning Poets Croisic 99 So did her sprightly nature nowise lack Lustre when draped. |
d. Of places in respect of social life or gay appearance.
| 1764 Goldsm. Trav. 241 Gay sprightly land of mirth and social ease. 1809 N. Pinkney Trav. France 278 It is well paved,..and the air being clear, it always looks clean and sprightly. 1832 G. Downes Lett. Cont. Countries I. 290 It is, altogether, a sprightly, lively place, garnished with pleasing environs. 1875 F. W. Newman in I. G. Sieveking Mem. (1909) 315 The gardens are becoming sprightly. |
3. Of things: Having lively qualities or properties; naturally brisk; suggestive of animation or gaiety:
a. Of liquors.
| 1605 Plat Delightes for Ladies iii. xxvii, You shall finde the same most excellent and sprightly drinke. 1661 Boyle Scept. Chem. vi. (1680) 418 These [crystals] I obtained not from Must, but True and sprightly Wine. 1709 Prior ‘If Wine’ i, Let..Bacchus fill the sprightly Bowl. 1748 Thomson Cast. Indol. i. xxxiv, Whatever sprightly juice or tasteful food On the green bosom of this earth are found. 1796 H. Hunter tr. St.-Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) I. 297 In ours, which are sprightly [wines], nothing is at the bottom but mere dregs. 1830 M. Donovan Dom. Econ. I. 93 Oats make an excellent malt, which..affords an excellent, mantling, sprightly, sweet drink. |
b. In miscellaneous uses.
| 1621 Quarles Esther vii, Sooner shall the sprightly flames of fire Descend, and moysten. 1635–56 Cowley Davideis ii. 803 A silk Mantle.., Where the most sprightly Azure pleas'd the Eyes. 1665 Boyle Reflect. (1848) 79 That pleasant and sprightly scent which makes the Rose so welcome to us. 1704 Pope Windsor For. 94 While youth ferments your blood, And purer spirits swell the sprightly flood. 1804 C. Brown tr. Volney's View Soil U.S. 271 The winds between east and north are sprightly and cool. 1885–94 R. Bridges Eros & Psyche Mar. xvii, Naked he goeth, but with sprightly wings Red, iridescent, are his shoulders fledged. 1901 Year-bk. U.S. Dep. Agric. 388 Flesh [of grape] tender, breaking, juicy;..flavor mild, sweet and sprightly. |
c. Of sounds.
| 1648 Crashaw Poems (1904) 120 The sprightly notes Of sweet-lipp'd Angell-Imps. 1670 Dryden Conq. Granada i. iii. i, Methinks it is a noble, sprightly Sound. The Trumpet's Clangor, and the Clash of Arms! 1725 Pope Odyss. i. 531 Mean time the Lyre rejoins the sprightly lay. 1752 Young Brothers ii. i, These sprightly tuneful airs but skim along The surface of my soul, not enter there. 1817 Stephens in Shaw's Gen. Zool. X. i. 90 Their song is a sprightly warble, and is sometimes continued for a length of time. 1882 J. F. S. Gordon Hist. Moray I. 282 There is a sprightly song and dance called ‘Kinrara’. |
d. Of musical instruments.
| 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 131 When he hears from far The sprightly Trumpets, and the Shouts of War. a 1721 Prior Colin's Mistakes ii, The sounding Clarion, and the sprightly Horn. 1757 W. Wilkie Epigoniad i. 9 While to the sprightly harp, the voice explains The loves of all the gods. 1791 Cowper Odyss. viii. 127 The herald hanging high The sprightly lyre. |
† 4. Ghostly, spectral.
Obs.—1| 1611 Shakes. Cymb. v. v. 428 As I slept, me thought Great Iupiter vpon his Eagle back'd Appear'd to me, with other sprightly shewes Of mine owne Kindred. |
B. adv. In a sprightly manner; with vigour and animation.
| 1604 Dekker Kings' Entertainm. Wks. 1873 I. 295 Nine Trumpets and a Kettle Drum did very sprightly and actively sound the Danish March. 1642 H. More Song of Soul iv. 35 Her hid Centralitie So sprightly's quickned with near Union With God. 1654 Whitlock Zootomia 479 The Chevalry of Verse charges them more sprightly and Irresistibly. a 1895 Paget Autobiog. (1896) 80 A vessel sprightly approached with an admiral's flag at the fore. |