gloriously, adv.
(ˈglɔərɪəslɪ)
[f. glorious a. + -ly2.]
In a glorious manner.
† 1. Boastfully, proudly, vaingloriously. Obs.
| 1566 W. Adlington Apuleius, Life (1596) A 3 b, He gloriously calleth himself the nourice of Carthage. 1599 B. Jonson Ev. Man out Hum. ii. i, I speake it not gloriously, nor out of affectation. 1602 J. Clapham Hist. Eng. 59 Such as before the Battell were so wary and wise in aduenturing..after the euent..grew to speake gloriously of themselues. 1660 tr. Amyraldus' Treat. conc. Relig. i. v. 73 How gloriously they vaunt of their inventions. |
2. With an accompaniment of glory or renown; illustriously.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter Cant. 503 Gloriously he is worshipid. 1382 Wyclif Luke xiii. 17 Al the peple ioyede in al thingis, that weren don gloriously of him. 1494 Fabyan Chron. iii. liii. 35 Whenne that this Kymbalyne had reygned gloryously ouer the Brytons [etc.]. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lxxvii. 38 The nobill Stewarts syne, of great renoun, Thow gart upspring, with branches new and greine, Sa gloriouslie, quhill glaided all the toun. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 165 ¶1 Our Warriors..are so gloriously successful in beating down their Power. 1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. III. 137 This narrow pass of Thermopylae, where Leonidas and the three hundred Spartans had gloriously devoted their lives. 1841 James Brigand xiv, The purpose may..pass away, war be continued gloriously and long, and France be ruined. |
3. Brilliantly, splendidly;
† brightly, lustrously. Now only with emotional connotation;
cf. glorious a. 4, 5.
| 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xx. 15 The glose gloryousliche was wryte wyth a gylt penne. c 1400 Three Kings Cologne 5 Gloriously propheciede of þe Incarnacioun of oure lorde Ihesu Crist. c 1420 Lydg. Assemb. Gods 823 Gloryously besene, as he had come from heuyn. 1529 Frith Antithesis Wks. (1572) 101 Tombes well gilt with many a torch and great solemnitie, with angels gloriously portered. 1586 Spenser Death Sidney 94 Those beames Of vertue kindled in his noble brest, Which after did so gloriously forth shine. 1644 Evelyn Diary 17 Oct. (1879) I. 98 The house is most magnificently built without, nor less gloriously furnish'd within. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. I. 427 These Rings when first polished look very gloriously, but time makes them fade, and turn to a pale yellow. 1717 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to C'tess Mar 18 Apr., I never saw anything so gloriously beautiful. 1868 Holme Lee B. Godfrey xxxvi. 197 The children enjoyed it gloriously. 1870 Spurgeon Treas. Dav. xxxii. title, David wrote this gloriously evangelic Psalm. 1885 Manch. Exam. 10 Sept. 5/5 This morning the weather opened gloriously fine. |
| ironical. 1834 Darwin in Life & Lett. (1887) I. 249, I draw my own conclusions, and most gloriously ridiculous ones they are, I sometimes fancy. |
4. colloq. With reference to intoxication. (
Cf. glorious a. 6.)
| 1784 Cowper Task iv. 510 Drink, and be mad then; 'tis your country bids! Gloriously drunk obey th' important call! 1843 A. Bethune Sc. Fireside Stor. 50 Dr. Bridges was in a state which may be described as gloriously drunk. |