▪ I. comely, a.
(ˈkʌmlɪ)
Forms: 1 c{yacu}ml{iacu}c, 3 cumelich, 4 comliche, -lych, com-, kom-, cumli, 4–6 cumly, 4–7 comly, 5 comeliche, coum-, commly, 6 cum-, cumelie, com-, comeli, 6–7 comelie, 4– comely. comp. 4 comelokur, 5 comlyar, 6– comelier. superl. 4 comlokest, 5–7 comliest, 7– comeliest.
[OE. c{yacu}ml{iacu}c, f. c{yacu}me exquisite, fine:—WGer. kûmi- + -l{iacu}c: see -like, -ly1. OE. c{yacu}me, c{yacu}mlic, appear to have the sense ‘beautifully constructed’, ‘fine’, ‘handsome’; but the cognate OHG. adv. chûmo, mod.G. kaum, means ‘with trouble or difficulty, hardly’, Fr. à peine, the MHG. adj. k{uacu}m, k{uacu}me = frail, weak, and the deriv. OHG. ch{uacu}m{iacu}g = weak, delicate, sickly; cf. the ME. kime weak, silly, and akimed. These various developments of use appear to indicate for WGer. kûmi- a general sense of ‘delicate’, as applied to workmanship or to constitution; perh. going back to the notion of ‘elaborate, made with trouble or difficulty’. (See however Kluge in Paul u. Braune's Beitr. XI. 557.) In English, nearly the whole range of meaning during the historical period is covered by the modern colloquial use of ‘nice’ i.e. pleasant to the sight (‘nice-looking’), pleasant to have to do with, pleasing to the moral sense, or æsthetical faculty, to the sensations or perceptions generally. The sense-development is also largely parallel to that of the same word. The original long vowel of c{yacu}ml{iacu}c (see Sievers, Beitr. X. 497) was subsequently shortened by position, and cyml{iacu}c was thus brought into association with the cym- forms of cuman to come, so as to be made at length cumli, comly; along with this went a gradual modification of the sense, introducing the notion of ‘becoming’. It is noticeable, however, that MHG. had komlich, komenlich, and early mod.Du. komlick, komelick (Kilian), as actual derivatives of komen: cf. also L. conveniens, OF. avenant.]
1. Fair, pretty, beautiful, ‘nice’. a. Of things. (? orig. Delicately fashioned.) Hence, in later times affected by b. and sense 3, so as to express decent, sober, or quiet beauty, as in quots. 1535, 1632. arch.
| c 1000 Ags. Ps. cxxi. 3 Hierusalem, ᵹeara ðu wære swa swa cymlic ceaster ᵹetimbred. c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. B. 546 In his comlych courte þat kyng is of blysse. 1399 Langl. Rich. Redeles iii. 174 In comliche clothinge as his statt axith. 1535 Coverdale 1 Tim. ii. 9 That they araye them selues in comly apparell. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 364 Banners, Penons, Standards of silke, so sumptuous and comely that it was a marvell to beholde. 1630 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. 133 Broader streets, comelier monuments, and handsomer buildings. 1632 Milton Penseroso 125 Civil-suited Morn..Not trickt and frounc't..But Cherchef't in a comly Cloud. 1870 Hawthorne Eng. Note-Bks. II. 199 Surrounded by ancient and comely habitations. |
b. Of persons: Fair, pretty, ‘nice-looking’, pleasing: in modern use implying a lower or homelier style of personal beauty, which pleases but does not excite admiration.
| c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 53 He þe comlokest kyng þat þe court haldes. c 1450 Castle Howard Life St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 533 He was so comely and so fayre. c 1485 Digby Myst. (1882) iii. 67 No comlyar creatur of goddes creacyon. 1655–60 Stanley Hist. Philos. 10 He was a Comely Man, and had a Majestick Mien. 1718 Hickes & Nelson Kettlewell i. §9. 30 He was a Youth of a very comely Form. 1718 Gay Let. 9 Aug., Sarah Drew might be rather called comely than beautiful. 1888 Mahaffy Tour Holl. & Germ. iv, The women comely, but not often handsome. |
† c. Applied in courtesy to those of noble station; and hence to God and Christ. (Cf. Fair sir.) Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 23961 (Gött.) Þe car all of þat cumli king [Christ]. a 1400–50 Alexander 354 Ȝa, quod he, comly qwene. Ibid. 470 Nay, quod þe comly kyng. c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 2874 Cumly Crist, that heried hell. c 1460 Towneley Myst., Processus Noe 21 Comly kyng of mankyn. |
† 2. Pleasing, agreeable, ‘nice’, to the senses or feelings generally. Obs. or arch.
| c 1300 K. Alis. 6055 Two quenes of Amazoyne, With twenty thousand..Faire maydenes..That weore wyght in bataile, And comly in bed. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xv. 444 Cloth þat cometh fro þe weuyng is nouȝt comly to were, Tyl it is fulled. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. 51 Their haire would..ouergrowe their faces, rather like monsters, than comlie sober christians. 1624 Capt. Smith Virginia iii. v. 56 The King was the comliest, proper, civill Salvage we incountred. 1671 Milton Samson 1268. 1883 Stevenson Silverado Sq. (1886) 45 They said many kind and comely things about the people. |
3. Pleasing or agreeable to the moral sense, to notions of propriety, or æsthetic taste; becoming, decent, proper, seemly, decorous. arch. or Obs.
| [c 1230 Hali Meid. 25 Ba of god & of uuel, of cumelich & of uncumelich.] c 1440 Promp. Parv. 88 Comely, or semely in syghte, decens. 1561 Bp. Parkhurst Injunctions, A comelie and honest pulpet to be set in a comeli place of the Churche. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 62 Robert Bishop of Hertford offered himself to beare his crosse, rather than he should so do, for that was not comely. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxv. §9 For the comelier and better exercise of our religion. 1611 Bible Ps. xxxiii. 1 Prayse is comely for the vpright. 1614 Bp. Hall Contempl. O.T. vii. v, How justly doe wee take care of the comely burials of our friends. 1646 F. Hawkins Youth's Behaviour vii. 31 It is not comely to sup ones broath at Table, it ought to be eaten with a spoon. a 1677 Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 I. 298 Nothing is more comely and agreeable to humane nature than peaceable living. 1725 Pope Odyss. iii. 499 Marching home In comely order. |
† b. Befitting the purpose, appropriate, proper.
| 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 1 A fine launcet is most comely, and much fitter than a larger incision knife. |
† 4. absol. or as n. Fair one. (Cf. bright B. 2., clear C. 1., fair, etc.) Obs.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 873 Kurteyslyche kneling þat komli he grett. c 1400 Destr. Troy 552 Jason..þat comly [Medea] can clip in his close armes. |
5. Comb., as † comely-looked a., having comely looks; comely-looking adj., † comely-wise adv.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 108/2 Comly, or cumlywyse. Decenter. 1664 Pepys Diary 21 Jan., A comely-looked man he was. 1841 Borrow Zincali I. x. §i. 167 One [woman] was more comely looking than the other. |
▪ II. † comely, adv. Obs.
Forms: 1 c{yacu}ml{iacu}ce, 3 cumeliche, 4 comeliche, comliche, cumli, commli, 4–5 comly, 5 cumly, 6 cumlie, comelie, (combly), 6–8 comely.
[OE. c{yacu}ml{iacu}ce adv. f. c{yacu}ml{iacu}c adj.: see -ly2. Phonetic and sense history, as in the adj.]
Handsomely, nicely, suitably; in a seemly or becoming manner.
| a 1000 Beowulf 75 Ne hyrde ic cymlicor ceol ᵹeᵹyrwan. a 1225 St. Marher. 19 Þet ha cumeliche faren. a 1300 Cursor M. 15209 Quen þis hus was commli dight. c 1350 Will. Palerne 2220 A cite nobul Enclosed comeliche aboute wiþ fyn castelwerk. c 1435 Torr. Portugal 1707 Tho sye they..Men of armes ffaste ride, On coursers comly dight. c 1510 Barclay Mirr. Good Mann. (1570) A iij, Grauitie Which to both our states more comely may agree. 1597 Shakes. Lover's Compl. 65 Comely distant sits he by her side. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. ii. ii. (1651) 237 Decently and comely attired. 1651 Jer. Taylor Serm. i. Ep. Ded., He speaks comely. |
▪ III. † comely, v. Obs. rare—1.
[f. comely a.]
trans. To make comely; to grace, adorn.
| 1573 Tusser Husb. (1878) 189 One diligent seruiture, skilfull to waight, more comelieth thy table than other some eight, That stand for to listen, or gasing about. |