spiritually, adv.
(ˈspɪrɪtjuːəlɪ)
Also 4 spirituellyche, 5 spirytuelly.
[f. spiritual a.]
1. In a spiritual manner; in or as to the spirit; as regards or in respect of spiritual things; in accordance with spiritual principles.
| 1340 Ayenb. 84 Hi zet man spirituellyche ine his riȝte stat huerinne he wes uerst ymad. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. i. (1495) 3 By the..simylitude of thynges visible our wit or our vnderstondynge, spirytuelly,..may be so well ordred [etc.]. c 1440 Alph. Tales 194 Our Ladie..enoyntid þis seke man..& curid hym bothe spirituallie & bodelie. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 20 As evill bitter wateris gerris mony folk dee temporaly, sa dois..heresy and lollardry the saule dee spiritualy. a 1513 Fabyan Chron. v. cxiii. (1516) G iij/1 Þ⊇ Quene..brought in hir armes the yonge Baby, to the which she was moder bothe naturally, and spiritually. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 66 The body and blud of Christ is received spiritually. 1650 Jer. Taylor Holy Living ii. §3. 90 In the same degree that Virgins live more spiritually then other persons. 1755 Young Centaur ii. Wks. IV. 145 Spiritually blind, deaf, and stupid, they see not the great Omnipresent walking in the garden. 1828 Lytton Pelham I. xx, Mr. Howard de Howard is too unsubstantial not to be spiritually inclined. 1893 Bookman June 86/1 This Russian baroness..spiritually directing the Czar of all the Russias. |
b. Comb. in spiritually-minded.
| 1526 Tindale Rom. viii. 6 To be carnally mynded is deeth, and to be spiritually mynded is lyfe, and peace. 1564–78 W. Bullein Dial. agst. Pest. (1888) 122 He is so spiritually mynded that he forgetteth poore Roger. 1681 Owen (title), Grace and Duty of being Spiritually-Minded. 1831 Scott Cast. Dang. v, Methinks thou art more spiritually-minded than can always be predicated of a wandering minstrel. 1844 tr. M. T. Asmar's Mem. Babylonian Princ. II. 57 Being..a spiritually-minded woman, she yielded her consent. |
† 2. In or according to a spiritual sense. (Opposed to literally.) Obs.
| 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1492 Bifore þe sancta sanctorum soþefast dryȝtyn Expouned his speche spiritually to special prophetes. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xv. 68 Þai vnderstand noȝt haly writte spiritually, bot after þe letter. 1550 Senonoys Godly Sayings (1846) 74 Understand ye spiritually that whiche I have spoken unto you. 1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse Pref. 2 All they agree in this poynt,..but yet as touchinge the situation, some vnderstand it spiritually. |
† 3. In a spiritual or ecclesiastical capacity.
| c 1511 1st Eng. Bk. Amer. Introd. (Arb.) p. xxx/2 The Grekes haue spyrytually the Patriarcke of Constantynnoplen, and many Archebysshops, bysshops, and abbottes. |
4. As a spirit or spiritual being; with supernatural beauty, radiance, etc.
| 1816 Byron Siege Cor. xi, Bespangled with those isles of light, So wildly, spiritually bright. a 1850 Rossetti Dante & Circle i. (1874) 95 She..Grew perfectly and spiritually fair. |
5. In respect of distilled spirit or alcohol. rare.
| 1866 Athenæum 12 May 634/1 French wine being spiritually weaker, than either port or sherry. |