▪ I. seemly, a.
(ˈsiːmlɪ)
Forms: α. 3–4 semliche, (3 somlich, semlyche, sem(e)like), 3–4 sem(e)li, (3 semele, 3, 5 semle, 4 seemeli), 4 semelich(e, seem(e)lich, 4–5 semlich, 5 semelych, 4–6 semly, 5–6 semelie, (5 cemely, semly, seymely), 4–7 semely, (5–6 -ye), 5–7 seemely, (6 seemlie), 4– seemly. β. 4–6 sembly, (4 sembbly, sembli, semblych, 6 seemble). compar. 4 semeliere, semloker, 5 semelyar, 6 seemelyer, 6– seemlier. superl. 4 semelieste, 4–5 sem(e)lokest, semlyest(e, (semelest, semylyeste), 5 sem(e)liest, sem(e)list, seymliast, 5–6 semelyest, 7 seemelyest, 6– seemliest.
[a. ON. s{obaracu}milig-r (MSw. sömelek-er, Da. s{obar}mmelig), f. s{obaracu}m-r becoming: see seem v.2 and -ly1.]
1. Of a person, his figure, etc.: Of a pleasing or goodly appearance, fair, well-formed, handsome, ‘proper’. Obs. exc. dial.
In early use chiefly applied to a person of high rank or lineage. Frequently used alliteratively, as seemly to see, seemly in or to sight.
| α a 1225 Leg. Kath. 449 Ah þischene nebscheft & tisemliche schape schaweð wel þæt tu art freo monne foster. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1007 Siðen,..saȝ abraham figures ðre, Sondes semlike kumen fro gode. a 1300 Cursor M. 18830 Of heght he [Christ] was meteli man,..And wonder semli was wit-al. c 1350 Libeaus Desc. 125 Þer nas countesse ne quene So semelich on to sene, Þat miȝte be her pere. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 816 His [Lot's] two dere doȝterez..wer semly & swete, & swyþe wel arayed. c 1386 Chaucer Manciple's T. 15 Therto he was the semelieste man That is or was sith þat the world bigan. c 1400 Sowdone Bab. 39 A Baron & Kniȝtis ful boold, That roialle were and semly to sene. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 263 That peple is stronge and of semely stature. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 237/1 He sawe an auncient man of noble stature wyth a long berd wyth a semely vysage. c 1510 More Picus Wks. 2/2 He was of feture and shappe semely, and bewteous. 1540 Cromwell in Merriman Life & Lett. (1902) II. 269 She is nothing so Fayre as she hathe bene reportyd, howbeit she is well and semelye. 1548–77 Vicary Anat. iii. (1888) 25 The Heire..maketh the forme..of the head to seeme more seemelyer or beautyfuller. 1596 Spenser F.Q. v. iv. 4 And them beside two seemely damzells stood. 1900 E. Phillpotts in Pall Mall Mag. Apr. 436 He was a man of seemly outward parts. |
| β c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 834 Þanne was Olyuer þat sembbly knyȝt al-one among is fon. Ibid. 5884 Hure vysage was fair & tretys, Hure body..semblych of stature. 1382 Wyclif Gen. xxiv. 16 Rabecca..a ful sembly damysel, and moost fayr mayden. Ibid. 1 Sam. xvi. 12 Forsothe he was rodi..and sembli in face. c 1470 Henry Wallace ix. 1920 In schuldrys braid was he, Rycht sembly, strang, and lusty for to se. 1513 Douglas æneis vi. xv. 37 A sembly springald, a fayr ȝowng galland, Rycht schaply maid. |
† b. absol. (quasi-n.) A ‘seemly’ person.
Obs.| a 1300 Cursor M. 13371 Þat gadring þar was ful gret And mani semli sett in sete. a 1310 [see sad a. 1]. c 1350 Will. Palerne 732 But certes þat semly sat so in his hert..þat..a-wai wold it neuer. c 1440 York Myst. xlvii. 6 And to þat semely schall ȝe saye Off heuene I haue hir chosen quene. a 1450 Le Morte Arth. 639 Is noon of vs but wold be blithe Suche a semely for to see. |
2. Of things: Pleasant (
esp. to the sight); handsome in appearance; of fine or stately proportion.
| a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. v. 25 Ase beryl so bryht, Ase saphyr in selver semly on syht. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 12 Þis semly somers day. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 115 Þere sai he semliche tres wiþ þe sonne woxe. 1380 Chaucer To Rosemounde 11 Your seemly voys that ye so smal out-twyne. 1387–8 T. Usk Test. Love Prol. (Skeat) l. 11 This book, that nothing hath of the greet flode of wit ne of semelich colours, is dolven with rude wordes and boystous. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 81 There be trees of so semely stature that vnnethe the altitude of theym may be atteynede by the schote of an arowe. 1563 Sackville Induct. Mirr. Mag. ii, The soyle that earst so seemely was to seen. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. ii. vii. 37 Their gownes..white or of other seemlie colour. 1615 W. Lawson Country Housew. Gard. (1626) 12 You must therefore plant in such a soile, where you may prouide a conuenient, strong, and seemely fence. a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Chester (1662) i. 292 He erected a seemly waterwork built Steeplewise..by his own ingenious industry. 1826 E. Irving Babylon I. iv. 294 This seemly fabric which he had built up, of arms, of arts, of elegance,..began to crumble. 1870 Rock Textile Fabrics Introd. 86 From such a prohibition we are not to draw as a conclusion that fustian was at the time a mean material; quite the contrary, it was a seemly textile. 1884 Manch. Exam. 18 Sept. 4/6 He..like a skilful architect, builds them into a fair and seemly edifice. |
| β c 1305 Land Cokayne 66 Þer is a cloister fair and liȝt Brod and lang, of sembli siȝt. c 1470 Henry Wallace viii. 1008 A sembly place so fand thai..Quhilk Ramswaith hecht. |
3. Of conduct, speech, appearance: Conformable to propriety or good taste; becoming, decorous.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 94 Ant forþui hit is riht & somlich [v.r. semlich] þæt ancren þes two morhȝiuen habben biuoren oðre. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 41, I conseile..my freris..þat þei ben..homly & meke, spekynge of al þingis as it is semely. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2962 Hit were sittyng for sothe, & semly for wemen, þaire houses to haunt & holde hom with in. 1545 Joye Exp. Dan. vii. 124 A fayer decent semely shewe of vtwarde deuocion. 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 139/1 That our liues be honest and semely, not dissolute and lawlesse. 1657 J. Smith Myst. Rhet. Unvail'd 70 Such like formes of speaking are used for modesties sake; for it were not so seemly to say..that he is a fool. 1708 J. Philips Cyder ii. 484 May we..enjoy Our humid Products, and with seemly Draughts Enkindle Mirth. 1785 Cowper Task i. 729 It is not seemly, nor of good report, That she is slack in discipline. 1805 Wordsw. Prelude iii. 398 And over all A healthy sound simplicity should reign, A seemly plainness, name it what you will, Republican or pious. 1817 Coleridge ‘Blessed are ye that sow’ 72 To be..industrious, useful, and of seemly bearing, are qualities presupposed in the gospel code. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. ii. xv, Take a little time..to make your eyes seemly [after weeping]. 1871 Blackie Four Phases Mor. i. 153 It were not seemly in me to follow their example. 1877 J. D. Chambers Div. Worship 346 Let the Priest set down the Chalice in front of him in a seemly way. |
| absol. a 1806 Horsley Serm. xxi. (1816) II. 187 A system of morality in which the formal nature of the moral good should be traced to the original idea of the seemly and the fair. |
| β 1554 in Strype Eccl. Mem. (1733) III. xvi. 139 For it was not meet nor seemble, that the Bishop being occupied with other weightier Affairs..should debase himself to such petit Functions. |
† 4. Suitable to the person or the occasion; appropriate. Const.
to,
for.
Obs.| c 1350 Will. Palerne 568, I sayle now in þe see as schip boute mast,..or ani semlyche sayle. Ibid. 1882 Þei ete..boute salt oþer sauce or any semli drynk. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 302 He commaunded the Citezens of London to prepare themselues and their Citie, and to make the same seemely and meete to receyue..the French king. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) 15 The very lowest margent of paper shall doe no more but beare it, so be it the place be seemely for the same. 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. 623 Artaxerxes said, that it was a great deale more seemlier for the majestie of a king to give, than to take. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. xxii. 6 For all that beauty that doth couer thee, Is but the seemely rayment of my heart, Which in thy brest doth liue. 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster iv. vi, And are these seemely companie for thee, Degenerate monster? 1611 Bible Prov. xix. 10 Delight is not seemely for a foole. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 146 The heeles [of shoes] shod with thin Iron, and end with small nailes in seemely order. |
† 5. [Influenced by
seem v.
2]
a. Likely.
b. Apparent, seeming.
Obs.| a. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxxi. 140, I dare noȝt say þat þai ware all verray bodys:..for it es noȝt semely þat so grete a multitude of folk schuld verrayly hafe bene deed so resch withouten..corrupcioun. c 1425 Cursor M. 9781 If aungel had take monnes kynde Þenne were he leþyere þen he was ere..And semeliere for to doun falle. 1496 Dives & Pauper (1534) ii. xiii. 98 b, He sholde not haue made that oth..for it was semely, that moche dysease myght come therof, yf it were kepte. |
| b. c 1440 Love Bonavent. Mirr. viii. (Gibbs MS.), [Christ giving us example that] we schulden not go fro þe ground of trew mekenesse by coloure of any semelych profyte or gode [L. apparentis boni]. 1800 Southey Thalaba ii. 370 And still the wily man With seemly kindness, to the eager Boy Directs his winning tale. |
▪ II. seemly, adv. (
ˈsiːmlɪ)
Forms: 3
semelike,
semele,
semili, 4
sem(e)liche,
semeli, (
semeely), 4–5
sem(y)ly, 4–6
semely, 5
cemely, (6
semelie,
-ye, 7
seemlie), 6–
seemly.
[a. ON. s{obaracu}miliga (Icel. sæmiliga, MSw. sömelika), f. s{obaracu}m-r: see prec. and -ly2.] 1. In a pleasing manner; so as to present a fair, handsome, or stately appearance. Now
arch.| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 1504 Ðe firme sune at offrende sel Was wune ben scrid semelike and wel. a 1300 Cursor M. 8322 It sal be precius and prude, Þe werc he [Solomon] sal sua semele scrude. Ibid. 9880 A castell bath god and gett, Strenthed well and semili sett. c 1350 Will. Palerne 1432 Þemperour ful semly seide to hem þanne [etc.]. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 1442 Þe iueles..Bi þe syde of þe sale were semely arayed. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 123 Ful weel she soong the seruice dyuyne, Entuned in hir nose ful semeely. Ibid. 151 Ful semyly hir wympul pynched was. c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 73 A spouse semly dighte of ryche ornements. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xvii. vii. 699 Gyrdels which were semely wroughte with golden thredys. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 257 Those blessed lockes of heare and beerd, whiche in lyfe moost semely did become that graacyous heed and face. 1553 Brende Q. Curtius D d vj, Whiche beyng menne of goodly personages, rydde in wagons semely appareyled. 1671 Milton P.R. ii. 299 A man before him stood, Not rustic as before, but seemlier clad. 1876 Swinburne Erechtheus 379 Look on this child, how young of years, how sweet;..her eyes How seemly smiling. |
2. Fittingly, appropriately; decently, becomingly.
| c 1320 R. Brunne Medit. 387 Þat mannes soule, þat lyþ yn helle, May nat semely to blys be broȝt, But þey with hys blode be fyrst oute boȝt. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VIII. 87 Þe bisshop of Durham, þat schulde more skilfulliche and semeliche occupie hym self in Goddis service þan in þe kynges service. c 1440 Astron. Cal. (MS. Ashm. 391), Þan meve þe cercle semyly aboute þ{supt} hath þe moonþes and signes writen in hym. 1552 Godly Prayers in Psalter (1560) N ij, That..we maye..decently and semely walke (as in the day time) beyng pure and cleane from the workes of darkenes. 1593 Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees 1860) 218 My bodye I commytt to the earth, to be semelye buried at the discretion of my frendes. 1594 R. Ashley tr. Loys le Roy 94 For we haue..their domestical, and familiar affaires, better, and seemlier ordered. 1643 Milton Divorce ii. x. Wks. 1851 IV. 88 Nor is it seemly or piously attributed to the justice of God,..that [etc.]. 1725 Pope Odyss. xix. 21 These swarthy arms among the covert stores Are seemlier hid. 1875 Morris æn. xii. 210 E'en as this sceptre..A tree once, but the craftsman's hand hath wrapped it seemly now With brass about. |
† 3. In a moderate degree, ‘fairly’.
Obs. rare.
| c 1460 J. Metham Wks. 90 And yff this lyne be semely longe and pase noght the hylle off the schewyng ffynger, yt sygnyfyith hardynes. 1647 N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. i. xlvii. (1682) 79 Henry the first..recontinued the liberty of publick Consultations, and yet maintained his Dignity and Honour seemly well. |
4. Apparently, seemingly.
dial.| 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. II. 77 The shrieking bat, Who, seemly pleas'd to mock our treacherous view, Would even swoop and touch us as he flew. 1901 E. G. Hayden Trav. round Village i. 16 We yeard a girt hollerin' as comed simly from unner our fit. |