▪ I. colly, n.1 Obs. exc. dial.
(ˈkɒlɪ)
[prob. f. colly a., or a dial. form of collow n., assimilated to the adj.]
1. Soot; smut.
1708–15 Kersey, Colly, the Black that sticks on the outside of a Pot, or Kettle. Colly, to dawb with Colly, to smut. 1825 Britton Beauties Wiltsh. Gloss., Colley, the soot from a kettle. 1880 Antrim & Down Gloss., Colley, smuts. |
2. The Blackbird. dial. [In this sense prob. the adj. used subst.: cf. the Sc. name ‘the Blackie’.]
c 1805 A. Young Ann. Agric. XXX. 314 (Somerset) Colley, a blackbird. 1888 Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk., Colly, the blackbird. Ibid., Water-colly, the water ouzel. |
3. Comb., as colly-brand, colly-coal, colly-stick (see quots.).
a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Collar-coal, black smut from the chimney or bars. We distinctly pronounce it thus. 1840 Spurdens Suppl., Colly-coal, this spelling is nearer to the pronunciation than collar, in Forby. 1880 W. Cornw. Gloss., Colley-brands, summer lightning. 1880 E. Cornw. Gloss., Collybrand, smut in corn. 1881 Leicestersh. Gloss., Colly-stick, a stick used for lighting a pipe, etc., one end being thrust into the fire. |
▪ II. ˈcolly, n.2
[dim., related to ON. kolla cow (properly without horns), a hind, a girl; see coll v.2]
(See quot.)
1719 D'Urfey Pills V. 11 Sawney shall ne'er be my Colly, my Cow. 1881 Leicestersh. Gloss., Colly, a term of endearment for a cow. |
▪ III. colly
var. of collie, sheep-dog.
▪ IV. † ˈcolly, a. Obs. or dial.
[The same word as 16th c. colie coaly; the vowel here remaining short, as in the original quantity of OE. col, *coliᵹ, and in the verb collow, colly; while in the form coaly it is assimilated to coal, of which the o was lengthened by position in ME.]
Dirtied with coal-dust or soot; grimy; coal-black.
[1565–1594 Colie: see coaly.] |
1609 C. Butler Fem. Mon. (1634) 122 The great Titmouse (which, of his colly head and breast, some call a Colemouse). 1619 H. Hutton Follies Anat. (Percy Soc.) 49 Vulcan..Lymping into the trough, to scour his face And colly fists. 1793 Compl. Farmer (ed. 4) s.v., Colley Sheep, such sheep as have black faces and legs. 1804 Duncumb Herefordsh. Gloss., Colly, black; from coal. 1880 Mrs. H. Wood Johnny Ludlow Ser. ii. (1889) 290 The girl, who seemed to be cleaning up..for her face and arms were all ‘colly’. |
▪ V. colly, v.1 arch. and dial.
(ˈkɒlɪ)
[App. a parallel form to collow v., going back with it to an OE. *colᵹian, whence ME. colwen, and *colȝen, *colien, the latter becoming at length colly. Cf. bellows, belly.]
trans. To blacken with coal-dust or soot; to begrime.
1590 [see collied]. 1601 B. Jonson Poetaster iv. v, Nor thou hast not collied thy Face enough, stinkard. a 1655 Vines Lord's Supp. (1677) 345 A child that will colly himself with the cole that's black and dead. 1791 Cowper Odyss. xviii. 34 An old hag Collied with chimney-smutch. 1861 Geo. Eliot Silas M. xiv, ‘Not..to let him stay i' the coal-hole more nor a minute; but it was enough to colly him all over’. 1870 Lettice Lisle 304 ‘What for are ye collying o' me’? says the pot to the kettle. 1879 in Shropsh. Wordbk. 1882 W. Worcestersh. Gloss., Colley, to blacken. |
b. fig. To blacken in character; to darken.
1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. iii. 206 Passion hauing my best iudgement collied [Qq. coold] Assaies to leade the way. 1615 Curry-c. for Cox-c. i. 67 That King, whom Iabal collyeth with his sinister and causlesse doubts. |
¶ ? To make black with blows; or perhaps a distinct word, variant of coil v.2 to beat, thrash.
1601 Cornwallyes Ess. ii. xl. (1631) 172 Collied on the backe with scoffes and reproaches. |
▪ VI. † ˈcolly, v.2 Obs.
Also coley, coly.
[a. OF. coleier, coloier, collier to turn the neck, f. col, cou neck: cf. manier to handle.]
intr. To move or turn the neck; to turn the head from side to side: said of birds.
c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode ii. lxxxiv. (1869) 106 While the brid goth coleyinge [colliant], hider and thider turnynge the nekke. 1486 Bk. St. Albans A vj b, Yowre hawke colyeth and not beckyth. 1610 J. Guillim Heraldry iii. xx. (1660) 223. 1678 Phillips, Collieth. 1715 in Kersey s.v. Colly. Hence in Bailey. 1783 Ainsworth Lat. Dict. (Morell) 1, She collieth [of a hawk], annuit. |
▪ VII. colly, v.3
By-form of coll v. to hug.
[Perhaps only the s.w. infinitive = coll-en; but cf. cully.]
a 1600 Robin Consc. 218 in Hazl. E.P.P. III. 241 To colly and kis, my pleasvre it is, for all yovr new learning. |