▪ I. † ˈcouthly, a. Obs.
In 3 cuðlich, couþlich.
[:—OE. type c{uacu}þl{iacu}c, f. c{uacu}þ couth a.: see -ly1.]
Familiar, friendly.
| c 1205 Lay. 9827 Wið Claudien minne fader, Þe wes þi cudliche freond. Ibid. 19679 Þas swiken..cleopeden to þan cnihte mid cudliche [c 1275 couþliche] worden. |
▪ II. couthly, adv. Obs. exc. Sc.
(ˈkuːθlɪ)
Forms: 1 c{uacu}þl{iacu}ce, 3 cuþliȝ, cuðliche, kiþþeliȝ, 4 couþly, couþely, cuthli, cowthly, kouthly, 9 couthly, coothly.
[OE. c{uacu}þl{iacu}ce, f. c{uacu}þ couth: see -ly2.]
† 1. Certainly, manifestly; clearly. Obs.
| c 900 Bæda's Hist. ii. xii. 128 Ic cuþlice wat [scio certissime]. a 1000 Cynewulf Juliana 411 (Gr.) Acyrred cuþlice from Cristes æ. 1388 Wyclif 1 Sam. Prol. 3 The wordis of daies, the which more kouthly may be clepid the Cronycle of Goddis stories. |
2. Familiarly, kindly, as a familiar friend. Obs. exc. Sc.
| c 900 Bæda's Hist. v. vii, Ðæt he ðe cuþlicor from ðam halᵹum ᵹe-earnode in heofonum onfongen beon. 1000 Andreas 322 (Gr.) Ðæt he eaþmedum ellorfusne oncnawe cuþlice. 1200 Ormin 2204 He toc to frofrenn hire anann Cuþliȝ bi name. c 1205 Lay. 719 Þu heom clepe to and cuðliche wið heom spec. a 1300 Cursor M. 17696 (Cott.) Cuthli for him can [v.r. gon] i knele. c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 937 Þe lorde..couþly hym knowez & callez hym his nome. 1840 Whistlebinkie (Sc. Songs) (1890) I. 271 I'm coothly come your luve to win. |
¶ 3. With the knowledge or skill of familiarity: the opposite of uncouthly. (A pseudo-archaism.)
| 1816 W. Taylor in Monthly Mag. XLI. 330 He only passes for the parish star, Who couthly strains the bow, or thrusts the steel. 1843 Lytton Last Bar. i. vi, By the blood! this is couthly and marvellously blazoned. |