ˈsickerly, adv. Now Sc. and north. dial.
Forms: see sicker a. Also 1 -lice, 3–5 -liche (3 -lichen, 4 -lich), 4–5 -lyche; 3 -like, 4 -lik, -lic; compar. 3 -loker, 4 -laker; 3 -liȝ, 4–5 -li (4 -le), 5–6 -lye, 6–7 (9) -lie.
[Late OE. sicerl{iacu}ce (f. sicer sicker a.), = MDu. sekerlike, -lijc (Du. zekerlijk), MLG. sekerliken, OHG. sichurlîcho, MHG. sicherliche (G. -lich), MSw. sikerlika, etc.]
† 1. With full certainty or conviction. Obs.
| c 1100 in Napier Contrib. O.E. Lexicogr. 57 For þan þe þa apostles scolden witen sicerlice þæt he arisen wæs of deaðe. c 1200 Ormin 5322 Þe birrþ witenn sikerrliȝ, Forr Goddspell⁓boc itt kiþeþþ. c 1375 Barbour Bruce iv. 662 That ȝhe trow this sekirly, My twa sonnys with ȝow sall I Send. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 327 As he which demeth sikerly That sche be ded. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. i. (Rolls) 132 If a treuthe be knowen bi doom of resoun, thanne it is knowen or sureli and sikirli; or it is knowen oonli probabili and likeli. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 13 To trow sickirly that God is almychty. 1586 J. Ferne Blaz. Gentrie 22 But I holde full sickerlie..that he fyndeth but few gentlefolks [etc.]. |
2. Without doubt; undoubtedly, certainly, decidedly, assuredly.
| α c 1220 Bestiary 106 His hope is al to gode-ward,..ðat is te sunne sikerlike. a 1300 Havelok 2301 Lokes nou, hw he is fayr; Sikerlike he is hise eyr. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 114 Tho wiste he..That he was sikerliche ded. |
| β c 1200 Ormin 5754 Þa shallt tu wurrþenn sikerrliȝ An off Drihhtiness chilldre. a 1320 Sir Tristr. 3237 And meriadok, sikerly, In his help gan he be. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 137 And sikurly sche was of gret disport, And ful plesant. c 1470 Henry Wallace viii. 594 Jornay thai socht, and sekyrly has found. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. vi. 44 That sikerly is true praise. c 1580 in Montgomerie's Poems (S.T.S.) 279, I was applesit to pleiss ȝow sickerly. 1736 W. Thompson Epithal. xi. 5 Such colours, sikerly, suit Hymen best. 1825 in Brockett N.C. Gloss. 1876 F. K. Robinson Whitby Gloss. s.v., ‘Ay, ay, sikkerly’, yes, yes, assuredly. |
b. Qualifying verbs of affirming: Positively.
| 1340 Ayenb. 64 Huanne me zuereþ zikerliche of þinge þet me nis naȝt ziker. c 1440 Generydes 2095 The xijteward the kyng of Orkenaye.., I say yow sekerly. 1533 Bellenden Livy i. i. (S.T.S.) I. 15 Quha may sikkerlie afferme sa remote & vncouth historie? |
3. With assurance; confidently.
| c 1205 Lay. 7883 Sikerlichen we sculden uaren & fehten wið þon kæisere. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 2469 Na man may trayste sikerly In hys gude dedys, þat he dus here. c 1400 Beryn 1542 In whom shuld the sone have trust & feith sikirly, If his Fadir faylid hym? 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utopia i. (1895) 102 Wherby I can not see what good they haue doone, but that men may more sickerlye be euell. |
4. Without danger or harm; securely, safely.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 142 He chaungede is name þe sikerloker forto go. a 1340 Hampole Psalter lxv. 5 Þai sall pass in flode,..in meknes, for swa he passis sikirly. c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 1093 The poore man slepith ful sikirly On nyghtes, thogh his dore be noght shit. 1533 Bellenden Livy i. xv. (S.T.S.) I. 84 Þe samyn thing..was possibill and mycht sikkirlie be done. c 1665 Livingstone in Sel. Biogr. (Wodrow Soc.) I. 268 How sickerly is that laid up from the reach of the roughest hands! 1897 E. W. Hamilton Outlaws 27 There's nae a man in Liddesdale can sickerly lead a party at night thro' the Foulbogshiel. |
5. In a secure manner; firmly, fast.
| c 1205 Lay. 26801 Þer heo wel wisten sikerliche to halden þene riche mon of Rome. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints iv. (Jacobus) 123 His handis bundyne sekyrly behynd his bak. Ibid. xxxv. (Thadee) 125 [He] closit þe dure sekyrly, & selyt it with led. a 1400–50 Alexander 2401 Þat Iowell..was full sekirly & soft all in silke falden. a 1810 J. Finlay in Ford Harp of Perthshire (1893) 419 What sorrow gars him haud it sae sickerlie? 1828 Buchan Ball. I. 112 Twa for keepers o' the guard, See that to keep it sickerlie. |
b. In the manner of an obligation; bindingly.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 25162 Halden sikerlik es he Vs to here in vr mister. 1340 Ayenb. 64 Huanne me behat zikerliche þet me naȝt not yef me hit may uoluelle. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 439, I salle hym sekyrly ensure, undyre my seele ryche, To seege þe cetee of Rome wyth-in sevene wyntyre. |
6. In a stable or steady manner.
| c 1375 Lay Folks Mass Bk. (MS. B) 526 Þou make my loue..sykerly sett..to loue þe wele. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. civ. (1869) 56 Thilke that leneth him sikerliche ther to may not falle. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. 142 b, That thou may be sickerly groundit in the trew faith of this sacrament. 1822 Galt Provost xiv, [He] had again got himself most sickerly installed in the Guildry. 1895 Crockett Men of Moss-Hags xlvi, To learn ye how siccarly to sit your beast. |
7. With certainty of result; efficaciously.
| 1340 Ayenb. 195 Ase þe lanterne þet me berþ beuore þe manne him let bet and more zikerlaker þanne þe ilke þet me berþ behynde þe regge. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. xxviii. (Bodl. MS.), No partie of the body toucheþ so sekerlich as þe hand. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V, 72, We.. shal ordaine for the gouernance of our sayd father sekyrly, lovingly and honestly. c 1817 Hogg Tales & Sk. III. 71, I would have aimed as sickerly as possible. |
8. Sharply, severely, smartly.
| 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. v. lxxxiv. (S.T.S.) I. 304 He first..mett sickerly with the Jnduellaris of Lochquhaber. ? 1609 in Row Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.) 265 Whilk might make a few..conveen together..and censure sickerlie those corrupters of the Kirk. 1685 Renwick Serm. (1776) 177 God shall make them pay sickerly for it. 1775 Baillie's Lett. & Jrnls. I. 384 Who spoke against conclusions, got usually so sickerly on the fingers that they had better been silent. 1808 Jamieson, Sickerly,..smartly, severely; in relation to a stroke. |