straitly, adv.
(ˈstreɪtlɪ)
[f. strait a. + -ly2.]
1. Tightly. Obs. or arch.
| 1338 R. Brunne Chron. (1725) 337 He did þam fettre wele, streitly & right hard. a 1425 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 29 Þof al it be bounden riȝt streitly at þe first tyme ȝitte vnneþe schal þe fretyng be complete in som men by a moneþ. 1483 Caxton Golden Leg. 407/3 Thenne eche kyssed other and enbraced straytely. 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 255 Let y⊇ Ministers of Gods word learne to be straitlier laced then other men. 1598 R. Grenewey Tacitus, Ann. xiv. ii. (1612) 200 Nero..embraced hir more streightly then hee was accustomed. 1653 H. More Conject. Cabbal. 228 The soul may deem her self too straitly girt up. 1752 ‘Sir H. Beaumont’ Crito 19 If it be a Child of the tenderer Sex, she must be bound yet more streightly about the Waist and Stomach. 1820 Scott Monast. xxxi, Even that ruffian hesitated to draw the cord straitly. 1850 Neale Med. Hymns 12 Let thy loins be straitly girded. |
† 2. Urgently. Obs.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 5597 Þe croyce on whilk he dieghed for man Sal stratly pray ogayne þe þan. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 15 A monke þat hight Hubertus..when he sulde dy,..askid straytlie þat þe abbott myght com vnto hym & assoyle hym. |
3. Narrowly; within narrow limits.
| c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 674 At aither entre was, i wys, Straytly wroght, a port-culis. a 1504 Erthe upon Erthe (1911) 28/39 Erth hath closed them ful streytly in his bowre. a 1619 M. Fotherby Atheom. ii. i. §8 (1622) 185 Yet is our capacity so much straitlier limited, that it cannot reach to any of their limits. 1851 Carlyle Sterling ii. v, I remember finding him lodged straitly but cheerfully,..in a little cottage on Blackheath. 1877 Conder Basis of Faith v. 230 Nature..straitly restrains that latent capacity for variation, so freely evolved under the hand of man. |
b. With reference to a siege or the like: Closely, narrowly, strictly.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 3811 Þo was he beseged so streytly, Þat he durst come oute on no party. 1474 Caxton Chesse iii. ii. (1883) 90 His gardes whiche wacchid and kept straytly thys forteresse. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 205 William the Conquerour, most straightly beleaguered it. 1728 Morgan Algiers I. 170 His..Wizir..revolted, and straitly besieged him. 1889 Rider Haggard Cleopatra i. iv, And for answer Achillas marched on Cæsar, and besieged him straitly in the Bruchium at Alexandria. |
† c. straitly stead: placed in straits, sore beset.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce vii. 216 The kyng so stratly stad wes thair, That he wes neuer ȝeit swa stad. c 1400 Melayne 42 He was full straytly stede. c 1440 York Myst. xxii. 187 Me thynke þat ȝe ware straytely stedde, Lorde, with þis fende þat nowe is fledde. |
† d. to look straitly to: to watch narrowly. Obs.
| c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 5022 He was so straytely loked to. 1568 Hacket tr. Thevet's New found World xlii. 66 They dare doe no faulte: for their husbandes doe looke straightly to them [Fr. car les maris les regardent de prés]. a 1569 A. Kingsmill Man's Est. viii. (1580) 42 If I have sinned, then thou wilt streightly looke unto mee. 1588 D. Rogers in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. III. 151 Who of late did his best to escape away, which is the occasion that he is now the streightlier looked unto. |
† 4. In a niggardly manner. Obs.
| 1340 Ayenb. 34 Auarice..zuo disordene him sseweþ in þri maneres..ine wynnynge boldeliche ine ofhealdinge streytliche ine spendinge scarsliche. 1614 in Liber Deposit. Archd. Colcestren. 1612–16 lf. 70 The Testator was kept so barely and so straightly from victualls by his wife, that he was driven vpon necessitie often tymes to begg. |
5. Strictly, rigorously, stringently; with strictness of observance. Now only arch. with respect to commands, questions, or obligation.
| c 1290 Beket 163 in S.E. Leg. 111 So streitliche heo fraynede him. a 1300 Cursor M. 6105 Moyses..straitlike forbed þat þai Suld [etc.]. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 322 Siþ þe contrarie is soþ, to whiche þise ordris ben streytliche sworen. 1461 in Jarrow & Wearmouth (Surtees) 245, I John Lawyson, be y⊇ Auctoryte of our holy fadre y⊇ pope,..inhibite straeictly and command..ye priour of yis cathederall church..that [etc.]. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 3. Preamble, Dyvers enquestes..streitly sworne and charged before the seid Justices to enquyre of the premysses. 1586 T. Bowes tr. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. xxxix. 390 Amongst the famous..personages of olde time, no vertue was..straightlier kept and observed than Faith and Fidelitie. 1594 Shakes. Rich. III, iv. i. 17 (Qo.), I may not suffer you to visite him, The King hath straightlie [Fol. strictly] charged the contrarie. 1611 Bible 1 Sam. xiv. 28 Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath. 1676 Owen Worship of God 31 Jesus Christ streightly enjoyns His disciples. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. II. vi. vi, They question him straitly on that Mayor's Order to resist force by force. 1872 Tennyson Gareth & Lynette 785 Bound am I to right the wrong'd, But straitlier bound am I to bide with thee. 1878 R. B. Smith Carthage xii. 244 He straitly charged Minucius to follow his policy, and on no account to risk a battle in his absence. 1879 Butcher & Lang Odyss. iv. 63 Son of Atreus, why dost thou straitly question me hereof? |
† b. With regard to diet or mode of living. Obs.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xviii. (Mary Egypt) 103 [Þai] straytly þe lyfe cane leyde anerly in vatyre & brede. c 1470 Paston Lett. II. 419 He purposith to lesse his howshold, and to leve the streytlyer. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. iii. (1520) 25 b, They lyved straytlyer than other men dyd. |
† c. In close confinement; under strict control.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xviii. 512 And bad haf him avay in hy, And luk he kepit war stratly. 1535 Coverdale 1 Macc. xiii. 49 They in the castell at Ierusalem were kepte so strately, that they coude not come forth. 1579 J. Northbrooke Dicing (1843) 96 If thy daughter be not shamefast, holde hir straitly, least she abuse hir selfe thorow ouermuch libertie. 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. i. vii. 51 They were presently caried to Castle Lyshin,..and there straightly kept in Irons. 1687 Pennsylv. Arch. I. 98 And the said Pirats,..to cause to be streightly imprisoned and kept in safe Custody. |
† d. With reference to punishment, judgement, etc.: Rigorously, unsparingly, severely. Obs.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter cxlii. 2 Do noght straytly wiþ me in þi dome. Ibid., Song of Hannah 5 Straytly demand ȝoure ald errours. 1467 Coventry Leet Bk. 336 Vppon peyn streitly to be punysshed be þe Meir for the tyme beyng. 1560 MS. Cott. Cal. B. 10. lf. 290 The bishops have of late..dealt streightly with some persons of good religion. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. viii. 29 So streightly God doth judge. 1668 R. Steele Husbandm. Calling v. (1672) 121 Taking occasion from his straits, to deal straitly with him. |
† e. Precisely, exactly. Obs.
| a 1395 Hylton Scala Perf. (W. de W. 1494) 93 Also thise wordes that I write take hem not to streytly but there that the thynkith by gode auysement that I speke to shortly..I praye the amende it. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xiv. xlviii. (1495) 484 Moost streyghtly to speke Ager is a felde that is not conteynyd in certayne mesure of lynes. c 1400 Beryn 95 For had ye countid streytly, & no thing lefft be-hynde, I myȝte have [etc.]. |
6. With reference to alliance or union: Closely, intimately. arch. (Very common in 16–17th c.)
| c 1480 Henryson Fables, Sheep & Dog 33 Quhilk wer confidderit straitlie in ane band. 1485 Caxton St. Wenefryde 19, I shal the straitlyer be confedered to yow. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 327 The hartes of the tua kingis straitlie knutt agane throuch beneuolent and true luue. 1614 Ralegh Hist. World v. i. §4. 333 The Selinuntines were streightly allied to the Syracusians. 1684 Contempl. St. Man ii. iv. (1699) 160 By how much a delectable Object is more..straightly united to the Faculty; by so much greater is the Joy and Delight which it produces. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. iii. ix. §17 Weight..a Quality as straitly join'd with that Colour [yellow] as its Fusibility. 1871 R. Ellis Catullus xci. 7 Yea tho' mutual use did bind us straitly together. |