▪ I. coaly, a.
(ˈkəʊlɪ)
[f. coal n. + -y. Cf. colly.]
1. Abounding in coal; covered or charged with coal or coal-dust.
| 1592 W. Wyrley Armorie 104 Black colie smith. 1628 Milton Vac. Exerc. 98 Of utmost Tweed..Or coaly Tyne, or ancient hallowed Dee. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. II. 187 The coaly..little steamboat. 1888 Young Mistley II. vi. 82 Around each pit was grouped its little coaly village. |
2. Of the nature of coal; carbonaceous.
| 1594 Plat Jewell-ho. Divers New Exper. 33 A blacke and hard colie crust upon it. 1611 Cotgr., Charbonnesque, coalie, of coales. 1854 H. Miller Footpr. Creat. x. (1874) 186 A mere coaly film. 1862 Dana Man. Geol. 74 Coaly shale, containing coaly impressions or impregnations. |
3. Of the colour of coal; coal-black.
| 1565 Golding Ovid's Met. ii. (1593) 44 A colie colour. 1580 Sidney Arcadia (1622) 440 Vpon thy face let coaly Rauens swarme. 1849 Tait's Mag. XVI. 217 The moveless coaly eye. |
▪ II. coaly, -ey, n. colloq.
(ˈkəʊlɪ)
[combines n. use of prec. with dim. forms in -y; cf. bricky, chummy.]
A coal-heaver.
| 1860 All Y. Round No. 55. 119 The coalies..touch their sou'westers to him as he glides about. 1889 Daily Tel. 27 Aug. 5/4 The strike..has now extended to all the river⁓side employés, including ‘coaleys’, ‘lumpers’, stevedores. |