▪ I. † ˈkeenly, a. Obs. rare.
[ME. *kēnlīch (superl. kenlokeste) = MHG. küenlîch (G. kühnlich): see keen a. and -ly1.]
Bold, courageous.
| c 1205 Lay. 25429 Ah hit weoren men þa kenlukeste [c 1275 þe kenlokeste men] þa æi mon ikende. 1570 Satir. Poems Reform. xxiii. 2 O kenely knicht, in martiall deidis most ding. |
▪ II. keenly, adv.
(ˈkiːnlɪ)
Forms: 1 cénl{iacu}ce, 2–3 ken(e)liche, 3–4 ken(e)li, 4–5 -ly, 6– keenly.
[OE. cénl{iacu}ce = MDu. cœnlijc, -like, MLG. kônlîken, MHG. küenlîche (G. kühnlich): see keen a. and -ly2.]
In a keen manner.
† 1. Fiercely, boldly. Obs.
| c 1000 ælfric Saints' Lives, Oswald (1890) II. 126 Oswold him com to, and him cenlice wiðfeaht. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 107 Ȝif we kenliche fehtað. c 1300 Cursor M. 24769 (Edin.) Selcuþe kenli cuþe he fiht. c 1400 Destr. Troy 7231 He keppit hym kenely, and coupid to-gedur. |
2. a. Eagerly, ardently.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 859 Fayn sche wold..haue him clipped and kest kenely þat tide. c 1400 Destr. Troy 5270 What causes ye..so kenly to pray, This syre for to saue. c 1400 Melayne 1286 With dartis kenely owte thay caste. 1513 Douglas æneis ix. xi. 3 Thayr bustuus bowys keynly do thai bend. |
† b. Sharply, quickly, in haste. Obs.
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1048 Then frayned þe freke..Quhat derne dede had hym dryuen..So kenly fro þe kyngez kourt to kayre al his one. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 945 Þise aungeles..beden hem passe fast & þay kayrene con & kenely flowen. a 1400–50 Alexander 1353 Þe kynge callez a clerke kenely on þe morne, Als radly as euer he rose. |
3. With, or as with, a sharp edge or instrument; sharply: cuttingly, piercingly.
| c 1592 Marlowe Massacre Paris iii. iv, Whet thy sword on Sextus' bones, That it may keenly slice the Catholics. 1645 Milton Tetrach. To Parlt., To smite so keenly with a reviling tongue. a 1794 Sir W. Jones 1st Nem. Ode Pindar iii. iii, For private woes most keenly bite Self-loving man. 1837 Marryat Dog-fiend i, The wind was from the northward and blew keenly. |
4. transf. Sharply, piercingly, incisively. a. Of sensuous impressions: Acutely.
| c 1205 Lay. 21296 Þa clupede þe king, kenliche lude. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame iii. 635 Thrugh the worlde wente the soun, Also kenely, and eke softe. a 1400–50 Alexander 2154 Knyghtez kest vp a cry & kenely þaim mene. 1810 Scott Lady of L. iii. i, The warning note was keenly wound. 1821 J. Baillie Metr. Leg. 154 His brightest hour..More keenly bright than Summer's settled sheen. |
b. Of expression of (critical) opinion, etc.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 14621 Allan iesus þaim stod emid, Keneli to him þai resun did. a 1400 Pistill of Susan 214 Heo..comaunded hem kenely þe ȝates to close. c 1440 York Myst. xxiv. 64 Woman! wher are þo wighte men went That kenely here accused þe? 1841 W. Spalding Italy & It. Isl. II. 36 The origin of these..monuments has been keenly disputed. 1879 M{supc}Carthy Own Times II. xxviii. 350 Every detail was keenly criticised. |
c. Of the exercise of the organs of sense, the attention, or the intellect.
| 1824 R. Stuart Hist. Steam Engine 29 The attention of mechanics, thus keenly directed to the subject. 1845 Disraeli Sybil (1863) 201 ‘You are right’, said Morley looking at her rather keenly. 1876 Lowell Among my Bks. Ser. ii. 323 Byron the most keenly intellectual of the three. |
5. With reference to feeling: Acutely, intensely, deeply, strongly.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 4151 Þan was kniȝtis of þe case kenely affraid. 1792 Anecd. W. Pitt II. xxviii. 119 Perhaps no gentleman ever felt the poignant sting of ingratitude so keenly. 1849 Ruskin Sev. Lamps p. v, There are..cases in which men feel too keenly to be silent. 1876 Green Stray Stud. 18 No one enjoyed more keenly the pleasures of life and society. 1881 M. E. Herbert Edith 5 Gordon was keenly interested in the questions of the day. |
6. Comm. At a keen price, cheaply.
| 1928 Daily Express 28 Aug. 7 With advantages like this we can quote more keenly. |