▪ I. needly, a. rare.
(ˈniːdlɪ)
[f. needle n. + -y1.]
Resembling a needle or needles.
| 1671 Marten Voy. Spitzbergen in Acc. Sev. Late Voy. ii. (1694) 52 The needly Snow is generated by Westerly and Southerly Winds. 1869 Blackmore Lorna D. (1891) 132 His..small quick eyes, and black needly beard. |
▪ II. † ˈneedly, adv.1 Obs.
Forms: 1 néodl{iacu}ce, 3 neod(e)liche, 4–5 ne(e)dely.
[OE. néodl{iacu}ce (= OS. niudlîko), f. néod desire, eagerness.]
Zealously, carefully; earnestly.
| c 900 tr. Bæda's Hist. ii. xiii, Næniᵹ þinra þeᵹna neodlicor..hine sylfne underþeodde. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 262 Rudan ᵹeseoð on ele oððe on wine..smire þa sidan mid þy neodlice. c 1205 Lay. 15594 Heo arisen up & eoden neor & neodeliche ȝerden of þissere uncuðe talen. 1340–70 Alisaunder 748 A rink [she] sendes Anon too Nectanabus & needely hym praies, Þat he cofly comme too carpen her tyll. ? c 1475 Sqr. lowe Degre 293 He bethought hym nedely, Every daye,..How he myght venged be On that lady. |
▪ III. † ˈneedly, adv.2 Obs.
Forms: 4 nedlych(e, -like, 4–5 ned(e)lich(e; 4–5 nedly, 4–6 nedely, (4 -li), 6 needely, need(y)lie, -lye, 6–7 needly.
[f. need n. + -ly2. Cf. MDu. nodelike, MLG. nôtliken, MHG. nôt-, nœtlîche.]
Necessarily; of necessity.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 12399 Alle þo þat sey ‘hem behoueþ nedely’, Þey acoupe God of here folye. c 1330 ― Chron. Wace (Rolls) 8040 Nedlike at þe y mot wyse how, Who þan gat þy sone Merlyne. c 1380 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. II. 342 Ech sufficience of man mut nedeli be ȝovun of God. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) VII. 259 He muste nedely obbey the writynge of the pope. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 22 Slouthe nor delay not that thou must nedely execute. 1515 Barclay Egloges i. (1570) B iij, Of a trene vesell then must thou nedely drinke. 1596 Lodge Marg. Amer. 38 A grove, thorow which the new married couple should needly passe. 1647 Trapp Comm. Rev. xiii. 7 The Jesuites will still needly have the Roman Church to be the Catholike Church. |