▪ I. dastardly, a.
(ˈdɑːstədlɪ, -æ-)
[f. dastard n. + -ly1.]
† 1. Inert of mind or action; stupid, dull. Obs.
| 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 96 b, The Owle is called the dastardly Bird: she is of such slouth and sluggishnesse. |
2. Like or characteristic of a dastard; showing mean or despicable cowardice.
| 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 251 A feareful, cowardly, and dastardly loute. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1638) 333 Losing courage continually, and daily growing more base and dastardly. 1761 Hume Hist. Eng. II. xxix. 157 The Swiss infantry..behaved in a dastardly manner and deserted their post. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 207 The most dastardly and perfidious form of assassination. 1872 Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. lv. 12 III. 19 The slanders of an avowed antagonist are seldom so mean and dastardly as those of a traitor. Mod. A dastardly outrage. |
▪ II. † ˈdastardly, adv. Obs.
[-ly2.]
Like a dastard; in a cowardly manner.
| 1552 Huloet, Dastardly, or lyke a dastarde, pusillanimiter. a 1649 Drummond of Hawthornden Skiamachia Wks. (1711) 201 And the brave men of Scotland all the while shall ly still quiet..calling dastardly upon a parliament. |