Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hely, adv. Also: heely, heli(e, heily, -lie. [Var. of Heyly, Hiely, with the vowel of the rare ME. helych.] Highly, in various senses: greatly, extremely, much, very; in a high station or position; loudly, aloud; haughtily, proudly.(1) ? 1405 Brit. Mus. Vespasian MS. F. VII. fol. 86.
I am the mare heely arguyt qwen ony sic attemptatis hapnys Ib.
[I am] in grete aventure to he heely reprovit c1420 Wynt. v. 4290.
Hely movyt in to gret ire Ib. ix. 3144.
The multitude … Commendyt heily his affere 1424 Cambuskenneth Let. (Reg. H.).
Of the quhilk we ar richt heli reiosit Brus i. 577.
He suld … Be rewardyt and that hely c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 368.
Quhill hely raise my renovne amang the rude peple 1527 Douglas Corr. 342.
Scho is helie set contrary the kingis hienes 1600-1610 Melvill 349.
God [would be] mair heilie offendit for … mockage(2) c1460 Consail Wys Man 133.
Be thow neuer so hely born, Dryve never pwre na riche to scorne(3) a1400 Leg. S. xxii. 708.
Hely scho sad, that al mycht here, [etc.] Ib. xl. 902.
Jak … trumpit heily … , and with al mycht bettir blew Brus iii. 734.
In the land … ner thar-by Men mycht her wemen hely cry c1590 J. Stewart 150/27.
Vaine men vith vords vill heli contend(4) Brus xviii. 509 (C).
He wount wes till spek hely At hayme and our dispitfully