A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1456-1645
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Discretly, -lie, Discreitlie, adv. [ME. discret(e)ly (14th c.), f. Discret(e,a.] In a discreet manner; with discretion.1456 Hay I. 268/7 (the quhilk suld discretly juge … ). 1456 Ib. II. 91/30 (sa avisytly and sa discretly).c1490 Irland Asl. MS I. 37/26 (the persone suld fast discretly). c1490 Ib. 80/1 (the prest suld iniune pennance discretly). 15.. Clariodus v. 789 (discreitlie set efter thair degrie). a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS xx. 23 (do all ȝour thingis discreitlie). 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 45 (sall behave themselves discreitlie and modestlie).
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"Discretly adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/discretly>
