A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1420, 1499-1662
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Narow-, Narrowly, adv. Also: narrou-, nar(r)oand -lie; narul(l)ie, narrallie. [Late ME. and e.m.E. narowly (a 1400–50), naroly (1494), narrowly (16th c.), early ME. narruliche (13th c.), neruhlice (Ancr. R.), OE. nearolíce.]
1. Closely, nearly, so as to press hard on a person or objective.1375 Barb. xiii. 578.
He convoyit thame so narrowly [E. narowly] That of the henmast ay tuk he c1420 Ratis Raving 461.
Quhen thow art stad ocht narowly With irous wyll and gluttony a1500 Prestis of Peblis 621.
Sa sharp ar thay and narrowlie can gadder, Thay pluck the puir as thay war powand hadder
b. (To seek, examine, etc.) closely, carefully, intently.c1420 Wynt. viii. 3252.
This crownare … sowcht naroly Thai mysdoaris here and thare c1420 Ib. 3309.
Gert seke this yhowman sa naroly a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 165.
Bot … it was sumthing narrolie espyit that a speciall gentilman … was murdreist amang thayme 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 114.
That conscience … cannot be over-well scowred, we cannot look over narrowly to it
2. Scarcely, barely.a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 480.
Than Petir thar sa sted wase That narowly cuth he purchase Audience a1400 Ib. xlvi. 36, 38.
Thane Publy strat kepyn tilhir mad Sa that narroly fud scho had & [in] ane house gert stekit be That narroly mycht scho furth se 1533 Boece v. ii. 165.
[The Romans were] thirllit to sic subiection that … naroly within thare strenth thai mycht defend thare livis
b. (To escape) by a very little, only just.c1515 Asloan MS I. 231/18.
The tother chapit richt narowly with his lyf 1533 Boece ii. xii. 83.
Narolie 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 8434.
The chance of deith sa narowlie eschewit a1578 Pitsc. I. 123/4.
[They] escapit werrie narulie throw ane wode a1578 Ib. 124/9.
Narullie a1578 Ib. II. 122/28.
Narrowlie 1596 Dalr. II. 314/23.
And slipit away narowlie 1662 Scottish Notes and Queries 2 Ser. II. 64.
Verie narrallie
c. ? Nearly, almost. —c1578 Reid Swire 86.
Then Henrie Purdie … very narrowlie had mischief'd him
3. In a contracted manner, concisely.1562-3 Winȝet II. 45/15.
Thai thingis … for strenthin of oure memorie lat ws schortliar and mair narroulie reherse
