A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Sikerlie, Sekerly(e, adv. Also: sikirlie, -li, sykirly, sykyrly, sikkerly(e, -lie, sikkirly, -lie, sikkyrly, sykkyrly, siccerlie, sickerly(e, -lie, sickirly(e, -lie, sekirly, sekyrli, -ly, seikyrly. [ME sikerlichen (Layamon), sikerlike (c1220), -lik (Cursor M.), zikerliche (Ayenbite), sikerliche (Gower), sekerlich (Trevisa); sikerrliȝ (Orm), sikerly (a1320), sikirly (Rolle), sikurly (Chaucer), (north.) sekirly (a1400-50), sekyrly (?a1400), sekerly (c1440), e.m.E. sekyrly (a1548), sikerly (1548), sickerlye (1551), -lie (1586), late OE sicerlíce f. sicer Siker adj: cf. MDu. sekerlike, MLG sekerliken, OHG sichurlîcho.] = Sur(e)ly adv.
1. Securely, safely; without danger of attack or molestation; without fear of harm.1375 Barb. ii 561.
That he thar with his menȝe lay All at ese and sekyrly 1375 Barb. iii 339.
For thaim thocht thai mycht sekyrly Duell thar 1386 Rot. Sc. II 85/2.
& at thai may sykirly & pesibly by thar vitailles and other thair necessairs c1400 Troy-bk. ii 742.
The Troyiens … That in thar innes, sekyrly [L. secure] Inne-to thar beddes lay slepand 1449 Acts II 35/1.
That al men may trauel souerly and sikkirly … in al placis throu the lande 1456 Hay I 29/30.
The Romaynes … reconfortit the cardinalis … and … suore to sauf thame and kepe thame sekirly fra all harme 1456 Wemyss Chart. 76.
At ilkan of the said partyis may sekirly haf thar awyne but hendering, werring, or scathing a1500 Seven S. 689. 1519–20 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 194.
That thair be na pairteis in the said toun and that thai man gang and travaill sekirlie on that ane syd and the vther 1533 Bell. Livy I 84/29.
That the samyn thing … was possibill and mycht sikkirlie be done c1665 Sel. Biog. I 268.
Sickerly
2. Firmly, fast. Also fig.(a) 14.. Burgh Laws c. 93 (B).
He sal be attachyt for al the pese & haldyn sykyrly 14.. Acts I 112/2.
He salbe takyn & be send to the kyngis prisoun & thar he sal be sikkerly kepyt 1533 Boece 614.
His hewm[o]nd, quhilk to his gardyis was nocht sikkerlie bounding 15.. Clar. ii 589.
When scho the ȝet had closit sikerlie a1599 Rollock Wks. I 414.
It sall fetter thee and tak thee in the girne als sickerlie as ever thou saw ane bird fangit in the net of ane fowler(b) a1400 Leg. S. iv 123.
His handis bundyne sekyrly Behynd his bak a1400 Leg. S. xxxv 125.
[He] closit the dure sekyrly, & selyt it with ledfig. 1375 Barb. xx 182.
Myn hart fichyt [c. fyschit] sekyrly was … To trawaill apon Goddis fayis
3. In a stable manner; steadily; without danger of falling.1375 Barb. x 372.
Fra it in ane kyrneill war And the ledder thar-fra straitly Strekit, it [sc. the crook] suld stand sekyrly a1500 Prestis of Peblis 108 (Asl.).
Ane hed dow nocht on body stand allane Forowt memberis … sekerly to gar it stand in steid
4. Of believing, knowing, trusting: With assurance, certainty or conviction.(a) ?1438 Alex. ii 382.
Quha treatis gud men, he may effy And traist in thame mare sikkerly Than on him that will cum to-day And on the morne will pas away a1500 Henr. Fab. 2767.
This sall thow trow and sikkerlie assure c1515 Asl. MS I 275/29
Sikkerlye 1531 Bell. Boece II 208.
He fand the postrain opin; and jugit than sickirlie, that the cubicularis had slane the king 1533 Acts Sederunt i 11.
And as thai knaw sickirlie the kingis grace is of gude mynd … that justice be done 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2276 (B).
Sickerly 1551 Hamilton Cat. 13.
To trow sickirly that God is almychty a1568 Bann. MS 54b/100.
Quhairevir thow fair entrest thow sickerly Myne endyting in to thin eiris sall sound a1570-86 Maitl. F. 171/55.
Vnkyndnes traist sickerlie Is mother till all tratorie(b) 1375 Barb. ii 472.
He wes als sa will off wane, That he trowit in nane sekyrly 1375 Barb. iv 662.
That ȝhe trow this sekirly, My twa sonnys with ȝow sall I Send 1375 Barb. iv 673.
For he had gret ferly How scho suld wyt it sekyrly a1500 Seven S. 2430.
Bot of the castall sekerlye He wist weile that scho micht nocht wyn
5. a. With verbs of affirmation or the like: Positively, definitely.1375 Barb. ii 85.
Sekyrly I hop Thomas prophecy Off Hersildoune sall weryfyd be In him 1375 Barb. v 68.
I say ȝow sekirly, Thar sall na peralis … Dryve me eftsonis to the se 1375 Barb. xii 488. 1456 Hay I 164/16.
Gif … I dissave hym under that assuraunce quhilk I hecht him sekerly a1500 Seven S. 34. 1491 Reg. Episc. Glasg. II 483.
We herfor … promittis be thir our presentis sikkyrly but variance … that [etc.] 1533 Bell. Livy I 15/22.
Quha may sikkerlie afferme sa remote & vncouth historie?
b. Of swearing an oath, entering into or keeping an agreement, or the like: With firm commitment, bindingly, excluding the possibility of future breach or contravention.(a) 1389 Wemyss Chart. 24.
Til there thyngys … bath the partys fornemmyt … syckyrly ar oblyst c1420 Wynt. v 3850.
Swa sentens gywyn lauchfully Sall hald and bynd all sykyrly c1420 Wynt. vii 1702.
Sykkyrly 1443 Highland P. II 179.
Gif … this cossyng may noth sikirli be kepyt 1444 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 341. 1482 Reg. Morton II 245.
Sickirly c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1341.
God maid that promys sickerlye 1583 Perth B. Ct. 28 June.
Sickerlie to be bundit and oblissit(b) 1375 Barb. x 203.
Than he … held thaim cunnand sekyrly 1375 Barb. x 825. c1379 Cal. Charters Suppl.
I sall gif hym my chartyr … wyth clavse of waranty als frely & sekyrly as the forsayde Alayne wyth his consayll can devyse 1392 Lennox Mun. 47.
To the payment of the fermys in maner beforwrytyn, fermly and sekyrly to do and to pay c1400 Troy-bk. ii 576.
The pece for to hold sekyrly [L. firmiter] 1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 58.
The qwilkis trewys mare sekirly to be kepit 1432 Lamont P. 13.
The said Robert and his ayris sal chartyr the said Finlo … als sekyrly as the said Finlow … wyl ask to be chartyryt 1439 Inchaffray Chart. 137. 1472 Lennox Mun. 86.
[I] leilly, trewly, seikyrly and faithfully bindis … me
6. Of being informed or assured (that something is the case): Reliably, dependably.1443 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 44.
As we are wele and sekirly infourmyt a1461 Aberd. Chart. MS fol. 62.
We are sikerly enformit that … the kirk of Aberdeen wes of ald tym and is in possession of the tende peny of all wardis, relevis [etc.] 1463 Aberd. B. Rec. I 25.
He is sickerly informyt of a flot of Inglismen to cum for the destruction of our tone 1498 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 72. 1508 Reg. Privy S. I 245/2.
We ar sickirly informyt and advertist that [etc.] 1514 Misc. Spald. C. IV 19.
As … the … lordis of our counsale ar sickirlie informit that our ald inemyis [etc.] 1525 Paterson Ayr & Wigton III ii 342.
We and our derrest cousing and tutour … ar sikerlie aduertist that [etc.] 1533 Boece 179. 1533 Boece 271. 1622-6 Bisset I 51/17.
As we war sickerlie informed
7. ellipt. Without a doubt, assuredly, undoubtedly.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xlv 109.
And wlatsume to God sykyrly ?1438 Alex. i 216.
Sickerly c1420 Wynt. i 1471.
Sykyrly c1450 Cr. Deyng 154.
Sykirly, ay the bettyr man, ay the mar lawly 1460 Hay Alex. 289.
That he suld be his father sickerlie a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 432.
I suld sickirly myself be consentand a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1005.
As thow art souerane God sickerly and syre a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1106.
And I before saw thé neuer sickerly with sight a1540 Freiris Berw. 266 (B).
For sickerly my hairt will ay be sair 1513 Doug. i Prol. 445.
Sikkyrly a1568 H. Stewart Bann. MS 87b/7.
Sickerlye c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5300.
Sickirlye 1560 Rolland Seven S. 6922.
This knicht … Rememberit weill on his dreame sickerlie a1568 Bann. MS 264a/39.
For sickerly thair is no differance Betuix the gallowis and the spowsing claith a1585, a1568 Montg. P. iii 2.
I was applesit to pleis ȝow sickerly(b) 1375 Barb. xi 656.
With ȝour leve, sekyrly I will Help him 1375 Barb. xv 244.
Bot sekirly falsat and gyle Sall euir haue ane euill ending 1375 Barb. i 426 a1400 Leg. S. iii 64.
That ȝong manis kyne … Sad he was wechyt sekyrly! a1400 Leg. S. iii 838, etc. c1450-2 Howlat 378 (A).
Next the souerane signe was sekerly sene a1500 Bernardus 224.
Sekyrli c1475 Wall. vii 551.
For sekyrly ye seruit it best the nycht c1490 Irland Asl. MS 30/3.
Thow knew sekerly that for that defalt and syne thow suld be slayne a1500 Seven S. 1261.
That is my awne wyf sekerly c1515 Asl. MS I 185/28.
For sekerly we ar cummyn of the mast famous & maist worschipfull nacioun that evire was in erd c1515 Asl. MS I 195/20.
Sekerly this is the maner of Ynglismen
8. With certainty of purpose; confidently.1375 Barb. iii 287.
Quha tais purpos sekyrly … For-owt fayntice or yheit faynding a1400 Leg. S. vi 432.
That men be ay reddy To bere thir stagis sekyrly c1450-2 Howlat 22 (A).
Thus sat I in solace, sekerly and sure c1450-2 Howlat 85 (A).
The plesant pacok … Sad in his sanctitud sekerly & sure a1658 Durham Comm. Rev. 39.
Contend not with Him, for on He will go, so sickerly sets He down His steps like pillars of brasse
9. Of instructing, measuring, or other mental operations involving the exercise of skill or mature judgment: Accurately, painstakingly, thoroughly.c1400 Troy-bk. ii 320 (see Securit(i)e n. 1 (a)). 1456 Hay II 91/29.
A prince … [should] governe that poynt sa sekerly and sa avisytly and sa discretly … that he be nocht callit our hasty a1500 Bk. Chess 1674.
Thaim to wey & mesour sekerly Be the verraye sciens of geometrye 1551 Hamilton Cat. 206.
And that thou may be sickerly groundit in the trew faith of this sacrament … dout nocht [etc.]
10. Severely; sharply; heavily.c1420 Wynt. viii 3994.
Sa sykkyrly delt he wyth hym than, That he gert hym off his costage Mak wp Dunbare 1460 Hay Alex. 1966.
Vpoun the hede he hit him sickerlie 1596 Dalr. I 304/15.
He first … mett [L. exquisitissimo supplicio affecit] sickerly with the induellaris of Lochquhaber 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 144/23.
Suffer them not to meddle with the policie or estate in the pulpite but snibbe sickerlie the firste that minteth to it 1600-1610 Melvill 126.
This was rememberit when the said James … was siccerlie bastoned 1622 Scot Course of Conformity 47.
Their whole goods and estates falling into the bischops hands, they shall be pilled and polled sickerly 1643 Rec. Kirk Scotl. 368. a1650 Row 265.
That spirit of action, zeall [etc.] … whilk might make a few … conveen together … and censure sickerlie those corrupters of the Kirk 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 177.
There is not one drop of his saints blood shed on scaffolds [etc.] … but God shall lay it to their charge, … and make them pay sickerly for it