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: 1375-1420, 1499-1599
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Foully, Fowlely, adv. Also: fuly, fouly, foullie, fowly; fullely, -lie, foullely, foulelie; foul-, fowllyly. [ME. foulely, foul(l)y, fuli, fulliche (c 1230), OE. fúllíce.] In a foul manner, in various senses of the adj.(a) 1375 Barb. vi. 156.
Quha vist euir men sa fouly [E. foully] fall As vs, gif that we thusgat leif? 1375 Ib. vii. 610.
Thai war that tym sa fowly schent a1400 Legends of the Saints xviii. 461.
I … fuly led myn lyfe thare Wele sewinten ȝer owt & mare 15.. Clariodus v. 2296.
He did furth ryd, Defoylȝeand knightis foullie in his pryde(b) 1375 Barb. ix. 275.
Thai fled so fowlely a1400 Legends of the Saints xxx. 767.
Scho fylyt fulely Hyr manis bed in adultery c1420 Wynt. viii. 6974.
The gentill ladyis thai wald ly by, And syne demembyre thame foullely a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1968.
Ȝone ald carling and thi awne wyf Sa fowlely thai thé begyle 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. i. 155.
Up by the swire Myself I hangit, frustrat sa foulelie 1513 Id. Æn. i. Prol. 422.
Gyf he grantis hym maynsworn fowlely(c) 1375 Barb. ix. 275.
Quhen the kingis cumpany Saw that thai fled sa foulyly c1420 Wynt. vi. 202.
Fowllyly hym demembryd thai
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"Foully adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/foully>
