Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Lif(e)ly(e, Livelie, a. Also: lyf(e)ly(e, -lie, ( -lyie,) lyiflie; lyve-, lywely(e, -lie. [ME. and e.m.E. lif(e)-, lyf(e)li, -ly, live-, lyvely, -lie, ME. also -lich, OE. líflic.]

1. Of or pertaining to life; necessary to life, life-giving, vital. Also fig.(1) a1400 Leg. S. i. 484.
Gyf he liffis, he ma spek and ga And othir lifly taknis ma c 1420 Liber Calchou 449.
[Which] makis the vennomouse ayr to enter and dystroys the lyfly spretis & infeblys the body 1533 Boece xi. iv. 408 b.
Thai knew … the radicale and lifelye hwmydite was na thing mystemperit c1552 Lynd. Mon. 721.
Quhen man wes maid … God … Brathand in hym ane lyflie spreit c1590 Fowler I. 56/240.
When as my wofull hart Is soundred from his spreit and soule, her lyiflie vitall part Ib. 92/180.
[To] prolong his lyfelie breath Ib. 216/8.
Lyflyie(b) c1590 J. Stewart I. 122/16.
Quhan all the gratius nymphs … Bestows thair lywelic [sic in pr.] liquor frie Ib. 224. § 96.
Fair Veritie … The lywelie bluid vpsprinklit in hir face c1590 Fowler I. 299/123.
Bot fallou on thy way And lywelye course(2) c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 39.
Stif contemnars of Gods lyuelie wourd 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 32/4.
The haill scripture is dytid be Goddis spreit thairbe as by his lyuelie uorde to instructe … the haill kirke

b. Lifly age, one's lifetime. 1567 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 313.
The saidis landis to be br[ukit] and joysit be hir said umquhile husband and hir during thair lifly ages

2. Possessed of life, living, alive, animate. Also transf. and fig.(1) 1562 Reeves Sc. Prose bef. 1600 79.
[A picture of] Golyas … and his heid behaldand … the toun as he had bene lyfelie a1585 Maitl. Q. xcii. 4.
An worthy knight … Quhase lyflye spreit did warldlye things despyse c1590 Fowler I. 220/10.
Her soure sueit words … which breathed from lyflye snaw engendreth flamme(b) 1563 Davidson Answer 212.
I wrongouslie attribute to the instrumentis that thing quhilk appertenis to the lyvelie workare 1567 Acts III. 20/2.
Ȝit it sall … bring frute furth as liuely seid sawin in gude ground 1575 Edinb. Test. III. 412.
Forsamekill as … all men ar livelie & deidlie a1585 Maitl. Q. xlviii. 39.
War he this lyvelie goddes grace & bewtie to behauld 1587-99 Hume 38/134.
A livelie corps that day sall rise anone 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xv.
So must we … be occupyed in … squaring our selues as the Lords lyuely stones(2) transf. 1587-99 Hume 19/72.
The eares erected ar to … conceaue Ilk liuelie voice … & knawis them be the leaue(3) fig. 1566 Bk. Univ. Kirk I. 81.
Paul … salbe … receivit in the society of the Kirk as ane lyvelie member thereof 1581 King's Confession in Dickinson Source-bk. III. 34.
To the quhilk [reformed kirk] we joyne our selves willingly … as lyvely memberis of the same in Christ our head

3. Of an image, picture or the like: Life-like, vivid. 1561 Invent Q. Mary 43.
Ane litle pacquet of lyvelie leiffis of holine 1568 Charteris Lyndsay Pref. Adhort. 84.
Quhairin thay may ane lyuelie image se Of his expressit mynd in poetrie 1587-99 Hume 18/47.
This lifely image of the Lord can not defaced be Ib. 54/73.
The lifely forme of fousseis large and deepe, The modalls great of castills eith to keep 1637 Cochran-Patrick Coinage II. 57.
The said Mr Briot is best skilled … with the lyvelie impression and graving of his majesteis … pourtrait

4. Full of life or vitality. a. Of persons and their actions: Vigorous, energetic, active, brisk. Also lifely-like. a1500 K. Hart 483.
Vpstart on fute lyflie Delyuerance 1608 Nat. Lib. MS. State 47, Sec. 91.
Althoght your heynes be absent in persone yitt by your livelie and holesome directioune in euerie thing whiche may importe the [good] of this commounweele [etc.] 1630 Haddington Corr. 169.
My dohter Caett … is in the mending hand, and hir soone a lyflie lyk baern

b. Of feelings or emotions: Intense, strong. c1590 Fowler I. 49/51.
O lywelie lowe … that dois not only lest Bot growis be griefis Ib. 285/117.
Be lyflye faith 1595 Melville Chart. 139.
Be the wirking of his Holie Spreit in me trew fayth and lywelie hoip

c. Vivacious, gay, brilliant. a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxxv. 8.
For lyflie art who list thy vers to scand c1590 Fowler I. 52/120.
I espyde A lywelye nymphe … stand by my syde Ib. 64/161.
And thair besydis cleir riwers from so lywelie fountanis ran c1600 Montg. Suppl. vii. 42.
Your cheik, your chin, your lywelie cristell ene