A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1460-1540, 1627-1661
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Lordly, a. and adv. Also: lord(e)lie and Lordlik. [ME. (14th c.) and e.m.E. lord(e)ly, ME. lord(e)liche, -lyche, early loverdlich, OE. hláfordlic.]
1. Pertaining to a lord or prince; befitting a lord; princely, noble. Also absol. b. adv. In lordly manner or situation.(1) a1500 Bk. Chess 222.
In to rememberans To king and prince of lordly governans 1540 Lynd. Sat. Procl. 197.
I will ga pas in France Quhair I will get ane lordly governance(2) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 231.
Gret ene and ronde … And staitlie luke and lordlie and litill gleyd c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace ix. 1724.
Wallace welcummyt quha com in his supple With lordly feyr c1475 Ib. (1570) ix. 56 (see Lordlik a.).(3) 1513 Doug. vi. xiv. 12.
Quhamto thar sal succeid a lordly [Sm. lordlie] syre, Tullus Hostilius 1513 Ib. viii. iv. 160.
The hie curage of Hercules, lordly syre 1513 Ib. xi. i. 106.
That lordly [R. lordelie] syre Vs monyst tobe warabsol. a1500 Golagros and Gawane 1276.
To that lordly on loft that lufly can loutb. a1500 Prestis of Peblis 581.
Than quod the King … and leuch, ‘Sir fuill, ȝe ar lordly set aneuch’
2. Haughty, imperious, overweening. a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1498.
There is not a lordlier corpse ful nor a loun upon his maisters horse 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 168.
He is not ill to be found, nor lordly of his love 1661 Galloway Synod Suppl. in Wodrow Hist. (1828) I. 128.
We mean lordly prelacy
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"Lordly adj., adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/lordly>
