Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
‡GLEGLY, adv. Also gligly (Sh.). Mostly in liter. usage.
1. Sharply, quickly, keenly, attentively (of seeing or hearing). Also in w.Yks. dial.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 78:
An' as he came, him glegly Bydby spy'd, An' welcome Colen! mair na welcome cry'd!Edb. 1801 J. Thomson Poems 118:
But glegly wi' his lugs he cleekit A' said the priest.Ayr. 1834 M. Porteous Real “Souter Johnny” (1858) 29:
An' aiblins, ye will glegly see Wi' mair than telescopic ee, Your ain Doon rowin' to the sea.Sc. 1874 W. Allan Hamespun Lilts 247:
Tho' we aft wad glegly watch, The thievin' hounds we couldna catch.
2. Briskly, quickly (Sh.10 1954, gligly); volubly.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 83:
Some fock, like Bees, fu' glegly rin To bykes bang'd fu' o' strife and din.Cai. 1829 J. Hay Poems 9:
They news sae glegly tete-a-tete.Ags. 1834 J. Nevay Peasant 216:
I glegly dearn'd the thicket furze Where the rose-lintie bigs.Sc. 1875 Stevenson New Poems (1922) 441:
Gaun linkin' glegly up the street He but to rin or tak' a seat.Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables frae French 26:
The kintra luik't bonnie, a bricht sun was beamin', An' tho' she gaed glegly, her min' tuik to dreamin'.m.Sc. 1994 John Burns in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 27:
He felt licht inside an gaed glegly, steppin ower ruits an stanes an pickin his way past the brammles that hankt an catcht at his claes gin he wasna quick eneuch.
†3. Smartly, skilfully, adroitly.Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 164:
[Ye] aft sae glegly turn'd the trope.Slg. 1818 W. Muir Poems 18:
Glegly he cou'd skin a veal.Sc. 1821 Blackwood's Mag. (Jan.) 403:
He casts his sickle sae glegly round the corn.
†4. Sharply.Hdg. a.1801 R. Gall Poems (1819) 49:
Lord pity him wha tholes the stang, Sae glegly pointed!
†5. Brightly.Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xiv.:
That's what I hae aften said; a kail-blaed, or a colliflour, glances sae glegly by moonlight, it's like a leddy in her diamonds.
