Middle English Dictionary Entry
debonair(e)lī adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | debonair(e)lī adv. Also debonairliche, debonerli, debonureli. |
| Etymology | From debonaire . |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
Kindly, mercifully; courteously, graciously; humbly, modestly.
Associated quotations
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)730 : Mi hauteyn hert bi-houes me to chast & bere me debonureli.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2254 : Dame Prudence, ful debonairly [vrr. debonarly, debonerly] and with gret pacience, hadde herd al that hir housbonde liked for to seye.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.315 : Oure swete lord Iesu Crist hath spared vs so debonairly [vrr. debonerly, boneyrly] in oure folies.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)23872 : He þat more con þen oþer Debonerly þenne to teche his broþer.
- c1400 ?Nassyngton SV (Cmb Ll.1.8)323 : He hem resseyueth debonerly, And fayn is of her company.
- c1400 Prep.Euch.(Ashm 1286)126/15 : Þus schal a man lowely and debonerly meke hym silf wiþ dreede and loue.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)3.156 : She gan hire eyen on him caste Ful esily and ful debonairly [vr. debonerli].
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1943 : Thanne yeld thee heere debonairly [F debonnerement].
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.3.16 : That other goth debonayrely in the hows [L Tecta mitis obambulat] as a tigre of Inde.
- c1450(1369) Chaucer BD (Benson-Robinson)518 : Y stood Before hym, and did of myn hood, And had ygret hym, as I best koude, Debonayrly, and nothyng lowde.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)2013 : Such routhe hath he of thy distresse, That thou suffrest debonairly.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)37 : I am thilke..that debonairliche [F debonnairement] suffreth al pacientlich.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)140 : Thei dide to kynge Arthur their homage ful debonerly.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)227 : Arthur hir be-heilde full debonerly, and plesed hym wele that he saugh hir so nygh.