Middle English Dictionary Entry
ē̆rlī adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | ē̆rlī adv. Also eerli, orli, arli, yerli, yarli. |
| Etymology | OE ǣrlīce, ārlīce (rare), from OE ǣr, ON ār adv.; also newly formed on ME ēr , ōr adv. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
At or near the beginning of the day; in the first part of the morning; early in the morning.
Associated quotations
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)13 : Erliche rise, and gernliche seche chireche.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1849 : Marie Magdaleyne erliche was y-went in þe derkhede þe Soneday to þe monument.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)2455 : He..seyd he wald on hunting go Into þe forest erlike.
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.410 : Arliche amorwe when it was day.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)87.14 : Myn oreison shal erleche [L mane] cum to-fore þe.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)31.289/22 : He eet erlJ.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.182 : Orely on þe morn.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.21.14 : Abraham aroos erly [WB(2): earli].
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1433 : Now es arly, now es late, Now es day, now es nyght.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)16/23 : In þe sunendais es for to ryse arliker.
- c1425 Treat.10 Com.(StJ-O 94)23 : Summe been bisi on þe werkeday, heerly up & late downe.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)31b/a : Be it ȝeuen erly [*Ch.(1): in þe mornyng].
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)67/38 : Gyff þam at drynk þer-of arely at þe morne & late at euen.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)207/5 : Aftir þi first sleepe, or eerliche in þe morowe.
- (1447) Shillingford16 : Liyng on my bedde atte writyng of this right yerly.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)3142 : In astere-day ȝerlyche in þe mornyng.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)350-1 : Arly on þe morne, As arly as þe riche qwene was resyn fra slepe.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Add 9066)378 : Atte morne the fadir was yerely vpp.
- a1500(?a1475) Guy(4) (Cmb Ff.2.38)240 : Late on euyn, ȝarly on morowe.
1b.
(a) (bothe) erli and late, at all hours, all the time, continuously, always; (b) erli or late, at any time; (c) (ne) erli ne late, at no time, never.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)5034 : His hest to don & his wille Erliche & lat, loude & stille.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25419 : Arli and late i wil yow mon.
- a1400 Ffadur and sone (RwlLtrg g.2)28 : Late & herliche, nyth & day, Mercy, ihesu, i crie ay.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3881 : Do my labour erly and eke late.
- a1450(a1400) Athelston (Cai 175/96)99 : Þe clerkys syngen mery Boþe erly and late.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)646 : Airly & laite and loud & still.
- a1450 7 Sages(3) (Cmb Dd.1.17)600 : Bothe harlyche and latte The lorde was of tyme thare-atte.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)504/205 : I loue þe..Late and herely, lowde and still.
- c1475 Brm.Abraham (Brm)29 : To folowe ȝow I am full prest, Bothe erly & late.
b
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)748 : Sir, at your wyll, Erly or late, loude or styll.
c
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)95/243 : For him wold scho do no-thing Ne to his law, arly ne late.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)1396 : No thing wirk a-gayns hir wil Arely ne layte, ne loude ne stil.
2.
At or near the beginning (a) of a person's life, or (b) of the history of man.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)115 : Hire feder hefde iset hire earliche to lare.
- a1400 Cursor (Phys-E)23046 : His dowhti der..arlik to god þaim tok.
b
- a1275(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Trin-C B.14.39)436 : Hue ne mai hit non oþir don, for wel herliche hue hit bigan.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)9001 : Allas! arli [Göt: erly] þis gil be-gan At adam, þat was þe formast man.
3.
At or near the beginning of any span of time or any activity; early, soon; over-erli, prematurely, hastily.
Associated quotations
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)55a : Þe Suhe of Ȝiuernesse haueð gris þus inemned: To earliche hatte þet an, Þet oðer to esteliche.
- ?a1300 Jacob & J.(Bod 652)8 : Nou hem is wel leuere gon to þe nale..Comen erliche þider & sitte þer ful longe.
- a1400 Prov.Wisd.(Bod 9)22 : To erlyche mayster, þe lenger knave.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)723 : Arely a man passes als þe gres.
- a1450 LDirige(1) (Dgb 102)108/31 : To seche me eerly, ȝif þou begynne, I ne may withstonde þe y-wisse.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)50/68 : Erly mayster, longe knaue.
- c1450 Dc.Prov.(Dc 52)48/48 : Who-so comyth late to his in, schall erly for-thynke.
- c1475 Prov.Wisd.(RwlPoet 32)244/38 : To erly mayster, the sonner knave.
- c1590(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64(2))87.4 : J am halden with them that demes ouer arely, suche as thai are that faules in the lake of damnation.
4.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Einenkel)859 : Þah ich beo in alle [i.e. books] of se earliche ilearet.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ecclus.18.26 : Fro erli vnto euen.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500 Ihesu the sonne (Hrl 4012)48 : Þi moder and Iohn for þe made gret mone..Þat sorow passid a thousant folde ffor any tong erly to expres.
Note: New sense.
Note: Gloss: Immediately, instantly.--per MLL