Middle English Dictionary Entry
gōstlī adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | gōstlī adv. Also gostelie, gastlie, (late) ghostlie. |
| Etymology | OE gāstlīce |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. adj.
1.
(a) In spirit or soul, as far as the spirit is concerned, spiritually; (b) by the spirit, through the powers of the spirit; (c) as a spirit; also, like a devil.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175(OE) Bod.Hom.Dom.Quadr.(Bod 343)44/32 : Þæt festen, þe þe hit rihtlice bigæð..he bið gastlice ifremed.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)41 : Ðus agen alle gode herdes to wakegan gostliche.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)146/9 : We libbeþ alle of one goste gostliche.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)135 : He was gostliche of Fader and fleschliche of Moder.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1874 : If thei weren gostli wise..It were thanne litel nede Among the men to taken hiede.
- a1425(c1300) NHom.(1) Abp.& N.(Ashm 42)p.83 : How faire gasteli scho was, and bright, Whiles hir maydenhede was hir tight.
- c1440(a1349) Rolle 10 Com.(Thrn)11/22 : The ferthe comandement es 'Honoure thy fadyre and þi modyre.' That es, in twa thynges, þat es, bodyly and gastely.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)561 : Ech man schal fare weel goostli oonli bi hise owne gode deedis.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)1019 : Hast þow be prowde gostely?..Of mekenes, of pacyens, or of pyte?
- c1450 Treat.Fish.(Yale 171)6 : Hyt schall cause hym to be ryche wordly and gostly, yn goodys & goodnes.
- a1456(a1407) Scogan MB (Ashm 59)37 : Tyme eloste in yowþe folely Greveþe a wight goostely and bodely.
b
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)7/16 : Þis heste ne may non loki gostliche [Vices & V.(2): gostly] þet by ine inwyt of dyadliche zenne.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.109 : And right as men may in the heuene see The sonne and moone and sterres euery weye, Right so men goostly in this mayden free Sayen of feith the magnanymytee.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25079 : He [the Holy Ghost] mai gastli blau His grace ouer al.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)76/23 : Þei sawgh gostly Moyses & Elye.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)182/29 : Gostly haue I don wyth þe & wyth oþer chosyn sowlys.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)7250 : From the erthe gostely that day, all thing I wil dragh with me.
c
- a1250 Orison Lord (Lamb 487)185 : And tu, deorwurþe louerd, gostliche to us..gest, as þe moder to hire child.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)20.39 : And god al his grete ioye gostliche he left, And cam & toke mankynde.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)2461 : Ho wayued me þis wonder..For to haf greued Gaynour..With g[l]opnyng of þat ilke gomen þat gostlych speked.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)348/256 : God I trow full Wele goostly to you light, Bot bodely neuer a dele.
- 1607(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hrl 2124)100/388 : He will apeare Ghostlie to mankinde.
2.
(a) In a spiritual sense, with a spiritual interpretation, from a spiritual viewpoint; (b) according to a spiritual figure of speech; callen (clepen) ~, to name (sth.) figuratively; speken ~, speak figuratively.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)9858 : Abrahamess hallȝhe streon Iss gastliȝ tunnderrstanndenn.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.2.14 : Tho thingis that ben of the spirit..he may not vnderstonde for he [vr. it] is examyned, or asayed, gostly [L spiritualiter].
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)122 : He was Fader..and for his sake called, þat was gostliche his halt ar he weore mon formed.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)88/15-6 : Þei vndirstonde not the lettre gostly but bodyly, & þerfore ben þei repreued of þe wise þat gostly vnderstonden it.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)75/84 : The fyrst degre gostly applyed, It is holy desyre with god to be.
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)5896 : & tise fowwre gode menn..Sinndenn gastlike..An waȝȝn wiþþ fowwre wheoless.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)127 : Mid his blode we sculen..þa postles and þet ouerslaht of ure huse, þet is, of ure heortan, gastliche bisprengan.
- c1275 Ken.Serm.(LdMisc 471)215/43 : Nu i-hiereth wet signefieth þet Gold, þet Stor, þet Mirre. And offre we Gostliche to ure lorde þet i-offrede flesliche.
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)95/18 : Alsuo deþ gostliche to þe herte þe greate gardyner.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)88/455 : And forthi er thai cald dedli synnes, For thai gastely sla ilk mannes saule.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Roy 1.B.6)Apoc.11.8 : And the bodies of hem shulen ligge in the streetis of the grete citee that is clepid goostly [L spiritualiter] Sodom.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)1464 : Þer vs gostliche streneþ swete Ihesu.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)16a/a : Þey [angels] teche vs goostliche þat we schulde putte of material & erþeliche þinges.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Giezi (Phys-E)p.132 : Toru this resoun es symonye Cald leper in hali boc gastlye.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Gosp.(Phys-E)p.121 : This spousing [at Cana] gasteli schewes us That hali kirc was til iesus Spoused.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)11466 : He þat ys yn dedly synne, Gostely he ys a mesyl with-ynne.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)25054 : Ded he was..þat we Gastli wit him ded suld be.
- c1410 Medit.SSelf (UC 97)441 : Þat þat smythes file dooth to þe rusty iren, þe saame goostly doth a sorweful..sighynge to a synful herte.
- (1415) Hoccl.Oldcastle (Hnt HM 111)213 : The preest, hir soules Norice, Hem goostly fedde.
- ?a1425 Man þus on rode (RwlPoet 175)29 : Synfull Mary maudelayne..with syn was gastly slayne.
- ?c1430(?1383) Wycl.Curse (Corp-C 296)310 : He is dede gostly and out of holy Chirche.
- ?c1430(c1400) Wycl.FCLife (Corp-C 296)195 : Prestes..schulden fede gostly cristene men by goddis word.
- c1440(a1349) Rolle 10 Com.(Thrn)11/34 : Thay are slaers gastely þat will noghte feede þe pouer in nede.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.1615 : Pray we to that Lorde..That oure soules be not slayn goostely.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)4 : Now in speking gostely of þis mater, [etc.].
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)18 : And for to spekyn gostely, a man is ofte tymys blind thorȝ dedly synne.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)92 : Then comyth..þe devill & gostly ravisseth a man.
3.
(a) In a spiritual manner, devoutly, piously; (b) truthfully; ~ for to speken, ~ to tellen.
Associated quotations
a
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)6663 : Uss birrþ..Drihhtin gastlike lakenn.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)7 : Þa wise witega..libbed gastliche heore lif.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)354/148 : Wiþ oure Louerd þis holyman gostliche wende anon.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)127b/b : He dooþ ful penaunce of lente and ful endiþ goostliche þis lif; he schal haue ioye & companye fynalliche of contemplacioun and siȝt of god.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) John & Boy (Phys-E)p.115 : For thi es god we draw thaim tille That gastly wirkes goddes wille.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)983 : Swyche men halewe nat gostly [F Espiritalment], þat on þe halyday leuyn no foly.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)287 : We ouȝte loue vs silf freendly, namelich goostly.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)22/3 : Eche suche dede..is forto lyue toward him goostly, attendauntly, [etc.].
- a1500(a1450) St.Robt.Knares.(Eg 3143)172 : Wyth ympies this hermett that was tryed, Gastly god he gloryfyed.
b
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2372 : But ȝyf þat þou mayst hyt felle, hyt ys robbery, gostly to telle.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)5.1030 : The morwen com, and gostly for to speke, This Diomede is come unto Criseyde.