Middle English Dictionary Entry
honestlī(che adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | honestlī(che adv. Also onestli, onesteli(ke. |
| Etymology | From honest(e adj. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Honorably, respectably, with dignity; (b) respectfully, with honor or reverence; (c) fittingly, properly; decorously, decently; courteously; in accordance with what is prescribed; (d) elegantly, beautifully, fairly; in a comely fashion; richly, excellently; (e) in an upright way, virtuously.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Thes.4.11 : We preyen ȝou..that ȝe wandre honestly [WB(2): onestli; L honeste] to hem that ben withouteforth.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1996 : Honesteliche his love he spedde And hadde children with his wif.
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.13.13 : Be we clad in armourys of liȝt so þat we go honestly in þe day, Not in comessacyouns and dronkenesses, not in..slouthe and in leccherye, not in stryfe and enuye.
- (1449) Will York in Sur.Soc.30147 : My body, to be buriede in the chirch..and that I ly honestly as it is acordyng for myn estat.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.79/12 : I will..þat well and in peece & worschipfully þe forsaide londe þe forsaide church holde, as my lorde Henry Kyng of Inglond euer best and moste honestly in his lordeship helde.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)134 : He [the king] mey not onestly selle is lande, as oþer men mey doo.
b
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)2277 : He thoght to seke a space To plant þa wandes in honest place, ffor to be keped honestly.
- (c1380) Chaucer CT.SN.(Manly-Rickert)G.549 : Seint Vrban with hise deknes pryuely The body fette and buryed it be nyghte Among hise othere seintes honestly.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)42/36 : If any brother or soster dyeþ & haue nouȝt of his owen for to be buried, he schal be honestliche buried at þe costages of þe brothered.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)8.1191 : This worthi kinges wif Honestely thei token oute.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.1069 : More honestlyche, lyche to his degre, He schulde of vs haue resseived be.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)24/10 : Þe vassels þat fallis til hir mester sal sho yeme als onestelike als te vassels þat ere halized obute þauter.
- (1439) EEWills126/27 : First brynge hym to the Erthe honestly, as his Estate asketh.
- (1442) Visit.Alnwick230 : That ye refreyne your seculere seruauntes, that honestely and not sturdyly ne rebukyngly thai hafe thaym in thair langage to the susters.
- (1453) Lin.DDoc.64/18 : The residew of alle my goodes..(after my sepulture honestly doon..) I giff..to Iohn Archier.
c
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Cor.14.40 : Forsoth be alle thingis don honestli [WB(2): onestli; L oneste] and vp ordre in ȝou.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1444 : But honestly and sleighly he it spente, That no man wondred how that he it hadde.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.843 : He hath ous bede That we in Ysis temple a stede Honestely for thee pourveie Wher thou be nyhte..Of him schalt take avisioun.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)134 : He fande wyth his yȝe -- Hit watz not for a halyday honestly arayed -- A þral..unþryvandely cloþed.
- (1418) Let.Bk.in Bk.Lond.E.(Gldh LetBk I & K)97/9 : Outake þat hit be leful to eche persone for to be honestly mery as he can, with-in his owne hous dwellyng.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3199 : Lete kyng Thoas be Honestly keped in prisoun, Lyche his estate.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)3899 : He Wol ever glad and joyfull be Honestly with folk to pley.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)108/12,13 : Mete and drynk es mare honestly araid in oure cuntree..and also in þis cuntree men sittez mare honestly at þe mete.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)27b/a : Þerfore be chosen clere ayre..be his metes liȝte..drede he spices..& stronge wynes..slepe he litel by day; namely, lyue he honestly.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Merlin (Corp-C 80)9768 : He wolde som lyhte that there were hem onestely to arayen with there.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)289/23 : Þaim happend to mete a fayr..damysell..he..haylsid hur honestelie.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)819/29 : Thus was sir Launcelot there..honestely arayed and fayre faryn wythall.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)463/25 : They..shold make to..be bilded..the houses..in the forsaid place, in the whiche he myght more honestly be inhabite.
- a1500(?a1425) Lambeth SSecr.(Lamb 501)58/19 : Dwelle yn swylk lyf þre dayes or ffoure..and euermore wyth þe beste and most honestely.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)82/31 : Þe Sustris þer may..remew þennis in to anoþer place sure where þat þey may dwelle honestli.
d
- (1340) Ayenb.(Arun 57)47/14 : Hy..diȝteþ ham þe more quaynteliche and þe more honesteliche uor to maki musi þe foles to ham.
- 1389 Nrf.Gild Ret.47 : Eueriche broþer and sistir of þis gilde shuln semelyn in a certayne place, faire and honestliche arayde.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2026 : His housyng, his array as honestly To his degree was maked as a kynges.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)30/26 : The prestes arrayen here awtere honestly and putten þere vpon spices & sulphur vif & oþer thinges.
- (1436) Will York in Sur.Soc.3075 : I will yat a closett be made honestly aut ye sayde auter of Seynt Nicholas.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)19/4 : Swythe gere araye honestly all þe stretis.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)581 : Þe kyng dyd maken abbeys þo..At Wyltone he let make one of þo, þat honestlyche stont ȝet ryȝt þore.
- a1450 St.Editha (Fst B.3)1189 : He went y-clothud fulle honestly In ryalle clothyng to yche monus syȝt.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)281 : Now ordant was althing onestly þere.
- c1450(?c1400) 3 KCol.(1) (Cmb Ee.4.32)38/33 : Þey araied hem mochel þe more honestlich [vr. honestlyer] and worschippefullich, þat þei knewe wel þat he was a more worthier kyng þan any of hem.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)365/17 : Yerely ij sergis of iij li. of wexe..honestly araied, thei ought to offre vpon the hye auter.
e
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)110a/a : Taurus..makeþ man schamfast and þinke honestliche.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)705 : Bytwene a male and his make such merþe schulde conne [read: come]..Ellez þay moȝt honestly ayþer oþer welde.
- (1415) *Choosing Mayor Norwich (Cleo C.10)51 : In procedyng to þis present eleccion, be-haueth ȝowe & rewle ȝow gudlie & honestlie.
- (1428) EEWills78/27 : I wil that this reward be truly doon and..fulfeld to..Henry vp-on this, that he gouerne hym goodly and onestly.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)1062 : Þarfor es gude to..ordan vs to spek no thyng Bot honestly to godes loueyng.