Middle English Dictionary Entry
-lī suf.(2)
Entry Info
Forms | -lī suf.(2) Also -lie, -lich(e, -lik(e, -licke, -lech(e, -lẹ̄, -lei, -loche & (?errors) -lichc, -ligh, -lith & (early) -lice, -lica, -liȝ, -luche; comp. -lier(e, -licher(e, -liker, -laker, -leker, -loker, -lokr & (early) -licor, -lucer, -luker; sup. -liest, -lierst, -likest, -lekest, -lokes(t & (early) -lukest. |
Etymology | OE -līce & ON; cp. OI -liga; forms -loche, -luche perh. influenced by comp. & sup. in -lok-, -luk-. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A derivational suffix in adverbs derived from OE & ON: arghli, boldeli(che, broth(e)li, craftili, depli, ediliche, faderli, freshli(che, freli, gladli, gostli, hagherlich, hert(e)li(e, hetheli, idelli, iwisliche, lefli, lichamliche, lifli, manli, redli, semeli, sorili, timli, yareli. In ME it was frequently added to nouns: angerli, appetiteli, causeli, endeli, equivocaciounli, foisounli, gramerli, groundli, hedli, heritageli, honili, jeuli(e, kittheli; also frequently to adjectives: accidentalli, bainli, cangliche, civilli, daftelike, dampnableli, gaili, geinli, hendeli, innerli, justli, ketli; to ppls.: accursedliche, blevindeliche, commaundingli, cordandli, crokedli, farandeli, forwyrnedlice, gettingli, hiingli, joiingli; sometimes to L or OF ppl. stems: completeli, conjointli, conversauntli, corruptli(che, despisauntliche, disertheli, fraudentli, junctli; also to adverbs or phrases and in imitation of L adverbs: asideli, conclusionalli, cruentli, erli, feringli, forthrightli.
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