Middle English Dictionary Entry
lǒvelī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | lǒvelī adj. Also -lie, -lich(e, lovli, lowli, lof(f)li, lofeli, louflich, (errors) lolych, oveliche & luvelich(e, luf(f)li, lufeli, luflich(e; sup. loveliest, etc. & lovelist, lovelierst. |
| Etymology | OE luflīc |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Friendly, affectionate, kind; (b) amorous; (c) ?inspired by love.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)5 : For þanne beð noman siker ar he ihere þat lufliche word of ure louerd ihesu cristes swete muðe, 'Venite benedicti patris mei.'
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)220/25 : Swuch ah wummone lare to beonne, luuelich & liðe & selthwenne sturne.
- c1300(?c1225) Horn (Cmb Gg.4.27)27/454 : Seie ihc him biseche Wiþ loueliche speche Þat he adun falle Bifore þe king in halle.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)390 : Whan þe loueli ludes seie here lord come, þei were geinliche glad.
- c1390 Ihesu þi swetnes (Vrn)96 : But loue him trewely I schulde þerfore And worche wel wiþ werkes riht Þat he haþ lered wiþ louely [vr. lufly] lore.
- c1390 NHom.Magd.(Vrn(1))24 : Heo..wipte hem wiþ hire here And custe hem wiþ louelich chere.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)353 : Þen the folk..lowed þat loueli lord [vr. louelyche God] þat hire lyf lent.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)13260 : He sermund wit his loueli spek.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)27153 : Prest agh be skilful, soft, & meke, knawande, riȝtwise, loueli in speke.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)809 : Loth laþed so longe wyth luflych wordez Þat þay him graunted to go.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)131 : And thow, Lord, as louely lech, Forgyf the trespas of my synne.
- a1425(a1396) Maidstone PPs. (Wht)790 : Therfore, what euere I rede or synge, Listen it, Lord, wiþ louely chere.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)4355 : And louely grace god to him sende.
- a1450 Castle Love(1) (BodAdd B.107)1788 : And wher ser þe toon þe toþer metyth, Wiþ louely cher þus he him gretyth.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)563/22 : Amabo, anglice, a louely worde.
- (1458) Visit Hen.VI (Vsp B.16)41 : Ther was bytwyn hem lovely contynaunce -- Whiche was gret ioy to all that ther were -- That long tyme hadden be in variaunce.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)331/19 : They had goodly langage and lovely countenaunce.
- a1500 I praye þe spirit (Cmb Ii.6.43)9 : Louely angell, counforte me In what desese þat y be ynne.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)32/17 : Ich..scheote..Lihtliche on alre earest, wið luueliche lates, wið steape bihaldunge eiðer on oðer.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3342 : And many a louely look on hem he caste, And namely, on this carpenteres wyf.
- a1400(c1300) NHom.(1) Devil Phys.(Phys-E)p.149 : I sal him housel wit envye..Or wit sum other lufli drinc That may ger him of sin thinc.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1480 : Wyth a luflych loke, ho layde hym þyse wordez.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)1585 : A louelie loke than he hir sent.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)247 : And than kayre to the courte that I come fro With ladys full louely to lappyn [vr. lufly lapped] in myn armes.
c
- c1440 Treat.Prayer (Thrn)297 : Þay..qwake for Ioy and myrthe and lufely drede one godd to be-halde.
2.
(a) Lovable, lovely, beautiful; excellent, admirable; (b) ~ for to sen, ~ to biholden (loken on), ~ on to loken, ~ of (to) sight, beautiful to look upon; ~ of chere (ler), beautiful of face; ~ of lim, with beautiful limbs or body; ~ of speche, having pleasing speech; (c) ?seemly, proper.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)7/14 : Sum is ald & eðelich..Sum is ȝung & luuelich.
- c1300 SLeg.Cross (LdMisc 108)500 : Þou art a suyþe louelich treo.
- c1325 Byrd one brere (KC Muniments 2.W.32)7 : Yhe is quit of lime, loueli, trewe; yhe is fayr and flur of alle.
- a1350 Ichot a burde in boure (Hrl 2253)32 : Middel heo haþ menskful smal, hire loueliche chere as cristal.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)965 : Þer-for, loueliche ladi, in þe lis al min hope.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1386 : Sche hade swiche blisse..for hire louely lemman hade swiche los wonne.
- c1390 Castle Love(1) (Vrn)681 : And þauȝ he [castle] be so loueliche, He is so dredful and hateliche To alle þulke þat ben his fon, Þat heo flen him euerichon.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.263 : Þis is a loueli lesson -- vr lord hit þe for-ȝelde.
- c1390 St.Greg.(Vrn)40/331 : Þou hast..þe louelokeste gome Þat eni mon mai wiþ eiȝen seo.
- c1390 Susan.(Vrn)16 : Heo was..Louelich [vrr. Lovely; lufsom] and lilie whit.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)1005 : Þe louelist place of al landes.
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)8294 : Þar stode a selcuth louly hew.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1486 : And oþer louflych lyȝt..lemed ful fayre.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)148 : Wel loueloker watz þe fyrre londe.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)2.107 : Lucifer, louelokest þo ac lytel while it laste.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)23.104 : Many a lofly [vr. louely] lady.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)38 : Þis kyng lay at Camylot..With mony luflych lorde.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)52 : Al watz hap vpon heȝe..With..þe louelokkest ladies þat euer lif haden.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)690 : Be he never swa stalworth..And comly of shap, lufly and fayre, Angers and yvels may hym appayre.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)224/24 : And so sche seeþ how þat þe louely lombe, þat is, myn eendelees sooþfaste sone, ȝeueþ to her lijf of perfeccioun.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)707 : Thow..art a louely creature.
- c1425 Castle Love(2) (Eg 927)459 : Mercy sal y fast crie befor this louely tour.
- c1430(a1410) Love Mirror (Brsn e.9)62 : With that loueliche face and sadde chere he loketh..vppon his dere moder.
- c1450(?1436) Siege Calais (Rome 1306)6 : In Iuyll..fresshe floures that April made Began to feynt and fade, Of lovely swete odours.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)314 : Lovely [Win: Lowly], or able to be lovyd: Amabilis, diligibilis.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1459 : With lufly launcez on lofte, they luyschen togedyres.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)417 : Þi flesch þou schalt..fede with lofly lyuys fode.
- a1450 Mandev.(3) (BodeMus 116)17/21 : The doughtir of Ypocras..was fayr, yong, and louely.
- c1450(?a1400) Roland & O.(Add 31042)365 : He was a lofely creatoure, Who so hym þan bi-helde.
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)192/21 : Þer nys no þing þat makeþ a man so loueliche to God as pitee.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)44/16 : A louelyer chylde is non trewly.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)151/4 : Ther is no lord of lond..to me lyche, non lofflyere, non lofsummere.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)173/146 : Servyse ffor þe lovelyest lorde þat levynge is on grownde.
- a1475 Siege Troy(1) (Hrl 525)192/1247a : She was a lovely creature, Jentill and swete, of fayre porture.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)prol.3 : The psalmes..kyndils thaire willes..makand thaim..faire and lufly in cristi [vr. cristes] eghen.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)3/72 : He may well hight lucifere ffor lufly light that he doth bere.
- a1500 Conq.Irel.(Rwl B.490)103/18 : Heruey was a man fayre and lygne..lolych [Dub: ouelyche] lokynge [L aspectu amabili], fayre semblant.
b
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)1611 : Þe siȝt was..louely for to see.
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)1.110 : Lucifer with legiouns lerede hit in heuene; He was louelokest [vrr. louelekyst, luflikest, loveliest, lofliest, louelyst, louelyerst] of siht aftur vr lord.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.30 : Befor þe messengers was þe maiden brouht..non so faire of face, of spech so lufly.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)6.40 : He is louȝ as a lomb & loueliche [vr. louesume] of speche.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.295 : And louelokest to loken on.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1187 : Hit watz þe ladi, loflyest to be-holde.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (LdMisc 210)7/12 : With þe whiche vertues God makeþ a mannes soule his hous, strong and fayre and louely to his sight.
- a1425(?c1375) NHom.(3) Leg.(Hrl 4196)53/111 : Þe eldist may, lufly of lym..Ful haly life alway scho led.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)162 : I was reddere in rode þan rose in þe rayne, My lyre als the lely lufely to syghte.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)595 : To þi cors schal knele..ladys louely on lere.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)378/119 : Bidde þame bringe also Lucifer, louely of lyre.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)1541 : Was neuer..Cite so large..Nonso luffly on to loke in any lond oute.
- a1500(?c1400) Triam.(Cmb Ff.2.38)424 : There come a knyght..And founde þat lady louely of chere.
c
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)314 : Louely, or semely: Decens.
3.
In phrases: ~ lord, gracious lord, dear lord, beloved lord; ~ fader, gracious father.
Associated quotations
- c1225(?c1200) St.Marg.(1) (Bod 34)34/10 : Hu lufsum þing ha leoseð..te luue of þe luueliche lauerd.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)634 : Wolde þou, lufly [IrBl: luflyche] lorde, Gare the knyghtis accorde, It ware a grete comforde.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)202 : Be-holde þeme..sette in..full mekill sorowe for þeire lofly lorde Ihesu.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3415 : I pray þee, Lord lovely, of man haue no mercy!
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)3/43 : Ay loved be þat lufly lorde.
- a1450 Yk.Pl.(Add 35290)146/8 : Ȝe aught to..lere you lowe to lowte To me, youre louely lorde.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)2289 : 'Mi louely lorde,' quod þe lede & law him declines.
- a1500 Imit.Chr.(Dub 678)131/14 : Louely fader, it is worþy þat þis houre þi seruaunt suffre somwhat for þe.
4.
(a) As noun: beautiful lady, lovely person or creature; (b) as surname.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)1005 : Þe loueliest of all landis.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)973 : Þe alder he haylses..Þe loueloker he lappez a lyttel in armez.
- (1435) Misyn FL (Corp-O 236)64/6 : Fleschly lykyng & softnes it hates, for be-foyr swetnes feland of euer lastynge hony, lufe of þe lufelyest [L dilectissimi sui] alway desyrs to feyll.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)12106 : Þe pupull had pite & presit full þik To se þat louely be lost, þat no lak did.
- a1450 As I went þrow (Sln 2593)p.55 : Che curid that lovely in here sale; Che hyld that hyndin in here rest.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.15 : Thus, launce opon lofte, that louely [Thrn: lady] he ledus.
b
- (1285) Feudal Aids 24 : Johannes le Luvelych.
- (1310) Pat.R.Edw.II362 : Alice Louely.