Middle English Dictionary Entry
mightlī adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | mightlī adv. Also mighteli, mighghtely, miȝhstli, meȝteli. |
| Etymology | OE mihtlīce, mihtelīce. For forms, see also ME might n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) With might, powerfully; strongly, vigorously; (b) violently, forcefully; (c) severely; (d) loudly; vehemently; (e) swiftly, quickly; (f) fully, completely.
Associated quotations
a
- ?c1225 Ancr.(Cleo C.6)33/7 : Þu sechȝe þi blisfule sune..swa wurðliche & michteliche..stiȝin [altered from: stiȝinde] to his blisse.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)1614 : His mercy was before purueyde..for-to bring ham miȝttely vn-til his awen kyng-rike tille.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)23551 : Mikil salle hit be þaire miȝt..squa miȝtli þaire wil to fulfille.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1162 : Ydumee..held his sceptre & his royal sete Ful myȝtely in þe lond of Crete.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)90/18 : How myȝtly god wrouȝte and dide to hise peple in tyme of þe oolde testament.
- a1500 Orch.Syon (Mrg M 162)16/18 : I had neuer grete strengþe myȝtli to laboure wiþ spade ne wiþ schouel.
- ?a1525(?a1475) Play Sacr.(Dub 652)83 : Vnto hys en[d]elesse joye myghtly he restore vs!
- a1550(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Sln 1873)2723 : Procede myghtly to the ende Fro the begynnynge, magre the fende.
b
- c1415 Chaucer CT.Mil.(Lnsd 851)A.3475 : This Carpenter..hent him be þe scholdres myhtely.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2081 : So myȝtely he hit hym with his spere Þat shelde & plate myȝt hym nat were.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.43/21 : The wawys smyte vppon them, And more myghtly caste them in-to the wawys.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)102/24 : He..smote the kyng myghtely in the sheld.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.6.4b : Men whilk eren actif mowen haue bi grace whan þei ben visited one Oure Lord as miȝhstli and as feruently as þei þat ȝieuen hem holly to contemplatif lif.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.30.18b : For hit makiþ þe bodi, if grace come, miȝteli for to stere and turnen here and þere.
c
- 1448 Glo.Chron.C (Arms 58)482 : The wantonesse of his wombe with trauaile and fastyng he a daunteth, and in ridyng & goyng trauayleth myghteliche his youthe.
d
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)7 : Þan he shal se þe hert passe by fore hym and shal halowe and Rout myghtly.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.5807 : And first þis prest gan hym to with-stonde Ful myȝtely, and seide..He nolde assent to so foule a dede.
- c1450 Chaucer TC (Hrl 2280)5.262 : Another tyme he sholde myghtely Conforte hym self.
e
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3412 : Iason gan to wende Vn-to þe Ram..In whiche he fonde no power nor diffence..And myȝtely þe Ram he draweth dovn.
- c1450 PPl.B (RwlPoet 38)10.219 : Miȝteliche my wey [Ld: I..went wiȝtlich awey withoute more lettynge].
f
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.242 : This soubtil water myhtely, Thogh it be of himselve softe, The strengthe of therthe perceth ofte.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.3301 : And þer-with-al her chaules wer made faste And by þe vertu so myȝtely englewed Þat he þer-þoruȝ hath outterly eschewed Þenfeccioun of þe smoky leuene.
- c1425 Chaucer CT.Mk.(Petw 7)B.3782 : Nichamour and thymothe wiþ Iwes were venquysshed myȝtely.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)4774 : Mynours then mightely the moldes did serche, Ouertyrnet the toures & the tore walles.
- c1460 Cursor (LdMisc 416)17581 : Then may they fynd hym nye at hond, Myghtly at alle his nede, To suche he wille his body bede.
- a1500(c1477) Norton OAlch.(Add 10302)1722 : It is humour solide, constant with siccite, Mightly medlide after some degre.
2.
Effectively; successfully.
Associated quotations
- ?a1200(OE) Hrl.HApul.(Hrl 6258B:Berberich)107.79/1 : Nim þa wyrt..cnuca on ȝewylledum wyne.: heo þane miȝeþan mihtelice ȝebet.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)4.m.3.47 : Thilke venyms of vices todrawen a man to hem more myghtely than the venym of Circes.
- c1475 Capgr.St.Kath.(RwlPoet 118)3.230 : Sche schall..a-geyn replye So myghtly þat þei schul lese her art.
- a1500 Chartier Quad.(2) (Rwl A.338)204/30 : Thou shalt fynde right many that..myghtely [vr. myghtly] haue be defendid withowt socours.
3.
(a) Valiantly, bravely, fiercely; (b) firmly, steadfastly; tightly.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)194a/a : Venitia..gouerneþ and rewleþ most ryȝtfulliche..and defendeþ myȝtliche sogetes aȝens enemyes.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)17267 : Þou spede me, lauerd, for-to spell Hu mighteli þou harud hell.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)279/2 : The Bailoil and his men þo mighghtely stoden aȝeynes Ham.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.1373 : Meȝtely Troyens þei compelle, In her weye þat þei dar nat dwelle.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)15394 : But Achilles tho fauȝt myghtly, And ten of tho that him assayled He sclow.
- c1425 Chaucer CT.ML.(Petw 7)B.921 : For wiþ her strogelinge wel and myȝtely, þe theef fille ouer bord.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.197 : Elfride was kyng after his brother then..In Westsex hole, and mightely began, Protector was as was necessitee.
b
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)64 : An alaunt..is þe best hounde for to hold and for nyme al maner beestis and hold myȝtely [vr. myghtliche].
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)40/25 : I coueyte manye werkis in suffrynge manly and myȝtly alle þingis wiþ pacyence.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)115/23-4 : Takyth þe ground of gostly strengthe to trauaylen myȝtely in prayerys, to duryn myȝtely in goodnes.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)298/9 : Þe holy gost hath sprungyn in me his watyr of grace; þat is, his ȝyfte of strengthe, wherby myȝtely I suffere ȝoure turment.
- c1465 Chaucer CT.Pars.(CC 152)I.729 : Fortitudo..is so myghty and so vigorous that it dar withstonde myghtely.
4.
So as to be strong; so as to be safe or easily defended.
Associated quotations
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)193a/b : Thuscia is a prouynce of italy..y-strengþed myȝtelyche and stronge wiþ dyuers mounteyns and stronge place.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.548 : Þe werkmen gan þis cite for to founde Ful myȝtely with stonys square & rounde.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)1253 : And in a porch bilt of square stonys, Ful myghtely enarched envyroun..this knyght..from his stede alight.
- c1450 Palladius (BodAdd A.369)1.399 : But se that it be tymbred myghtely.
- (a1475) Fortescue Gov.E.(LdMisc 593)125 : He shall odre whiles ride in his owne person myghtely accompanyed.