Middle English Dictionary Entry
ō̆nlī adj.
Entry Info
| Forms | ō̆nlī adj. Also oneli, onili, ounli, wonli, ō̆nlẹ̄ & (N) ānelī, anele, (early) ānelīch(e, (early & N) ānlī. |
| Etymology | OE ān-līc & ǣnlīc; forms show influence of ME ō̆n num. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. enle.
1.
(a) Excluding or apart from all others; without accompaniment or equal; only, alone; on (this) ~, ~ this, etc., one (this) and no more, just one (this), etc.; (b) but (except, outtaken, save) ~, except, but..alone; nought ~ but, nought (nothing) but ~, nothing except, nothing but; but if that ~, unless, except; (c) ~ but, nothing but, nothing except; nothing more than.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.121 : Who is þat ne shal dreden þee & heriȝen þi name, for þou onlich art ful of pyte?
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Esth.3.2 : Alle þe seruauntis of þe king..booweden knee & honoureden Aaman..oneli [WB(2): aloone; L Solus] mardoche boowede not knee ne honourede hym.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Josh.11.13 : Oon onlych [L tantum], þe leste of azor, flaume brente opp.
- (a1382) WBible(1) Pref.Jer.(Bod 959)7.145 : Þis onelich y knowe, þat I know not.
- (c1385) Chaucer CT.Kn.(Manly-Rickert)A.1589 : Thow shalt nat loue my lady Emelye, But I wol loue hire oonly and namo.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.ML.(Manly-Rickert)B.457 : Victorious tree..That oonly worthy were for to bere The kyng of heuene.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fri.(Manly-Rickert)D.1490 : And som tyme at oure preyere han we leue Oonly the body and nat the soule greue.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Cl.(Manly-Rickert)E.245 : He wolde Wedde hire oonly, if euere he wedden sholde.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)147b/b : The Cok hatte Gallis & haþ þat name of geldinge, for among foules, onliche [L soli] þe cok is I-gilde.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)283/21 : His face & his necke & his brest & his armis bicomith smal..& his wombe schal oonli swelle.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.1451 : Troyens þat day haue Þe hiȝer hond of þis mortal fiȝt, Þoruȝ þe force..Of Troylus only.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.3767 : In..þe regne of Amazonys..þe custom & þe wone ys, Þat only wommen þer-in shal abide.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)1338 : Þe world prayses nan, bot þa anly Þat til alle worldes welthes er happy.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.79 : We granten þe sentence and not oonli þe wordis.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.3.221 : This is oonly the manere [L solus modus], that is to seyn, hope and preieris, for which it semeth that men mowen spekyn with God.
- ?a1425 Mandev.(2) (Eg 1982)4/21 : He has lost all, oute taken Greece, and þat land anely [F soulement] he haldes.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)42/3 : I louede fewe wordis and manye werkis; whanne a man seiþ manye wordis oonly, I noumbre hem not.
- (1429-30) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.79 : Ye remland, yat Margret onle haffe had, be distribud be avise of my wiffe.
- a1450(?c1430) Lydg.DM(1) (Hnt EL 26.A.13)550 : Cause whi that I the assaile Is wonli [vr. oonly] this, from the to disseuere The fals worlde.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)29/25 : It wer vnpossibyl to þe to suffyr þe scornys & despytes þat þow schalt haue, ne were only my grace supportyng þe.
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)971 : Glotenye..hath þis condycioun; Oonly fastyng is his sauacyoun.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)1139 : This relykys I yeue..You therfore, askynge this oonly grace, That ye for me wil preyn specyally.
- (1448) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 1214 : A sute of grene Satayn wt skalappes, mones & sterres of gold for Preste dekyn, & subdekyn a Cope wt Orfrayes onely of the same sute.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)64 : Oonli he..which makith the text of a book be schorter than he is, takith fro the wordis of thilk book.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)16.458 : Iosephe drowgh ow[t] þe spere schaft anon, But the hed In his hype lefte þere stille, For that was only goddis wille.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)1164 : To wynne honour was only þe purpos Whiche þat I took.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)995 : We of grece sall..anely be ouer þe werd honourd & praysed.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)15589 : God only, off hys suffraunce, Hath in myn hand yput vengaunce.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)54/81 : Only hym loue which bodyly ffood doth ȝeve all day and gostly helth.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.123 : Men of Assyria..admitte oonly [L solam] the lawe of Moyses.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)125a/a : If þer be oonly hurt of skyn wiþouten lost of substaunce ouþir hurt of þe scolle, þanne þou schalt cure it þus.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)143/38 : This thynge ounly Sholde wythdrawe the and make alle men enchu il workys.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)31/288 : Hym that maide all of noght I thank oonly.
- a1500 LRed Bk.Bristol2.151 : They shal pay atte suche assembles for the sustentacion of the maters aboue seid their halfpens only and no more.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 18.8 : Þei han ȝifen to dauyd ten thousendes & to me a thousend þei han ȝifen; what to hym is more ouer but oneli þe rewme?
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2952 : Ther nys no thyng in this world that he desireth, saue oonly worship and honour.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mil.(Manly-Rickert)A.3456 : Ye blessed be alwey a lewed man, That noght but oonly his bileue kan.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.1998 : Ther lakketh noght oonly but day and place.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)160b/b : Þoghe wyndes blowe and wawes arise..þat fysshe holdeth by noon oþer crafte but oneliche [L tantummodo] cleuyng to þe shippe.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)13737 : I wil nane oþer be-gynne bot anli he wiþ-outen synne.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)9.140 : Alle shal deye for his dedes..Excepte oneliche of eche kynde a couple.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)1749 : Þe prynce pryvyest preved þe þrydde, Heȝest of alle oþer, saf onelych tweyne.
- a1425(c1385) Chaucer TC (Benson-Robinson)4.1332 : Ye knowe ek how that al my kyn is heere, But if that onliche it my fader be.
- c1430(c1386) Chaucer LGW (Benson-Robinson)896 : Nothing, save the deth only, Mighte thee fro me departe trewely.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1580 : Þer folewes non bot onelyk y.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)2370 : He ne askede non oþer þyng Bot onlike his doughter ȝyng.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)330 : Iche creature helpyth hymself bedene, Saue only man at hys comynge.
- a1450 PNoster R.Hermit (Westm-S 3)12/31 : We noþing haue of oureself but oonly synne.
- a1450(a1425) Mirk IPP (Cld A.2:Peacock)656 : Þer nys no mon of lower degre Þat may þat do, but onlyche he.
- c1450 Pilgr.LM (Cmb Ff.5.30)28 : Ye ben no thing but oonliche my tool and instrument.
- c1450 Treat.Perf.(Add 37790)236/25 : Thay wille knawe nothynge elles bot onely þat þat þay pryncipaly fele be þer awne consayte.
- (1474) RParl.6.109a : No persone ne persones..enjoy any avauntage..by this present Acte, but oonly the seid William and his heires.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)20b/a : J foond..a scolle boon þat was al oon hool boon lijk a basenett, outaken oonliche þe ij smale petrouse bonys & þe neþer chekeboon.
- a1500 Rule Minoresses (Bod 585)86/19 : The sustris..Schal fast fro þe fest of seint Fraunces til þe fest of þe resurrexioun..owte take þe sonday onliche.
c
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)7.3035 : The god he yifth the heveneriche; The world yifth only bot a name.
- (1439) EEWills122/22 : If she doo the contrarie to eny thyng of this his last will..she haue oonly but hir dowere of all his maners, landes, and tenementes.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)71b/b : To open puncturis and to enpostymes, þou schalt putte oonly but oylis mitigatifs.
- ?a1500 ME Verse in Anglia 92p.68 : Of all þat he was wont to haue is left hym oonly but his graue.
2.
(a) Sole, single, one in number; unique; also, peerless, preeminent [quot.: Wyl be þow ster]; ~ sone (child), an only son (child); (b) of a place or way of life: solitary, reclusive, isolated; of persons: alone, in solitude; lonely; unaccompanied; also, singular, different from others [quot.: c1450(c1400)]; ~ man (womman), an anchorite; ~ from, separated from (sb.); (c) mere, with no one or nothing else; ~ sufficience, what is adequate to live on and no more.
Associated quotations
a
- a1250 Creed (Blick 6864)p.138 : Ich geleue..on halende crist, his anliche sune, ure lhaferd.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.7.22 : I lernede..bi wisdam..þe spirit of vnderstonding, holi, manyfold, oneli [L unicus], sootile, manerly, fair spekinge, mouable, vndefouled.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)11b/b : He was his modir onliche sone, for sche hadde none oþir sone to fore hym neþir aftir.
- a1400 Wyl be þow ster (Mert 248)9 : Godis moder, blessed þow be..onely maden þorw godis gast, of alle wemen meked mast.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)26549 : In god fader..& in his sone, crist ihesu, our aller anly lorde I trow.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)8439 : Bi grace of only god of heuen, Soone he coude þe artes seuen.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (LdMisc 210)1/15 : I beleue in God..and in Ihesu Crist, his onely Sone.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.3.214 : Thanne scholde ther be don awey thilke oonly [L unicum] alliaunce bytwixen God and men, that is to seyn, to hopen and to preien.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)294/27 : Se me comen mekely to mankynde in þe flesch of myn oonly sooþfast sone.
- (?a1430) Hoccl.Ad SS (Hnt HM 744)58 : O, oonly helthe of our mortalitee, O, holy goost, cause of al our confort.
- c1450(?1436) Siege Calais (Rome 1306)163 : O oonly god, in whom is all, Save Calais the tovn riall.
- a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44)56 : Þe deedly venym of deceyt ys crept so hoomly in to myn hous þat þe oonly felowe of my bed ys hurt wyth þe tempest of þis soor.
- c1450 ?Suffolk Myn hertes Ioy (Frf 16)16 : I beseche the only trinite Yow kepe and saue be support of hys grace.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)245/23 : But the affeccion of the publique well may auoyde your singuler disordinate reule yf the voluntees ben conyoined all in oon onely desire to the comon saluacion.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.77va : I drede .. that it myght happe so to me, and I that am an only son [L (Vulg.Tob.6.15): unicus] to my fader and moder .. shold depose theyr olde age with heuynes and sorow to helle.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.78rb : Thou hast don mercy on two only chyldren.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)174/30 : Alle thyngis be creat of one only substauns, be an only dysposicion.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)301/253 : I am his oonly son, his forward to fulfyll.
- a1500 Chartier Treat.Hope (Rwl A.338)88/25 : Thou myghttest..beleve and wourship God in His onely essence and infinyte.
b
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)139/5 : Þenk hu anliche he lið fram alle hise felawȝes.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)48/20 : Ancre hus..schulde beon anlukest [Nero: onlukust; Cleo: anlichest] stude of alle.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)91/20 : Þis an word is iseid of anlich [Nero: onliche; Cleo: anli] lif, of anlich stude, þer me mei beon hester ihud ut of þe world.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)109/24 : Of þeose seoue beastes & of hare streones i wildernesse of anlich lif, is iseid herto.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)3075 : In þat wast þan can þai duell..Ananli liuelade þar þai ledde.
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)3/22 : Ȝif he wil make Professioun to lyue onelich lyf, to þre þinges he moste make auow.
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)5/14 : Poule þe first onelich man.
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)27/12 : In Onelich Mannes hous, oiþer wommans, owe mychel to ben on vche friday holden silence.
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)29/18 : Onelich man & womman ne owen to chastise non bot her owen seruauntz.
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)12799 : Alle folke of Ierusalemes londe han wondir of þe to vndirstonde..Of onlych [Frf: anly] lif þat þou here ledes.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)24.17 : Ofe me hafe mercy, For aneli and pouer am I.
- a1400 Rolle Encom.Jesu (Hrl 1022)190 : I fande Ihesu in desert fastand, in þo mount anele [vr. anely] prayande.
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)261 : Sir, ȝe lif an anly life; We wald ȝow rede to wed a wife.
- a1425(?a1400) PCounsel.(Hrl 674)167/4 : Þou louest to be only & sit by þi-self.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1499 : Sir Idrus fytz Ewayn anters hym seluen, And enters in anly and egyrly strykez.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)1981 : Owre wyese kyng..Anely in the vale a vawewarde enbusches.
- a1450(?c1343) Rolle EDormio (Cmb Dd.5.64)69/275 : Contemplatife lyfe..lufes to be anely, withowten ryngyng or dyn.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)273 : Anely life all if þai lede, Of þe deuel haue þai no drede.
- c1475(a1400) Amadace (Tay 9)p.31 : Dame, quy sittus thou here, Kepand this dede cors opon this bere, Thus onyli vpon a nyȝte?
- c1450(c1400) Vices & V.(2) (Hnt HM 147)17/14 : Þe proude..ne wole not don as oþere doþ..but wole be soleyn, þat is only, in his doynges.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)54.7 : I lenghid fleand, and i wonyd in anly stede.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)6182 : Thre places I haue nomet her, commune, special, and onely.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)6197 : By place that was onely, Adam bygylet was.
- a1500 Awntyrs Arth.(Dc 324)98 : Þes knyȝtes arne vncurtays..Þat þus oonly haue me laft one my deþe day.
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)18/129 : Hit is not good man only to bee; helpe to him now make wee.
c
- a1400 Cato(3) (Frf 14)131 : Sin þou art doutande of alle bestis liuande, nedderres for venim, mare mai þou be agast of anli man vn-wrast, and warre þe for him.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)51/27 : The riȝtwiisnesse of God askide of mankynde to suffre condygne peyne for þis synne, which man myȝte not suffre, ne bere; for an oonly man was not sufficient to make satisfaccioun for þat forfeet.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)306 : Noon persoon..can be endewed into his oonli sufficience.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)318 : Folie hadde be to al thilk Cristen multitude..forto haue storid..eny grete possessiouns..bisidis the oonli housis and gardeyns, whiche weren necessarie for hem silf and her meyne forto in hem dwelle.
3.
As noun: an only one; someone uniquely dear.
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.21.21 : Pul out from þe swerd my soule, þou god, & fro þe hond of þe hound, myn onely [WB(2): myn oon aloone; L unicam meam].