Middle English Dictionary Entry
tīmelī adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | tīmelī adv. Also timli. |
| Etymology | OE tīmlīce |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Soon, in time; ~ inough; as ~ as, as soon as; (b) quickly; also, in good time, promptly; (c) early; also, before the appointed time, prematurely; (d) at the same time; also, ?at a given time [quot. c1475, 1st occurrence]; also, in correl. construction: hou-ever ~..so ~, at whatever time..at the same time.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)25 : Ic mei longe libben and alle mine sunne timliche ibeten.
- c1225(?c1200) St.Juliana (Bod 34)7/61 : He ase timliche as he hefde iherd þis biȝet et te keiser þet he ȝette him al þet he walde.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)15659 : Penda..seide þat he wolde sahtnesse wurche and timliche him speken wið.
- (a1333) Herebert Soethþe mon (Add 46919)5 : God ys þat he trusse hys pak And tymliche pute hys stor in sak Þat not when hoenne vare.
- (1389) Lond.Gild Ret.in Bk.Lond.E.(PRO C 47/var.)42/48 : He schal be so tymelich vesited & holpen þat he ne schal nouȝt, for defaute of help, be brouȝt to nouȝt.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Pars.(Manly-Rickert)I.1066 : He may, as hym semeth, tymely ynough come to shrifte.
- c1440(a1401) Life Bridlington in NM 71 (Yale 331)p.141 : Right as a tre begynnyng is to bew Tymely þat gude camboke wil be, In al þat men myght se or knew Fro his youthed right so did he.
b
- c1225(?c1200) St.Kath.(1) (Bod 34)108/762 : Bute ȝef þu þe timluker do þe i þe ȝeinturn..ic schal schawin hu mi sweort bite i þi swire.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5188 : Kent hii wonne timeliche..Estsex & souþsex..Hii wonne ar hii come aȝen.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)8876 : Wiþ ax he walde haue kut hit þan; al to timely [Vsp: rath] he be-gan.
- (1467) Paston2.567 : Seruantys..wayted dayly and tymely vppon his persone.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)9309 : In thys mortal lyff, Thogh that a man renne euermore, He may neuere hast hym to sore To kome to tymely to that place.
- c1475(?c1451) Worcester Bk.Noblesse (Roy 18.B.22)82 : Every man bring and put forthe of his goodes after that his power is. Now in the worship of God let this be timelie done.
c
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)415 : Þe kyng..Comaundes hem to meeten him tymely on þe morwen.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)4.3163 : As tymliche as I may, Fulofte whanne it is brod day, I take of all these othre leve.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)903/16 : An almond tree hatte amigdalus and is a tree þat bloweþ tymeliche [L mature].
- a1425 HBk.GDei (Hnt HM 148)69/18 : Wend erly to Gods house & knoc at þe ȝate..call þou neuer so tymely þou fyndes God be-fore þe.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)202 : Whene his modire and seyn Iohne & þeire felawes come tymly at morne to see Ihesu, þey mett hym in þe waye.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)8201 : What tithinges broght Segryne to you To day soi tymelie in the mornyng?
- (?1455-6) Paston2.124 : I had lever ye were at London a weke the rather and tym elyer [read: tymelyer] then a weke to late.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)128b : Tymly ryppe..prematurus.
- a1500(1442) Let.Marg.Anjou in Camd.86 (Add 46846)82 : This day, right timely, I rode from Tawnton unto his place.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)133/524 : Mak..lernyd tymely to steyll that couth not say nay.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)9629 : The Secund day suyng..Þe Troiens full tymli tokyn þe feld.
d
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)241 : Þouȝ þe now seid loues..ben gendrid so tymely..ȝitt þerof folewiþ not..þat þe now seid loues be in þe same table.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)180/30-31 : How euer tymeli eny such moral vertu be, so tymeli is groundable vpon him a biddyng þat he be kept.