adv. [f. VIOLENT a. + -LY2.]
1. By means of physical strength or violence; by the exercise of improper or unlawful force; forcibly. Now Obs. or arch.
1382. Wyclif, Ezek. xxii. 29. Puplis of the loond … violentli rauysheden the nedi man, and tourmentiden the pore man.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), viii. 91. And there was oure Lord … scourged and smytten and vylently entreted.
c. 1440. Jacob’s Well, 16. Be þis artycle are þey vnderstonde acursyd þat stelyn or beryn violently out of holy cherche holy cherch good.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 254. How violently and without all … pite they racked that blessed body.
1535. Coverdale, Lev. v. 23. He shal restore agayne that he toke violently awaye, or gat wrongeously.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), John vi. Annotations, Not compelling or violently forcing any against their will.
1631. Gouge, God’s Arrows, II. § 7. 142. What is violently or fraudulently gotten, wilbe lavishly spent.
1695. Ld. Preston, Boeth., I. 32. If thou hadst rather be thought to have been violently remov’d, thou hast done thyself this Injury.
1786. Burke, W. Hastings, Wks. 1842, II. 108. After he had … unjustly and violently expelled the rajah Cheyt Sing … from his said lordship.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xxxiii. To restore the banners of the community, which you took violently from the town.
b. With other than physical violence; in some illegal, unwarrantable, or improper manner.
1551. T. Wilson, Logike (1580), 16. Neither can any Lawe bee able, violently to force the inwarde thought of man.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 216. Luther was in dede condemned at Rome, but his cause not heard, violently and tyrannically.
1626. Gouge, Serm. Dignity Chivalry, § 1. The forenamed point, The Dignity of Chivalry, is not violently wrested, but properly ariseth out of my Text.
1849. Ruskin, Sev. Lamps, iv. § 18. 108. You will infect that form itself with the vulgarity of the thing to which you have violently attached it.
2. By or with great or extreme force, strength or vigor; with impetuous or violent motion or action; so as to produce a violent effect.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 25. Þeyh al an oost stood by þe pond and torned þe face thiderward, þe water wolde drawe hem violentliche toward þe pond.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 2571. With þe venymous swerde a vayne has he towchede! That voydes so violently þat alle his witte changede!
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 54. Som tyme a man is smytyn som party of þe legge violently without wondyng of þe skynne. Ibid., 65. Þis [remedy] … wirkeþ noȝt so violently as puluis sine pari for þe vertgrez þat entreþ not here.
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., XI. xiii. (Caxton), 398. Though a bledder be lyghte yet it makyth grete noyse and sowne yf it be strongly blowen and afterwarde vyolently broken.
c. 1535. M. Nisbet, Prol. Rom. (S.T.S.), III. 339. The greattest appetite ouircumis the less, and charyis the man avay vyolently with hir.
1595. Locrine, II. v. 66. The currents swift swimme violently with blood.
1597. A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 30/2. If the Arterye be greate, and violently beateth.
1613. Purchas, Pilgrimage (1614), 357. The streame shooting violently ouer their heads without wetting them.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., V. xii. 69. At 10 deg. mounture, [the gun] carries the Bullet violently 248 Paces.
1711. Budgell, Spect., No. 161, ¶ 3. An huge brawny Fellow, who twirled him about, and shook the little Man so violently, that [etc.].
1750. trans. Leonardus’ Mirr. Stones, 132. When it is kindled by fire, it rarifies, and is violently dilated.
1777. R. Watson, Philip II., XXI. (1839), 449. The ships were driven violently against each other.
1842. Lover, Handy Andy, xxvi. The bells rang violently through the house.
1857. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org., i. 48. The chlorinated derivatives of Dutch liquid are violently decomposed by potassium.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xxvii. 211. The windows shook violently.
3. With great intensity or severity; to a high degree or pitch; intensely, severely.
14[?]. Brut, II. 328. Grete … hetes, & þerewiþal a grete pestilens … destroyed & slow, violently & strongly, both men & wymmen without noumbre.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 136. Lest soaking Show’rs shou’d pierce her secret Seat, Or scorching Suns too violently heat.
1734. Lond. Gaz., No. 6306/2. The Small Pox are come out very violently on the Queen Widow.
1745. Life Bamfylde-Moore Carew, 34. Violently afflicted with the Sea-sickness.
1802. Arab. Nts. (1815), II. 172. He wept most violently.
1842. Thackeray, Fitzboodle’s Prof., Misc. Wks. 1857, IV. 6. The consequence was that I became so violently ill as to be reported intoxicated.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xiii. III. 351. The civil war … broke forth again more violently than before.
b. In intensive or emphatic use: To a very great or extreme degree or extent; very greatly, powerfully or strongly.
1601. Sir W. Cornwallis, Disc. Seneca (1631), 43. It is no charity to give so violently as to lay waste the maine of an estate.
1621. Fletcher, Isl. Princ., III. i. I may be mad, or violently drunk.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, I. I. i. 3. This splendid fortune had violently attracted the attention of Europe.
1845. Dickens, Chimes, i. ¶ 1. A great multitude of persons will be violently astonished.
1869. Eng. Mech., 19 Nov., 224/3. We see it [an ellipse] violently foreshortened.
4. Strongly, in respect of feeling; with deep feeling or emotion; ardently, passionately, vehemently.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 55. My selfe weary of expecting companions, and violently carried with the desire to returne into my Countrey, did all alone … passe ouer the Alpes.
1682. Norris, Hierocles, 35. Not violently agitated by our domestick passions.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, II. vi. He then desired to know … how it came to pass that people were so violently bent upon getting into this assembly.
1780. Mirror, No. 78. As I was not violently inclined towards literature.
1841. Lane, Arab. Nts., I. 90. Upon which the man … became violently enraged.
1906. Lit. World, 15 Nov., 492/1. Her work … throws her in contact with a fiery young idealist,… and she falls violently in love with him.
5. colloq. In a flashy or showy manner; ‘loudly.’
1782. Mme. D’Arblay, Diary, 15 Dec. She was violently dressed,—a large hoop,… ribands and ornaments extremely shown.
