adv. Obs. Forms: 1 hwætlice, 3 hwatliche, Orm. whattlike; comp. 3 watloker, 4 whatloker(e, -likere; sup. 4 whatlokest. [OE. hwætlíce, f. hwæt WHAT a.2 + -líce -LY2.] Quickly.
a. 1000. Ags. Ps. (Th.), cxxxvii[i]. 4 [3]. Ʒehyr me hwætlice.
c. 1200. Ormin, 12166. Þatt deofell let te Laferrd seon Whattlike inn an hanndwhile Off all þiss wide middellærd Þe kinedomess alle.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1708. Þeos hule spac wel baldeliche, For þah heo nadde swo hwatliche Ifare after hire here, Heo walde neoþeles ȝefe answere.
b. comp. Sooner, more readily, rather; sup. soonest.
c. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 87. Bute ðu iswik, ðe hwatliker hit te scall æure ma rewen.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 8846. Worri he wolde watloker mid worde þan mid arme.
c. 1300. Beket (Percy Soc.), 1249. And whatlokere [v.r. wel raþur] scholde such an heȝ man ne come he noȝt so sone, And nother ich ne he habbeth with oure bischops to done.
a. 1305. St. Kenelm, 315, in E. E. P. (1862), 56. Wheþer of þuse tuei schires whatlokest miȝte awake Al sauf scholde wende forþ.
13[?]. Leg. Rood, 30/142. Þe raþer [v.r. whatlikere] it him was uorȝeue.
