Obs. Forms: 1 wynlice, 3 wunliche, 4 wynli, -lyche, wynn-, wynely, 4–5 wynly, 5 winly. [OE. wynlíce, f. wynlic: see prec. and -LY2.] Pleasantly, agreeably; finely, splendidly. (Often vague in alliterative verse.)

1

c. 1000.  Ags. Ps. (Th.), cvii[i]. 2. Þæt ic wynlice on psalterio þe singan mote.

2

c. 1205.  Lay., 3605. Sone werð þe alde king wunliche iæðeled.

3

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 749. A gardin euene,… wynli wiþ heie wal was closed al a-boute.

4

c. 1400.  Sc. Trojan War (Horstm.), I. 225. The stretis ware strautht & wynly maide.

5

a. 1400–50.  Wars Alex., 5545. In at a wicket he went & wynly it speris.

6

c. 1440.  York Myst., xlv. 103. What ayles yow women, for wo þus wynly to wepe?

7

c. 1450.  Holland, Howlat, 660. The Pape and the patriarkis … Welcummit thaim wynly.

8