Forms: α. 4 worþ-, worthilych, 5 wurthilyche; 4 worþili, -ily, -yly, 4–5 worthili, 4–6 worthyly (4 -ylye, 5 -ylie, wurthyly), 4– worthily (5 worththily, 7 worthilie); 5 wordyly(e, 6 Sc. vordily. β. 4 wortheliche, -eli, 4–7 worthely (6 -elie, woorthely). [f. WORTHY a. + -LY2. The β-forms are not always distinguishable from variants of WORTHLY adv.]
† 1. With due dignity, pomp or splendor. Obs. (Passing into sense 3.)
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 72. When þay had waschen, worthyly þay wenten to sete.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 4290. With a real route he rod hire a-ȝens, & worþili hire he wolcomed.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. II. 8. I … was war of a womman wortheli yclothed.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 1632. Priam … a pales gert make,… Full worthely wroght & by wit caste.
c. 1440. Gesta Rom., iv. 12. Thei buryed the body of the knyȝt, worthely among hem in a newe sepulcre.
a. 1450. Contin. Brut, 461. This coronacion was worthely doon. Ibid., 486. Lordes and ladyes were worthely served thurgh all the Court.
1522. World & Child (facs.), A ij. I am not worthely wrapped nor went But powerly prycked in pouerte.
† b. Becomingly, elegantly. Obs. rare.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 144. Bot his wombe & his wast were worthily smale.
2. In a manner befitting one of high standing or character; in accordance with one’s own dignity or personal worth; honorably, nobly.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, II. 186. Men tellen þat he doth In armes day by day so worþily … þat alle prys hath he.
1382. Wyclif, Ephes. iv. 1. So I … byseche, that ȝe walke worthily in the clepinge, in which ȝe ben clepid.
a. 1400–50. Wars Alexander, 1405. Þai within on þe wall worthili with-stude.
1450–1530. Myrr. Our Ladye, II. 259. Al this sayde worshyp was done vnto oure lady … by cause she had worthyly ouercome the fende.
1471. Caxton, Recuyell (Sommer), 462. Hercules and theseus did worthyly and digne of memorye.
1569. J. Rogers, Glasse Godly Love (1876), 183. This blessed state of Matrimony … I exhort you … that you walke worthely therin.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. ii. 25. Well may I certes such an one thee read, As by thy worth thou worthily hast wonne.
1606. Shaks., Ant. & Cl., II. ii. 102. Worthily spoken Mecenas.
a. 1629. Hinde, J. Bruen, xxxi. (1641), 97. He that had done so worthily at Ephrata, became famous in Bethlehem.
1658–9. Burton’s Diary (1828), IV. 2. The gentleman has moved worthily, and like a gentleman.
1784. Cowper, Task, V. 807. The soul that sees Him,… learns at least t’ employ More worthily the pow’rs she own’d before.
1807. G. Chalmers, Caledonia, I. III. vii. 380. He worthily fell, in fighting for his people.
1858. J. G. Holland, Titcomb’s Lett., vii. 157. An incident of a life worthily spent.
1886. Manch. Exam., 8 Feb., 5/5. The office he has long worthily held as parliamentary secretary to the Trades’ Union Congress.
b. Const. of, or ellipt. for this.
1841. W. L. Garrison, Life, iii. 15. There are … some … who do not walk worthily of their profession.
1881. F. T. Palgrave, Visions Eng., 237. Oft hast thou acted thy part, My country, worthily thee!
3. According to desert or merit; as one (or it) is deserving or worthy; deservedly, justly, rightly.
The attribution of desert may be either to the subject or object of the sentence.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter, Prol. 3. We menge wordis of louynge sa þat worthily he may trow him.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys, Marg., 86. This blyssyd mayde Margrete wurthyly Be these sexe vertuhs to heuene dede stye.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Chron. xvi. 25. For the Lorde is greate and can not worthely be praysed.
1548. Patten (title), The Expedicion into Scotlande of the most woorthely fortunate prince Edward.
1591–5. Spenser, Col. Clout, 375. Or be their pipes vntunable and craesie, That they cannot her honour worthylie?
1617. Moryson, Itin., I. 109. The other wines of this Country … and all the other fruits cannot be worthily praised.
1642. D. Rogers, Naaman, Ep. Ded. 1. For all men to cast their eyes upon, and that worthily; for most costly and pretious was their matter.
1695. Ld. Preston, Boethius, II. 62. That which cannot be taken away is worthily esteemed the most excellent.
1825. J. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, II. 2. We know of no case … wherein he [the Wild Man] is worthily represented.
1844. H. G. Robinson, Odes of Horace, I. vi. Who worthily of Mars shall write In adamantine Tunic bound?
1865. Kingsley, Herew., ix. His father … promised him the succession—which indeed he had worthily deserved.
b. Used with reference to demerit or the punishment for this.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VI. xvii. (Bodl. MS.). Dauid blamed worthilich þe seruantes of king saule þat were sleping.
1509. Barclay, Ship of Fools (1874), I. 247. But suche youth … worthely lyue in brawlynge stryfe and payne.
1550. Crowley, Last Trumpet, 175. But if thou wilt be styl sturdy … The Lord shall plage the worthely.
1592. Greene, Repentance, Wks. (Grosart), XII. 187. I haue so often offended thee that I haue worthely deserued death.
1624. Heywood, Gunaik., IV. 188. As the processe of her life was in many passages therof worthily infamous.
a. 1678. T. Stanley, Hist. Philos., XIII. xxix. (1687), 933/2. Ingratitude is worthily hateful to all men.
1784. Cowper, Tiroc., 404. Egregious purpose! worthily begun In barb’rous prostitution of your son.
c. Fittingly, in respect of subject or matter.
1553. Eden, Treat. New Ind. (Arb.), 6. My trauayl herein coulde no wayes be more worthely bestowed.
1565. T. Stapleton, Fortr. Faith, 14. Here a man not knowing the mistery, might worthely be astonned.
1642. J. Eaton, Honey-c. Free Justif., 68. That new distinction … is the more worthily to be suspected for a corrupter of the Gospel.
4. With due devotion or reverence; in a fitting spirit; reverently, devoutly; also, with real desert by reason of faith or good life.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xiv. 1. Lord wha sall won in þi tabernakile, þat is wha worthily lufis þe here.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 385. Men may also refreyne venial synne by receyuynge worthily of the precious body of Ihesu crist.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. lxxiii. (1869), 42. And if this bred thou wolt nempne and clepe wel and wurthilyche, j sey it is bred of lyf.
a. 1500. Hist. K. Boccus & Sydracke (? 1510), F iv b. Yf this word be worthely spoken It shalbe hard fro erth to heuen.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 171 b. Clennesse of hert, wherby they may worthyly laude and prayse god.
1565. Harding, Answ. Jewel, 132. By the vertue and efficacie of this Sacrament duely and worthely received.
1610. Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, XV. xxiii. 563. Wee do worthily beleeue that the 70. had the spirit of prophecy.
1755. Young, Centaur, i. 11. As to God, they say, ‘The natural religion commands us to think worthily, and speak reverently, of Him.’
1770. Sacraments Explain’d (ed. 2), 54. A second Thing required, is the State of Grace, without which, no one can worthily receive this Sacrament.
† 5. At a proper rate or value. To take worthily: to accept graciously. Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 381. Heliye left þe grete richesse … & tooke worþili þe pore ordenance … þat a goode man & his wyfe proferid to hym.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 180. As thei come To hire … To schewen such thing as thei broghte, Whiche worthili of hem sche boghte.
