Obs. Forms: 1 weorðlic, wurðlic, 2 wurdlich (comp. wuredluker), 3 wurð-, wurþlich (sup. wurðlukest), 4 wurthli; 3–4 worþlich (3 sup. -lokest, 4 comp. -loker), 4 wortlich, -lych, worþelych, 5 worþeliche; 4 worþ-, worthli, -ly, worþe-, worthely. [OE. weorðlic, wurðlic, f. weorð WORTH sb.1 + -LY1]
1. Of things: Having great value or importance; noble, fine, excellent, worthy.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., III. x. 140. Papirius … weorþlicne siʓe hæfde.
a. 900. Juliana, 9. Wæs his rice brad, wid & weorðlic.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xix. 143. Hi worhton eac þa wurðlice cyrcan.
c. 1100. O. E. Chron. (MS. D.), an. 1058. He … wurðlic lac ʓeoffrode.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 47. Heo hafð mid hire þreo wurdliche mihte.
c. 1205. Lay., 11772. Ah loke wulche … wunliche londes, whulche wurðliche wude. Ibid., 28923. He … bad alle þe ȝeonglinges … þat heo heom biȝeten wurðliche wepnen.
a. 1240. Ureisun, in O. E. Hom., I. 187. Hwi nis me unwurhþ elc wurþliche þing aȝein þe muchel delit of þi swetnesse.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 1029. Swiche meting nas neuer non made Wiþ worþli wepen wiȝt.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 464. I wysse a worþloker won to welde I neuer keped.
1340–70. Alisaunder, 1024. Hee aboute hath ibene … And iwonne at his will þe wortlych places.
c. 1350. Libeaus Desc. (Kaluza), 761. Her wer a worþly won For man, þat wer in doute.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 146. Riches of golde, syluer, yowelis, and othyr worthely possessionys.
14[?]. in Hist. Coll. Citizen London (Camden), 126. The cyttezyns … shall have alle ande every franches … þe whiche of worthely mynde be progenys of oure lorde the kynge,… to hem and to hys sayde cytte were grauntyde.
2. Of persons: Estimable, honorable, worthy.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxiii. § 1. Ʒeþenc hu weorðlic and hu foremærlic þe wolde se mon þincan.
c. 1100. O. E. Chron. (MS. D.), an. 1023. Hi þa mid weorðlicum weorode … hine … feredan.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 29. Ðu ert wel don man and þarto wurðlich.
c. 1205. Lay., 25496. Wenhauer his quene, wurðlukest [c. 1275 worþlokest] wiuen. Ibid. (c. 1275), 26459. Hii þanne gonne go and leope to horse, worþliche kempes.
c. 1320. Sir Tristr., 1687. Play miri he may Wiþ þat worþli wiȝt.
a. 1352. Minot, Poems, v. 38. Als wise man of wordes and worthli in wede.
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 233. Canstou me graiþ tellen To any worþely wijȝt.
c. 1467. in Excerpta Hist. (1831), 188. That no man thenk that I … undirtake the thynges abovesaide by any arrogance … to be callid worthly.
