Obs. Forms: 3 wurðeliche, -like, wurðliche (wirdliche, Orm. wurrþlike), -lich, -lic; 3–5 worþliche, 3–4 worþworthli, 5 worthely, wordly, 4–6 worthly. [f. WORTH a. + -LY2.] 1. = WORTHILY adv. 1.

1

c. 1200.  Ormin, 8177. All he wass wurrþlike shridd, Alls iff he wære o life.

2

c. 1205.  Lay., 14164. Þu sca[l]t habben gærsume hæhliche heom to ueden & wurðliche scruden.

3

a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 174. Heo schulen beon ine heouene, ouer oðer kunnes folke, wurðliche iheied.

4

c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 1518. Ðor he was for his fadres luuen Holden wurðelike a wel a-buuen.

5

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 673. He … welcomes hir worþli. Ibid., 3202. Whan þei were cloþed worþli in here wedes.

6

c. 1400.  Ywaine & Gaw., 184. When we war in that fayre palays, It was ful worthly wroght always.

7

  2.  = WORTHILY adv. 2.

8

c. 1205.  Lay., 5770. Þe sculleð eow wurðliche wreken.

9

a. 1400–50.  Wars Alexander, 1428. Þan Alexander … Wynnes worthly ouer þe wallis with-in to þe cite.

10

  3.  = WORTHILY adv. 4.

11

c. 1200.  Vices & Virtues, 21. His flesc and his blod,… ȝif ic hit swa wurðliche underfenge, swa hit wurðe wære.

12

  c. 1200.  Ormin, 1033. Þatt follkess haliʓdomess, Þatt wærenn inn an arrke þær Wel & wurrþlike ʓemmde.

13

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 11618. Þe lauerd agh yee worthli to lufe.

14

1551.  S. Gardiner, Expl. Cath. Fayth, 18. For such as receaue Christes most precious body and bloud in the Sacrament worthly, they haue Christ dwellyng in them.

15

  4.  WORTHILY adv. 3 c.

16

1482.  Monk of Evesham (Arb.), 43. Hyt was so gret and ynestymable that y can not remembre … how y myght wordly speke of hyt.

17