[f. CHIEF a. + -LY2.]
1. In chief, in particular; preeminently; especially, particularly; above all, most of all. † Chiefliest: most particularly.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 850. Þe lorde hym charred to a chambre, & chefly cumaundez To delyuer hym a leude, hym loȝly to serue. Ibid., 883. He … achaufed hym, chefly, & þenne his cher mended.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 42. Crist is rich, for He haþ chefly & richli alle þingis.
14[?]. Epiph. (Tundale’s Vis., 113). Sche answered … With all the port of womonly clennes Hurself demenyng and chefly with mekenes.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 292. Many great inconveniences followed. And chiefely the price of Corne this yere beganne greatly to be advaunced.
1611. Bible, Tobit iv. 12. Beware of all whoredome, my sonne, and chiefely take a wife of the seed of thy fathers.
1645. Marq. Worcester, in Dircks, Life, viii. (1865), 118. That which is chiefliest and earnestliest recommended you.
1760. Goldsm., Cit. W., iii. To make a fine gentleman several trades are required, but chiefly a barber.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 389. Not life, but a good life, is to be chiefly valued.
2. (Relatively to others.) Principally, mainly, for the most part. (Usually with the force of ‘mainly but not exclusively.’)
138[?]. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 370. Þe material swerde wiþ his purtenance in þe persone of cesar, in whom þat tyme was chefly þis swerde. Ibid., Sel. Wks., I. 14. Cristis prechours shulden chevely tellen Goddis lawe.
1529. Frith, Antithesis (1829), 300. We will chiefly touch the head, which is the Pope.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 300. I must needes commend you very much in all your doings, chiefely for your valiantnes … in this battaile.
1711. Addison, Spec., No. 169, ¶ 9. Cæsar’s Character is chiefly made up of Good-nature.
1798. Ferriar, Illustr. Sterne, iii. 58. The Anatomy of Melancholy … consists chiefly of quotations.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 172. One of the most odious of those grievances, the Council of York, had been removed in consequence chiefly of his exertions.
