Forms: 1 cýmlic, 3 cumelich, 4 comliche, lych, com-, kom-, cumli, 4–6 cumly, 4–7 comly, 5 comeliche, coum-, commly, 6 cum-, cumelie, com-, comeli, 6–7 comelie, 4– comely. Compar. 4 comelokur, 5 comlyar, 6– comelier. Superl. 4 comlokest, 5–7 comliest, 7– comeliest. [OE. cýmlíc, f. cýme exquisite, fine:—WGer. kûmi- + -líc: see -LIKE, -LY1. OE. cýme, cýmlic, appear to have the sense ‘beautifully constructed,’ ‘fine,’ ‘handsome’; but the cognate OHG. adv. chûmo, mod.G. kaum, means ‘with trouble or difficulty, hardly,’ Fr. à peine, the MHG. adj. kúm, kúme = frail, weak, and the deriv. OHG. chúmíg = weak, delicate, sickly; cf. the ME. KIME weak, silly, and AKIMED. These various developments of use appear to indicate for WGer. kûmi- a general sense of ‘delicate,’ as applied to workmanship or to constitution; perh. going back to the notion of ‘elaborate, made with trouble or difficulty.’ (See however Kluge in Paul u. Braune’s Beitr., XI. 557.) In English, nearly the whole range of meaning during the historical period is covered by the modern colloquial use of ‘nice’ i.e., pleasant to the sight (‘nice-looking’), pleasant to have to do with, pleasing to the moral sense, or æsthetical faculty, to the sensations or perceptions generally. The sense-development is also largely parallel to that of the same word. The original long vowel of cýmlíc (see Sievers, Beitr., X. 497) was subsequently shortened by position, and cymlíc was thus brought into association with the cym- forms of cuman to COME, so as to be made at length cumli, comly; along with this went a gradual modification of the sense, introducing the notion of ‘becoming.’ It is noticeable, however, that MHG. had komlich, komenlich, and early mod.Du. komlick, komelick (Kilian), as actual derivatives of komen: cf. also L. conveniens, OF. avenant.]
1. Fair, pretty, beautiful, ‘nice.’ a. Of things. (? orig. Delicately fashioned.) Hence, in later times affected by b. and sense 3, so as to express decent, sober, or quiet beauty, as in quots. 1535, 1632. arch.
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. cxxi. 3. Hierusalem, ʓeara ðu wære swa swa cymlic ceaster ʓetimbred.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 546. In his comlych courte þat kyng is of blysse.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeles, III. 174. In comliche clothinge as his statt axith.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Tim. ii. 9. That they araye them selues in comly apparell.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 364. Banners, Penons, Standards of silke, so sumptuous and comely that it was a marvell to beholde.
1630. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw., 133. Broader streets, comelier monuments, and handsomer buildings.
1632. Milton, Penseroso, 125. Civil-suited Morn … Not trickt and frounc’t … But Cherchef’t in a comly Cloud.
1870. Hawthorne, Eng. Note-Bks., II. 199. Surrounded by ancient and comely habitations.
b. Of persons: Fair, pretty, ‘nice-looking,’ pleasing: in modern use implying a lower or homelier style of personal beauty, which pleases but does not excite admiration.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 53. He þe comlokest kyng þat þe court haldes.
c. 1450. Castle Howard Life St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 533. He was so comely and so fayre.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), III. 67. No comlyar creatur of goddes creacyon.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos., 10. He was a Comely Man, and had a Majestick Mien.
1718. Hickes & Nelson, Kettlewell, I. § 9. 30. He was a Youth of a very comely Form.
1718. Gay, Lett., 9 Aug. Sarah Drew might be rather called comely than beautiful.
1888. Mahaffy, Tour Holl. & Germ., iv. The women comely, but not often handsome.
† c. Applied in courtesy to those of noble station: and hence to God and Christ. (Cf. Fair sir.) Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 23961 (Gött.). Þe car all of þat cumli king [Christ].
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 354. Ȝa, quod he, comly qwene. Ibid., 470. Nay, quod þe comly kyng.
c. 1400. Ywaine & Gaw., 2874. Cumly Crist, that heried hell.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., Processus Noe, 21. Comly kyng of mankyn.
† 2. Pleasing, agreeable, ‘nice,’ to the senses or feelings generally. Obs. or arch.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 6055. Two quenes of Amazoyne, With twenty thousand … Faire maydenes … That weore wyght in bataile, And comly in bed.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XV. 444. Cloth þat cometh fro þe weuyng is nouȝt comly to were, Tyl it is fulled.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 51. Their haire would … ouergrowe their faces, rather like monsters, than comlie sober christians.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, III. v. 56. The King was the comliest, proper, civill Salvage we incountred.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1268.
1883. Stevenson, Silverado Sq. (1886), 45. They said many kind and comely things about the people.
3. Pleasing or agreeable to the moral sense, to notions of propriety, or æsthetic taste; becoming, decent, proper, seemly, decorous. arch. or Obs.
[c. 1230. Hali Meid., 25. Ba of god & of uuel, of cumelich & of uncumelich.]
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 88. Comely, or semely in syghte, decens.
1561. Bp. Parkhurst, Injunctions. A comelie and honest pulpet to be set in a comeli place of the Churche.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 62. Robert Bishop of Hertford offered himself to beare his crosse, rather than he should so do, for that was not comely.
1597. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., V. lxv. § 9. For the comelier and better exercise of our religion.
1611. Bible, Ps. xxxiii. 1. Prayse is comely for the vpright.
1614. Bp. Hall, Contempl. O. T., VII. v. How justly doe wee take care of the comely burials of our friends.
1646. F. Hawkins, Youth’s Behaviour, vii. 31. It is not comely to sup ones broath at Table, it ought to be eaten with a spoon.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1716, I. 298. Nothing is more comely and agreeable to humane nature than peaceable living.
1725. Pope, Odyss., III. 499. Marching home In comely order.
† b. Befitting the purpose, appropriate, proper.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 1. A fine launcet is most comely, and much fitter than a larger incision knife.
† 4. absol. or as sb. Fair one. (Cf. BRIGHT B. 2., CLEAR C. 1., FAIR, etc.) Obs.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 873. Kurteyslyche kneling þat komli he grett.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 552. Jason … þat comly [Medea] can clip in his close armes.
5. Comb., as † comely-looked a., having comely looks; comely-looking adj., † comely-wise adv.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 108/2. Comly, or cumlywyse. Decenter.
1664. Pepys, Diary, 21 Jan. A comely-looked man he was.
1841. Borrow, Zincali, I. x. § 1. 167. One [woman] was more comely looking than the other.
