a. Obs. Forms: 4–5 costelew(e, 4–6 costlewe, 5 costeleue, 5–6 costlow(e, costlew. [ME. costelewe, f. COST v. or sb.2 + -LEWE: cf. ON. costligr costly.] Costly, sumptuous, expensive; lavish in expenditure, extravagant.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 121. Costelewe cloþis.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 344. Ther is also costlewe furrynge in hir gownes.
1398. Trevisa, Barth De P. R., VI. xiv. (Tollem. MS.). An euyl wyf … chydynge and scoldynge, dronkelew [1535 dronken] and unsteadfast … costelew [1535 costly] stoute and gay.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxxx. 243. He helde a wonder ryal and costlewe fest of saynt George.
1487. Act 3 Hen. VII., c. 2. Which sute ys long and costlowe [AF. costeouz].
1502. Arnolde, Chron. (1811), p. xli. At the west dore of Powles was made a costlew pagent.
b. Used advb.
1482. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccliii. 324. Dyuerse pagentys … shewyd in dyuerse places of the cyte Ryally and costlew.
