adv. [f. CRABBED a. + -LY2.] In a crabbed manner: crossly, ill-temperedly; sourly, morosely; with rugged intricacy.

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a. 1420.  Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 3514. A man also to Julius Cæsar ones Crabbedly seide.

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1561.  T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., III. v. (1634), 318. Many of them … have … spoken to crabbedly and hardly.

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1580.  Baret, Alv., C 1523. Crabbedly, sowrely, grimly, lowringly, torue.

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1593.  Nashe, Christ’s T., 66 a. [He] that in the Pulpit talkes affectedly, coldly, crabbedly or absurdly.

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a. 1774.  Fergusson, Plainstane, Poems (1845), 49. We sall hae the question stated And keen and crabbedly debated.

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