† 1. Sharply, pungently, keenly; violently, harshly, severely. Obs.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIX. 376. Þanne welled water for wikked werkes, Egerlich ernynge out of mennes eyen.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 82. The more the synne is abhominable the egerlyer thei be tempted bi the deuelle.
1480. Caxton, Ovid’s Met., XI. xxi. I am more aigrely tempested, than he was wyth the floodes of the see.
1553. Bale, Vocacyon, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), I. 341. Within ii. dayes after was I sick agayn, so egerly, that [etc.].
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turks (1621), 650. Raine, which frose so eagerly as it fell, that it seemed the depth of Winter had … been come in.
† b. To bear eagerly [trans. acide ferre, Vulg.; cf. also Lat. ægre ferre, which may have been sometimes confused]: to take amiss, be grieved at. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. iv. 9. Egreli or heuyly bere thou not in thi soule.
1491. Caxton, Vitas Patr. (W. de W.), I. xxxv. (1495), 29 a/1. Whyche thynge … Cypryan bare aygrely.
1611. Chapman, Iliad, I. 3/99. Heroique Agamemnon rose, eagerly bearing all.
† 2. Angrily, fiercely, bitterly, malignantly. Obs.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVI. 64. Egrelich he loked on me.
c. 1450. Lonelich, Grail, xxxvii. 698. A lyown that loked ful egerlye.
1609. B. Jonson, Sil. Wom., II. ii. 81 (1612), D 1 b. Him shee loues most shee will seeme to hate eagerliest.
3. Impetuously, swiftly. (Now only in phrases like eagerly pursuing, which approach sense 4.)
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 39. To þe cite Þei went egrely, & did þo kynges fle.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VI. 427. Douglas … full egirly Assalit.
c. 1450. Merlin, x. 158. He … rode a-gein hym full egerly.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., III. ii. 240. How eagerly ye follow my Disgraces.
1655. Earl Orrery, Parthenissa (1676), 23. Who were eagerly pursuing the Parthians.
4. In an eager manner; with impatient desire, promptitude or alacrity.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., V. iii. 7. Brutus … hauing some aduantage on Octauius, Tooke it too eagerly.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe (ed. 3), II. 174. Sick, sleepy, eagerly hungry.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. 114. The oath of fidelity was eagerly taken by every order of the state.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 546. An unprincipled minister eagerly accepted the services of these mercenaries.
1867. Smiles, Huguenots Eng., x. (1880), 156. Thanksgivings … in which the people eagerly took part.
