Obs. exc. Sc. Forms: see EVEN a. and -LY1. [ME. evenlich, OE. efenlic, f. efen, EVEN a. + -lic, -LY1. Cf. ON. iafnligr, Goth. ibnaleiks.]
1. Equal; of the same character, degree, rank, weight, etc. Of a date: The same (cf. EVEN a. 14 b).
a. 1000. Crist, 39 (Gr.). Næniʓ efenlic ðam ær ne siððan in worlde ʓewearð wifes ʓearnung.
c. 1200. Ormin, 1837. Michaæl bitacneþþ uss … whillc iss wiþþ Godd all efennlic.
c. 1275. in O. E. Misc., 90. Haly thomas of heoueriche Alle apostles eueliche.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 318. Þe date was euenlik, a þousand þre hundred & tuo, Whan þe Erle of Karrik turned þe Scottis fro.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Boeth., III. ix. 88. Þou by euenlyk causes enhaunsest þe soules and þe lasse liues.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. iii. 77. Ȝhoure modyr and I in ewynlyk gre Discendand fra þe stok’ are we.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, V. viii. 2. Eneas … Twa evinlie burdouns walit … And equale armour … On schulderis … buklis he.
† b. Equal to one’s needs; moderate. Obs.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 13. Ðet foremeste [Temperancia] is riht medeme mel … Ðat oder [Modica potio] is emliche drinke … for to beten his þurstes nede.
2. Even: a. Of persons: Fair, equitable, just, impartial.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., V. x. 882. Sutyle off ingyne he was: and eloquent And ewynlyk in-till jugement.
1488. Sc. Acts Jas. IV. (1814), 210/2. Personis … vnsuspect to his hienes, & evinly to all his liegis.
1494. Act. Dom. Conc., 361 (Jam.). The money … salbe layit in ane evinly manis hand.
1567. in G. Buchanan, Detect. Q. Mary (1572), sig. X iiij a. I desyre the mony to be consignit into an eeuenly mans hand.
b. Of the ground, roads, etc.: Free from inequalities, level, smooth, uniform.
1721. Ramsay, Poems, To R. Yarde. Poets show’d these evenly roads That lead to dwellings of the gods.
1808–25. Jamieson, s.v., We speak … of an evinly course, both as respecting progress in a journey, and the tenor of one’s conduct.
