Lewdly

adv. [f. LEWD a. + -LY².]

  † 1.  In unlearned fashion; ignorantly; foolishly.

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 289. Her-to þei leggen but lewydly goddis lawe.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Sec. Nun’s T., 430. Ye han bigonne your question folily…; ye axed lewedly.

c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., III. xix. 415. And so thilk opinioun … was take childeli and lewidli.

1477.  Norton, Ord. Alch., ii. in Ashm. (1652), 28. Theie lewdly beleeve every Conclusion.

  † 2.  Wickedly, evilly, vilely, mischievously.

1382.  Wyclif, 2 Macc. ix. 2. Antiochus after the fliȝt loodly [1388 viliche; Vulg. turpiter] turnyde aȝein.

1501.  Douglas, Pal. Hon., I. 149. Our wit aboundit and vsit was lewdlie.

1561.  T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., IV. 27. In this they most lewdly corrupte the olde institution.

1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., II. i. 167. A sort of naughtie persons, lewdly bent.

1596.  Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (Globe), 675/2. I thinke they are most lewdly abused.

1600.  Holland, Livy, I. xlix. 34. Fearing … that he had given an ill precedent for others, to take vantage against himselfe, attaining to the crown so leaudly.

1653.  H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., iv. 9. The goods you have so lewdly gotten by your wicked and cunning devices.

1667.  Milton, P. L., VI. 182. Thy self not free, but to thy self enthrall’d; Yet leudly dar’st our ministring upbraid.

  † 3.  Badly, poorly, ill. To think lewdly of, to have a poor opinion of. Obs.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Manciple’s Prol., 59. Bycause drynke hath dominacion Vpon this man,… I trowe he lewedly wolde telle his tale.

1596.  Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (Globe), 621/1. Those sayd gentellmens children, being thus in the ward of those Lordes, are … therby brought up lewdly, and Irish-like.

1672.  Dryden, Assignation, I. i. For his Violin, it squeaks so lewdly, that Sir Tibert in the gutter mistakes him for his Mistriss.

1678.  Mrs. Behn, Sir Patient Fancy, II. i. I’ll make such aukward love as shall persuade her … to think most lewdly of my parts.

  4.  Lasciviously.

1608.  Shaks., Per., IV. ii. 156. As my giuing out her beautie stirs vp the lewdly, enclined.

1621.  Quarles, Esther, V. E 3 b. Each Virgin keepes her turne, and all the night They lewdly lauish in the Kings delight.

1624.  Heywood, Gunaik., IV. 169. This Macareus and Canace having most leaudly and incestuously loved one another.

1871.  R. Ellis, trans. Catullus, xv. 5. Touch not lewdly the mistress of my passion.