† 1. In a manner to cause loathing; foully, hideously, dreadfully, shockingly. Obs.
a. 1000. Boeth. Metr., xxvi. 83 (Sedgefield), 196. Þa ðe leon wæron on gunnon laðlice yrrenga ryn.
c. 1205. Lay., 7935. Laðliche [c. 1275 loþliche] heo feohten.
a. 1240. Lofsong, in Cott. Hom., 205. Ich am lodliche i-hurt ine licame and ine soule.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7358. Þe find … laithli sal his licam dight.
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 1136. He. lodliche was bi-lad al for vre sake.
c. 1475. Rauf Coilȝear, 139. Or ilk airt of the Eist sa laithly it laid.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 431 b/1. A cytyzen of parys … lothely sweryng had blasphemyed Jhesu cryste.
1600. Fairfax, Tasso, V. xxxii. With dust and blood his locks were loathly dight.
† b. With abhorrence or detestation. Obs.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1090. Alle þat longed to luþer ful lodly he hated.
1605. Shaks., Lear, II. i. 31. Seeing how lothly opposite I stood To his vnnaturall purpose.
2. Reluctantly, unwillingly. Now rare.
1542. J. Harrison, Exhort. Scottes, H vij b. In punishyng you, he did it lothely.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., xciii. 14. Lothlie he losed his arms, and leete him go.
1624. Trag. Nero, IV. vi. in Bullen, O. Pl., I. 78. Thou loathly this imprisoning flesh putst on.
1641. Sanderson, Serm. (1681), II. 11. I know how lothly men are induced to suspect themselves to be in an error.
1811. Scott, Don Roderick, II. v. For Roderick told of many a hidden thing Such as are lothly utter’d to the air.
1845. T. W. Coit, Puritanism, 408. Mr. Knowles loathly admits, that [etc.].
1880. Mrs. C. Reade, Brown Hand & White, III. iv. 102. The child goes, but loathly, and crying that she will come to see them very soon.
Hence † Loathlihead rare–1, loathsomeness.
1340. Ayenb., 203. Þet is apert tokne þet … þe lodlichede byeþ ine þi herte.
