1. Lovingly, affectionately.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., Pref. 3. Ælfred kyning hateð gretan Wærferð biscep his wordum luflice & freondlice.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 17. Bide hine luueliche þet he þe do riht.
c. 1205. Lay., 7892. He … þus spec wið his folke & luueliche spilede.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 381, in O. E. Misc., 12. Ðus is ure louerdes laȝe luuelike to fillen.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 975. William was gretliche glad & loueliche hir þonked.
a. 1400. Pistill of Susan, 237. Loueliche heo louted, and lacched her leue At kynred and cosyn þat heo hed euere iknawen.
1503. Hawes, Examp. Virt., xii. 23. Dame Clennes loked vpon me louely.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. iii. 49. Instead of strokes, each other kissed glad, And lovely haulst, from feare of treason free.
b. Willingly, with joy.
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., IV. xi. (Schipper), 406. Þæt he luflice swa dyde.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 133. Euric mon þe lusteð luueliche godes wordes and ladeð his lif rihtliche þer efter he scal habben eche lif.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9106. Al he tok in godds nam, And thold luueli al þat scam.
2. Lovably, beautifully.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 426. A lyons heuyd was on-loft louely coruyn.
c. 1430. Freemasonry, 706. Al the whyle thou spekest with hym, Fayre and lovelyche bere up thy chyn.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., III. i. 125. Where, being but young, I framed to the Harpe Many an English Dittie, louely well. Ibid. (1604), Oth., IV. ii. 64. Oh thou weed: Who art so louely faire, and smell’st so sweete.
1708. J. Philips, Cyder, II. 344. The defecated liquor … Spouts into subject vessels, lovely clear.
1811. W. R. Spencer, Poems, 191. Lovelier beams the noon-day splendour.
