Soberly

adv. Also 4 sobreliche, -lyche, 5 sobirliche; 4–6 soburly (4 -li), sobirly (-lie), soberlie (6 -lye), etc. [f. SOBER a. + -LY². Cf. MDu. soberlike (Du. -lijk), MLG. soberliken.] In a sober manner, in various senses of the adj.

  1.  Gravely, seriously, quietly; without any sign of excitement, impatience, or other strong feeling.

  (a)  13[?].  E. E. Allit. P., A. 256. Soberly after þenne con ho say.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Frankl. T., 857. This Philosophre sobrely answerde.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 248. When Pelleus his proses hade … soburly said with a sad wille.

c. 1440.  Alph. Tales, 44. On þe morn … he com vnto þis Crasippus & tolde hym soberlie of his anger.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scot., I. 544. The man that had the hound in cuir … Than soberlie askit agane the hound.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Edw. IV., 45. The kyng of England … aunswered to his wordes so soberly, so grauely, and so princely.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., III. 80. [He asked me] where was my money? to whom I soberly answered, I had no more then he saw.

  (b)  1382.  Wyclif, Gen. xxxii. 22. Whanne sobirly [L. mature] he was arysun.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Shipman’s T., 255. Daun Johan sobrely This chapman took on-part, and prively Sayd him thus.

c. 1425.  Lydg., Assembly of Gods, 802. With countenaunce demure he roode full soburly.

1456.  Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 186. Thai maid offer to passe sobirly and curtaisly.

1508.  Dunbar, Gold. Targe, 130. Ladyes to dance full sobirly assayit.

1595.  Locrine, IV. ii. My wife soberly sate rocking my little babie.

1606.  Shaks., Ant. & Cl., I. v. 48. So he nodded, And soberly did mount an Arme-gaunt Steede.

1707.  Mortimer, Husb. (1721), I. 206. By being acquainted with their Keeper, and being soberly handled, you may with ease remove them from one Pasture to another.

1820.  Keats, Isabella, xx. Then the tale Shall move on soberly, as it is meet.

1884.  Manch. Exam., 21 Nov., 5/3. To keep the debate soberly within narrow channels.

  (c)  1589.  Pappe w. Hatchet (1844), 35. If thou wilt deale soberlie without scoffes, thou shalt be answered grauely without iests.

1594.  T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 519. This is a matter then of which wee must speake very soberly, and with great reuerence of God.

1684.  B. Hale, Pref. to Contempl. State Man, A. I have soberly consider’d these Holy and Devout Contemplations.

1689.  Locke, Govt., II. ii. As he soberly judges the case to require.

1781.  Cowper, Conversat., 667. That disease, when soberly defin’d, Is the false fire of an o’erheated mind.

1832.  Ht. Martineau, Life in Wilds, i. 7. That they would deliberate soberly.

1841.  Miall, in Nonconformist, I. 14 April, 2/1. It becomes dissenters … soberly to set about it.

  b.  In all seriousness; with full conviction.

1579.  W. Wilkinson, Confut. Fam. Love, 16. HN. affirmeth very soberly as it seemeth that the Elders of his broode are illuminated.

1695.  Kennett, Par. Antiq., ix. 61. Agreeable to the faith of that age, miracles were soberly reported of him.

  c.  Without extravagance or excess.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ii. I. 230–1. The cruelties of Mary’s reign … which were neither accurately nor soberly related in the popular martyrologies.

1861.  Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., ix. 119. But these rights [of public meeting] must be soberly and moderately exercised.

  2.  With moderation in respect of natural appetites; temperately.

1340.  Ayenb., 248. Hire uor to wyne and habbe, me ssel libbe sobreliche ine þise wordle.

c. 1400.  Maundev. (Roxb.), xxxii. 144. Þai liffe so temperately and so soberly in meet and drink.

c. 1430.  Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, I. xix. (1869), 14. Ye muste ete and drinke more sobirliche than oother folk.

1538.  Starkey, England, I. ii. 33. Yf men wold gouerne themselfe soburly by temperat dyat, then physycyonys were not to be requyryd.

1600.  Nashe, Summer’s Last Will, 278. The silly beasts … will rather fall soberly to those thistles … then they will offer to breake their bounds.

1717.  Pope, Iliad, IX. 290. Then each … His thirst and hunger soberly repress’d.

1882.  Med. Temp. Jrnl., 146. They were … as soberly disposed a body of young men as one would wish to see.

  3.  In a poor, humble or simple manner. ? Obs.

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), IV. 79. Þe childe … seide þat he couþe lyve soberliche, and þat lasse cost wolde doo his nede.

1533.  Bellenden, Livy, Prol. (S.T.S.), I. 2. I will assay How sobirly begouth þe romane blude.

a. 1550[?].  Freiris of Berwik, 226, in Dunbar’s Poems (1893), 293. [That we] Sobirly our selffis dois sustene.

  † 4.  Quietly, gently, in respect of motion.

1477.  Norton, Ordin. Alch., v. in Ashm. (1652), 85.

1660.  F. Brooke, trans. Le Blanc’s Trav., 251. This branch of Tacassin … towards Amina … runs soberly enough.

  5.  Not brightly or garishly.

1820.  W. Irving, Sketch Bk., I. 263. It was soberly lighted by a row of Gothic windows.