Solidly

adv. [f. SOLID a. + -LY².] In a solid manner.

  1.  So as to be fixed or firm; firmly, securely.

1611.  Chapman, Iliad, XIV. 199, comm. Hector … standing it so solidly; for without that consideration, the stone could neuer haue recoild so fiercely.

a. 1700.  Evelyn, Diary, 20 Nov. 1644. The stone is … now cracked in many places, but solidly joyn’d.

1868.  Morris, Earthly Par. (1870), I. I. 279. Who on the altar fixed it [an image] solidly Against the beating of the winds and waves.

1889.  Anthony’s Photogr. Bulletin, II. 403. The hyposulphite of soda is held pretty solidly by the gelatine.

  Comb.  1861.  Flor. Nightingale, Nursing (ed. 2), 42. In the solidly built old houses.

  b.  transf. or fig. (esp. with found, establish).

1637–50.  Row, Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), 332. Learned men finding Paræus’s doctrine to be solidlie founded upon the trueth of God.

1673.  S. C., Art of Complaisance, vi. 54. This vertue … upon which all the commerce of this life might be very solidly establish’d.

a. 1797.  Walpole, Mem. Geo. II. (1847), I. i. 3. His brother’s jealousy was solidly grounded.

1813.  Sir R. Wilson, Priv. Diary (1862), II. 445. Now Switzerland can be solidly linked in the connection of independent nations.

1884.  Kendal Mercury & Times, 31 Oct., 4/7. All this … will serve only to weld the followers of Mr. Gladstone more solidly together.

  2.  With solid or valid arguments or reasons; on solid or good grounds.

  Freq. in the 17th cent.

1625–8.  trans. Camden’s Hist. Eliz., III. (1688), 289. Their Books were … solidly confuted by Learned men.

1651.  Baxter, Inf. Bapt., 275. Determining … most solidly and excellently.

1693.  Evelyn, De la Quint. Compl. Gard., II. 86. The Tast is the only and real Judge to whom it belongs to Judge Solidly, and without appeal, as well of the Maturity, as of the Goodness.

1720.  Waterland, Eight Serm., 275. This appears to be only a groundless surmise, as is largely and solidly proved by … Bp. Bull.

1756.  Burke, Subl. & B., I. xvi. Aristotle has spoken so much and so solidly upon the force of imitation.

1853.  M. Kelly, trans. Gosselin’s Power Pope during Mid. Ages, II. 167, note. Muratori proves solidly … the antiquity of these copies.

1878.  E. White, Life in Christ, II. xiii. 151. [This] may be solidly inferred from the following premisses.

  3.  In a real as opposed to a superficial or apparent manner; really, thoroughly, truly.

1625.  Hart, Arraignm. Ur., I. ii. 16. Hippocrates…, not superficially, but solidly learned.

1640.  Ld. Digby, Sp. conc. Trienn. Parl. (1641), 12. Neither the people can be prosperous and secure, nor the King himselfe sollidly happy.

1667.  in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., III. 66. This most sweet childe was solidly vertuous.

1747.  Chesterf., Lett. (1792), I. cxix. 323. I … sacrificed a thousand real pleasures to it; and made myself solidly uneasy by it.

1823.  T. Jefferson, Writ. (1830), IV. 367. In this alliance, Louis, now avowedly, and George, secretly but solidly, were of the contracting parties.

1879.  H. James, Hawthorne, 32. Hawthorne’s countrymen are solidly proud of him.

  4.  Seriously, solemnly; earnestly.

1632.  Lithgow, Trav., X. 475. The two Iesuits … solidly protested, they were sorry from their heart.

1656.  Earl Monm., trans. Boccalini’s Advts. fr. Parnass., I. lxv. (1674), 83. He heard the Ottoman Emperor speak so solidly of the care which Princes ought to have.

1676.  O. Heywood, Diaries (1883), III. 147. John Butterworth prayed solidly and tenderly.

1788.  in T. W. Marsh, Friends in Surrey & Sussex (1886), vi. 46. [The Friends having] solidly considered the same, are of opinion [etc.].

1791.  Boswell, Johnson (Oxf. ed.), I. 48. He told me what he read solidly at Oxford was Greek.

  5.  In a quiet, sedate, or serious way or manner.

1799.  in T. W. Marsh, Friends in Surrey & Sussex (1886), ii. 18. After sitting solidly awhile he stood up and said [etc.].

1865.  Daily Telegr., 8 Nov., 4/4. The old complaints were inflammatory; folks lived slowly and solidly.

  6.  In a body; unanimously. Orig. U.S.

1865.  Bright, in Times, 14 March, 8/2. I was told by a citizen of New York … that in that State alone 100,000 Irish votes were given ‘solidly,’ as it is called, for General M’Clellan.

1868.  Grant Duff, Pol. Surv., 133. They [Congress] will vote solidly for repudiation in any form.

1886.  Manch. Exam., 26 Feb., 5/5. The Roman Catholic and Nationalist elements … being solidly Tory.