adv. Also 4 spirituellyche, 5 spirytuelly. [f. SPIRITUAL a.]
1. In a spiritual manner; in or as to the spirit; as regards or in respect of spiritual things; in accordance with spiritual principles.
1340. Ayenb., 84. Hi zet man spirituellyche ine his riȝte stat huerinne he wes uerst ymad.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., I. (1495), 3. By the … simylitude of thynges visible our wit or our vnderstondynge, spirytuelly,… may be so well ordred [etc.].
c. 1440. Alph. Tales, 194. Our Ladie … enoyntid þis seke man … & curid hym bothe spirituallie & bodelie.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 20. As evill bitter wateris gerris mony folk dee temporaly, sa dois … heresy and lollardry the saule dee spiritualy.
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., V. cxiii. (1516), G iij/1. Þe Quene … brought in hir armes the yonge Baby, to the which she was moder bothe naturally, and spiritually.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 66. The body and blud of Christ is received spiritually.
1650. Jer. Taylor, Holy Living, ii. § 3. 90. In the same degree that Virgins live more spiritually then other persons.
1755. Young, Centaur, ii. Wks. IV. 145. Spiritually blind, deaf, and stupid, they see not the great Omnipresent walking in the garden.
1828. Lytton, Pelham, I. xx. 150. Mr. Howard de Howard is too unsubstantial not to be spiritually inclined.
1893. Bookman, June, 86/1. This Russian baroness … spiritually directing the Czar of all the Russias.
b. Comb. in spiritually minded.
1526. Tindale, Rom. viii. 6. To be carnally mynded is deeth, and to be spiritually mynded is lyfe, and peace.
1564–78. Bullein, Dial. agst. Pest. (1888), 122. He is so spiritually mynded that he forgetteth poore Roger.
1681. Owen (title), Grace and Duty of being Spiritually-Minded.
1831. Scott, Cast. Dang., v. Methinks thou art more spiritually-minded than can always be predicated of a wandering minstrel.
1844. trans. M. T. Asmar’s Mem. Babylonian Princ., II. 57. Being … a spiritually-minded woman, she yielded her consent.
† 2. In or according to a spiritual sense. (Opposed to literally.) Obs.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1492. Bifore þe sancta sanctorum soþefast dryȝtyn Expouned his speche spiritually to special noȝt haly writte spiritually, bot after þe letter.
1550. Senonoys, Godly Sayings (1846), 74. Understand ye spiritually that whiche I have spoken unto you.
1559. W. Cunningham, Cosmogr. Glasse, Pref. 2. All they agree in this poynt,… but yet as touchinge the situation, some vnderstand it spiritually.
† 3. In a spiritual or ecclesiastical capacity.
c. 1511. 1st Eng. Bk. Amer., Introd. (Arb.), p. xxx/2. The Grekes haue spyrytually the Patriarcke of Constantynnoplen, and many Archebysshops, bysshops, and abbottes.
4. As a spirit or spiritual being; with supernatural beauty, radiance, etc.
1816. Byron, Siege Corinth, xi. Bespangled with those isles of light, So wildly, spiritually bright.
a. 1850. Rossetti, Dante & Circle, I. (1874), 95. She … Grew perfectly and spiritually fair.
5. In respect of distilled spirit or alcohol. rare.
1866. Athenæum, 12 May, 634/1. French wine being spiritually weaker, than either port or sherry.
