a. and adv. Forms: 4–8 statly, 5–7 statelie, 5–6 -lye, 5–7 Sc. staitly, 5– stately. [f. STATE sb. + -LY. Cf. the equivalent ESTATELY a. and adv. in 14–15th c.
The G. staatlich of identical formation has now in the literary language only the sense ‘pertaining to a (political) state or to the State.’ In dialects, however, and in early mod. German, it has the meanings of the Eng. word, which in standard German have been transferred to stattlich, f. statt = STEAD sb. Cf. Du. statelijk, Sw. ståtlig, stately, magnificent.]
A. adj.
1. Of personal appearance or demeanor, and of persons with reference to these. In early use, Befitting or indicating high estate, princely, noble, majestic. In later use, Imposingly dignified. (Occasionally said of animals: cf. 4 b.)
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1372. Thou rote of false lovers, duk Iasoun!… Thow madist thyn recleymyng & thyn luris To ladyis of thyn statly aparaunce.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 11. Sapience, To-fore whos face, most statly and rialle, Were the vij. science callyd liberealle. Ibid., 213. This stately fowle most imperial,… Callid in Scripture the fowle celestial.
1734. Ramsay, Vision, xi. He, with … staitly air, did me rebuke.
1877. Miss Yonge, Cameos, Ser. III. xi. 94. She was a good, sensible, and learned woman, but the stateliest of dames.
absol. 1868. Tennyson, Lucretius, 172. That council-hall Where sit the best and stateliest of the land.
b. Of movement, a person or animal in movement: Dignified, deliberate.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., V. ii. 10. The Duke, great Bullingbrooke, Mounted vpon a hot and fierie Steed,… With slow, but stately pace, kept on his course.
1826. Disraeli, Viv. Grey, VI. ii. A whole flock of stately geese issued in solemn pomp from another gate.
2. Of persons, their dispositions or actions.
† a. Haughty, domineering, arrogant. Obs.
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, lxxx. 62. And sho was a passand fayr mayden emang all oþer, & with þat sho was passand statelie & prowde, & thoght skorn be evur ilk common man. Ibid., dcxlii. 428. He was neuer prowde nor statelye.
c. 1450. in Aungier, Syon (1840), 361. For often tymes statly and unreligious porte causeth murmur and grudgynge to other.
1544. Betham, Precepts War, I. clxx. H vij b. The multitude neuer iustly ne egally can beare rule and offyce thorough theyr arrogaunte, stubburne, and stately conditions.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619), 180. He presumed to waxe stately against his fellow Emperours.
1599. Hayward, 1st Pt. Life & Reign Hen. IV., 4. Neither did the continuance of his Raigne bring him to a proude port and stately esteeming of himselfe, but in his latter yeares he remained so gentle and faire in cariage, that [etc.].
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts, 658. Such is the stately mind of this little Beast, that while her limbes and strength lasteth, she tarrieth & saueth her self in the tops of tal trees.
b. In milder sense: Showing a sense of superiority; repellently dignified; not affable or approachable. In recent use a euphemistic application of sense 1.
a. 1625. Fletcher, Wit without M., II. ii. This widow is the strangest thing, the stateliest, and stands so much upon her excellencies.
1688. Penton, Guardian’s Instr., 22. When I say I would have my eldest son a little stately: I do not mean any degree of that gross imperious Pride which God and Man hates.
1712. Swift, Lett. to D’hess of Ormond, 20 Dec. [Your grace’s picture] will set me labouring upon majestic, sublime ideas…; and will make those who come to visit me think I am grown on the sudden wonderful stately and reserved.
1841. G. P. R. James, Brigand, vii. When we did meet, he was distant and stately in his manner.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, xlix. Their ladyships made three stately curtsies.
absol. 1707. Refl. Ridicule, 88. There are Women who think to act the Stately by affronting every body.
3. Of things: Appertaining to or befitting a person of high estate; magnificent, splendid.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 3. In statly wise whan thei were mett, Eche oone welle horsed, made no delay, But with her mayer rood forthe in her way. Ibid. (1433), S. Edmund, I. 134. The statly royal date Whan I first gan on this translacioun.
1447. Bokenham, Saints, Magd., 870. Thou lyist here in a statly paleys, Bewrappyd in clothys of sylk & gold.
1555. Act 2 & 3 Phil. & Mar., c. 20 § 1. The Duchie of Lancastree, being one of the most famous Princeliest & Stateliest peeces of our said Sovereigne Ladie the Quenes auncyent Enheritance.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus. (1585), 65. Golde silke or silver lace of stately price.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, IV. xii. 188. [Lewis the ninth] arrived in Cyprus; where Alexius Lusignan King of the Island entertained him according to the stateliest hospitality.
1756. Nugent, Gr. Tour, Germany, II. 256. In winter they have races in stately sledges, besides masquerading and splendid balls.
1842. Tennyson, Ld. of Burleigh, 43. A gateway she discerns With armorial bearings stately.
b. of ceremonies, etc.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., V. vii. 43. That we spend the time With stately Triumphes, mirthfull Comicke shewes.
1648. Gage, West Ind., 16. The Dominicans … invited all the Jesuites … to a stately dinner both of Fish and Flesh.
1891. E. Peacock, N. Brendon, I. 53. The most stately ritual that can be devised.
1899. A. C. Benson, Life E. W. Benson, I. xvii. 635. The circumstances of his life placed him in stately spheres of activity.
1911. W. W. Fowler, Relig. Exper. Roman People, ix. 218. But meaningless as they were, the stately processions remained, and could be watched with pride by the patriotic Roman all through the period of the Empire, until the Roman Church adapted them to its own ritual and gave them, as we saw, a new meaning.
4. Imposing or majestic in size and proportions.
a. of inanimate things, a building, town, tree, mountain, etc. Also of a ship, now usually with some reference to its motion: see 1 b.
c. 1450. in Kingsford, Chron. London (1905), 142. And many moo good tovnys and stately villagis.
1586. A. Day, Eng. Secretary, I. (1625), 23. Woods high and decked with Stately trees.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., I. vi. 21. A statelyer Pyramis to her Ile reare, Then Rhodophes or Memphis euer was.
1613–6. W. Browne, Brit. Past., I. i. 10. Or the Nymph of Kent, That statelyest Ships to sea hath euer sent.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., I. 25. This Prouince is mainly watered through the middle with stately Po.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 142. And as the ranks ascend Shade above shade, a woodie Theatre Of statliest view.
1700. R. Cromwell, in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1898), XIII. 116. A statly chine, accompaned with a fatt Turkey.
1784. Johnson, in Boswell (1904), II. 569. When somebody talked of being imposed on in the purchase of tea and sugar, and such articles: ‘That will not be the case,’ said he, ‘if you go to a stately shop, as I always do.’
1842. Tennyson, Locksley Hall, 37. Many an evening by the waters did we watch the stately ships.
1914. Blackw. Mag., Sept., 301/1. In the pages of our soul-stirring annals, from the walls of stately cathedrals and monuments, they being dead may yet speak words of inspiration to their descendants.
b. of a person or animal. (Cf. 1 b.)
1653. Walton, Angler, I. ix. The Carp is the Queen of Rivers: a stately, a good, and a very subtle Fish.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 148. After them, came … at length the Basha himself, mounted on a stately Horse.
1815. Byron, Hebr. Mel., Wild Gazelle, ii. The Cedars wave on Lebanon, But Judah’s statelier maids are gone!
1825. Scott, Betrothed, xiii. Fourscore years had not quenched the brightness of her eyes, or bent an inch of her stately height.
1849. W. E. Aytoun, Lays Scott. Cavaliers, 113. When they scent the stately deer.
1851. Tennyson, Sonn. Macready. Garrick and statelier Kemble, and the rest Who made a nation purer through their art.
1863. Geo. Eliot, Romola, I. xix. She looked up with one of her happy, loving smiles at the stately old man.
1907. Verney Mem., II. 488. A tall, dignified woman … and the mode in which her black hair towered above her forehead made her statelier still.
c. Of sound: Impressive, majestic.
1655. Stanley, Hist. Philos., III. (1687), 102/2. Good Heavens, what voice is this, how strange and stately?
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Cornw. (1662), 196. The hall (rising above the rest) yieldeth a stately sound as one entereth it.
1850. Kingsley, Misc. (1860), I. 228. The stately calmness of the wood-dove’s note.
5. Of speech or writing or its style; hence of a speaker or writer: Elevated in thought or expression, dignified, majestic.
1579. Lodge, Def. Poetry, 23. Yf you had wanted your Mysteries of nature, & your stately storyes, your booke would haue scarce bene fedde wyth matter.
1583. Melbancke, Philotimus, E iij. He might tricke his speech with a few superficiall colours, but all his statly style were not woorth a strawe.
1685. Dryden, Sylvæ, Pref. A 6. Virgil … maintains Majesty in the midst of plainess;… and is stately without ambition, which is the vice of Lucan.
1802. Wordsw., Resolution & Indep., 96. Choice word and measured phrase, above the reach of ordinary men; a stately speech.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 404. That deficiency he did his best to conceal … by stately declamation.
absol. 1809. Malkin, Gil Blas, XI. v. (Rtldg.), 404. He preferred the stately, or rather the grotesque in writing.
b. of a subject.
1602. Warner, Alb. Eng., X. lx. 266. Of which [Fleets and their commerce] shall be digested here the Progresse,… Though stately be the Subiect, and to slender be our Arte.
1644. Milton, Educ., 5. Then will the choise Histories,… and Attic tragedies of statliest, and most regal argument … offer themselves.
† 6. Powerful, effectual. Obs.
With quot. 1662 cf. G. stattlich, in early mod.G. said of medicines (Grimm s.v., II. 1. c).
1587. Turberv., Trag. Tales, 142 b. So statelie is the stroke of Cupids bow.
1662. R. Mathew, Unl. Alch., 78. Make a Lixivium or stronge lye of Chalkes vive, or White-lime for this is most stately, and operates very potently. Ibid., 177. One of the most potent, stateliest Medicines that I think is attainable in the World.
† 7. Pertaining to the state or body politic. (nonce-use.) Obs.
1641. Milton, Reform., 73. What a perversenesse would it be in us of all others to retain forcibly a kind of imperious, and stately Election in our Church?
8. Comb.
a. 1618. Sylvester, Woodman’s Bear, xli. Shee was Strait proportion’d, stately-pased.
1777. T. Warton, Poems, 79. Whate’er adorns the stately-storied hall.
B. adv. In a stately manner. Now rare.
† 1. With splendid ceremonial or surroundings; in state. Obs.
c. 1407. Lydg., Reson & Sens., 2662. Where that love, as I ha tolde, Stately holdeth his housholde With his meyne in gladnesse.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 378. The King sitting in a Pauilion stately apparelled.
1648. Gage, West Ind., 84. Spaniards who thought nothing too good for us, and would entertain us stately.
† 2. In a domineering or arrogant manner. Obs.
1449. Paston Lett. (1900), Suppl. 24. And ther to Mariot seyd stately, that myght not be performed.
1538. Elyot, Dict., Imperiose, stately, rigorousely.
1539. Bp. Tonstall, Serm. Palme Sundaye (1823), 33. Whyles a noble manne … dyd prostrate hym selfe … and kyssed his shoo, whyche he stately suffered to be doone, as of duetie.
† 3. In a noble or dignified form or style; so as to have a stately appearance. Obs.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 17. Martyred in battayls, ere towne could statelye be buylded, Or Gods theare setled.
1625. Bacon, Ess., Gardens (Arb.), 555. When Ages grow to Ciuility and Elegancie, Men come to Build Stately, sooner then to Garden Finely.
1633. Bp. Hall, Hard Texts, Ps. cxxii. 3. Ierusalem is stately built.
1640. trans. Verdere’s Rom. of Rom., III. 50. He met with a house very stately built.
4. With stately or dignified bearing, movement or expression.
1584. Lyly, Campaspe, III. iv. How stately she passeth bye, yet how soberly!
1602. Shaks., Ham., I. ii. 202. A figure … Appeares before them, and with sollemne march Goes slow and stately.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xxv. A tall signor … who walks so stately.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xvi. Both Earls moved slowly and stately towards the entrance.
1858. G. Macdonald, Phantastes, iii. Tiny, gaily decorated forms,… moving stately on.
† 5. In a fitting manner, properly. Obs.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxvi. 82. We! þare sir, he skelpte oute of score [of money-changers in the Temple] Þat stately stode selland þer store.
1513. Bk. Keruynge, in Babees Bk. (1868), 269. And yf ye wyll wrappe your soueraynes brede stately, ye muste square and proporcyon your brede.
6. Comb.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. v. 891. The fair Peacock … Proud, portly-strouting, stalking, stately-grave.
1592. Kyd, Sp. Trag., IV. i. 158. But to present a Kingly troupe withall, Giue me a stately written Tragedie.
1648. J. Beaumont, Psyche, VI. lxxxix. The Glass … weep’d to see its stately-beautious face Dissolv’d by one short Touch.
1728. Thompson, Spring, 777. The stately-sailing swan.
