1. Tightly. Obs. or arch.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1725), 337. He did þam fettre wele, streitly & right hard.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc. 29. Þof al it be bounden riȝt streitly at þe first tyme ȝitte vnneþe schal þe fretyng be complete in som men by a moneþ.
1483. Caxton, Golden Leg., 407/3. Thenne eche kyssed other and enbraced straytely.
1579. Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 255. Let ye Ministers of Gods word learne to be straitlier laced then other men.
1598. Grenewey, Tacitus, Ann., XIV. ii. (1612), 200. Nero … embraced hir more streightly then hee was accustomed.
1653. H. More, Conject. Cabbal., 228. The soul may deem her self too straitly girt up.
1752. ‘Sir H. Beaumont,’ Crito, 19. If it be a Child of the tenderer Sex, she must be bound yet more streightly about the Waist and Stomach.
1820. Scott, Monast., xxxi. Even that ruffian hesitated to draw the cord straitly.
1850. Neale, Med. Hymns, 12. Let thy loins be straitly girded.
† 2. Urgently. Obs.
c. 1340. Richard Rolle of Hampole, Prick of Conscience, 5597. Þe croyce on whilk he dieghed for man Sal stratly pray ogayne þe þan.
c. 1440. Alphabet of Tales, 15. A monke þat hight Hubertus … when he sulde dy,… askid straytlie þat þe abbott myght com vnto hym & assoyle hym.
3. Narrowly; within narrow limits.
c. 1400. Ywaine & Gaw., 674. At aither entre was, i wys, Straytly wroght, a port-culis.
a. 1504. Erthe upon Erthe (1911), 28/39. Erih hath closed them ful streytly in his bowre.
a. 1619. Fotherby, Atheom., II. i. § 8 (1622), 185. Yet is our capacity so much straitlier limited, that it cannot reach to any of their limits.
1851. Carlyle, Sterling, II. v. I remember finding him lodged straitly but cheerfully,… in a little cottage on Blackheath.
1877. Conder, Basis of Faith, v. 230. Nature … straitly restrains that latent capacity for variation, so freely evolved under the hand of man.
b. With reference to a siege or the like: Closely, narrowly, strictly.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 3811. Þo was he beseged so streytly, Þat he durst come oute on no party.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, III. ii. (1883), 90. His gardes whiche wacchid and kept straytly thys forteresse.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 205. William the Conquerour, most straightly beleaguered it.
1728. Morgan, Algiers, I. 170. His … Wizir … revolted, and straitly besieged him.
1889. Rider Haggard, Cleopatra, I. iv. And for answer Achillas marched on Cæsar, and besieged him straitly in the Bruchium at Alexandria.
† c. Straitly stead: placed in straits, sore beset.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VII. 216. The kyng so stratly stad wes thair, That he wes neuer ȝeit swa stad.
c. 1400. Melayne, 42. He was full straytly stede.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxii. 187. Me thynke þat ȝe ware straytely stedde, Lorde, with þis fende þat nowe is fledde.
† d. To look straitly to: to watch narrowly. Obs.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 5022. He was so straytely loked to.
1568. Hacket, trans. Thevet’s New found World, xlii. 66. They dare doe no faulte: for their husbandes doe looke straightly to them [Fr. car les maris les regardent de prés].
a. 1569. Kingesmyll, Man’s Est., viii. (1580), 42. If I have sinned, then thou wilt streightly looke unto mee.
1588. D. Rogers, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. III. 151. Who of late did his best to escape away, which is the occasion that he is now the streightlier looked unto.
† 4. In a niggardly manner. Obs.
1340. Ayenb., 34. Auarice … zuo disordene him sseweþ in þri inaneres … ine wynnynge boldeliche ine ofhealdinge streytliche ine spendinge scarsliche.
1614. in Liber Deposit. Archd. Colcestren., 1612–6, lf. 70. The Testator was kept so barely and so straightly from victualls by his wife, that he was driven vpon necessitie often tymes to begg.
5. Strictly, rigorously, stringently; with strictness of observance. Now only arch. with respect to commands, questions or obligation.
c. 1290. Beket, 163, in S. E. Leg., 111. So streitliche heo fraynede him.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 6105. Moyses … straitlike forbed þat þai Suld [etc.].
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 322. Siþ þe contrarie is soþ, to whiche þise ordris ben streytliche sworen.
1461. in Jarrow & Wearmouth (Surtees), 245. I John Lawyson, be ye Auctoryte of our holy fadre ye pope,… inhibite straeictly and command … ye priour of yis cathederall church … that [etc.].
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 3. Preamble, Dyvers enquestes … streitly sworne and charged before the seid Justices to enquyre of the premysses.
1586. T. Bowes, trans. La Primaud. Fr. Acad., I. xxxix. 390. Amongst the famous … personages of olde time, no vertue was … straightlier kept and observed than Faith and Fidelitie.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., IV. i. 17 (Qo.). I may not suffer you to visite him, The King hath straightlie [Fol. strictly] charged the contrarie.
1611. Bible, 1 Sam. xiv. 28. Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath.
1676. J. Owen, Worship of God, 31. Jesus Christ streightly enjoyns His disciples.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., II. VI. vi. They question him straitly on that Mayor’s Order to resist force by force.
1872. Tennyson, Gareth & Lynette, 785. Bound am I to right the wrong’d, But straitlier bound am I to bide with thee.
1878. Bosw. Smith, Carthage, xii. 244. He straitly charged Minucius to follow his policy, and on no account to risk a battle in his absence.
1879. Butcher & Lang, Odyss., IV. 63. Son of Atreus, why dost thou straitly question me hereof?
† b. With regard to diet or mode of living. Obs.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xviii. (Mary Egypt), 103. [Pai] straytly þe lyfe cane leyde anerly in vatyre & brede.
c. 1470. Paston Lett., II. 419. He purposith to lesse his howshold, and to leve the streytlyer.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., III. (1520), 25 b. They lyved straytlyer than other men dyd.
† c. In close confinement; under strict control.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XVIII. 512. And bad haf him avay in hy, And luk he kepit war stratly.
1535. Coverdale, 1 Macc. xiii. 49. They in the castell at Ierusalem were kepte so strately, that they coude not come forth.
1579. Northbrooke, Dicing (1843), 96. If thy daughter be not shamefast, holde hir straitly, least she abuse hir selfe thorow ouermuch libertie.
1633. T. Stafford, Pac. Hib., I. vii. 51. They were presently caried to Castle Lyshin,… and there straightly kept in Irons.
1687. Pennsylv. Arch., I. 98. And the said Pirats,… to cause to be streightly imprisoned and kept in safe Custody.
† d. With reference to punishment, judgment, etc.: Rigorously, unsparingly, severely. Obs.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter cxlii. 2. Do noght straytly wiþ me in þi dome. Ibid., Song of Hannah, 5. Straytly demand ȝoure ald errours.
1467. Coventry Leet Bk., 336. Vppon peyn streitly to be punysshed be þe Meir for the tyme beyng.
1560. MS. Cott. Cal. B. 10. lf. 290. The bishops have of late … dealt streightly with some persons of good religion.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. viii. 29. So streightly God doth judge.
1668. R. Steele, Husbandman’s Calling, v. (1672), 121. Taking occasion from his straits, to deal straitly with him.
† e. Precisely, exactly. Obs.
a. 1395. Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), 93. Also thise wordes that I write take hem not to streytly but there that the thynkith by gode auysement that I speke to shortly … I praye the amende it.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIV. xlviii. (1495), 484. Moost streyghtly to speke Ager is a felde that is not conteynyd in certayne mesure of lynes.
c. 1400. Beryn, 95. For had ye countid streytly, & no thing lefft be-hynde, I myȝte have [etc.].
6. With reference to alliance or union: Closely, intimately. arch. (Very common in 16–17th c.)
c. 1480. Henryson, Fables, Sheep & Dog, 33. Quhilk wer confidderit straitlie in ane band.
1485. Caxton, St. Wenefryde, 19. I shal the straitlyer be confedered to yow.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 327. The hartes of the tua kingis straitlie knutt agane throuch beneuolent and true luue.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, V. i. § 4. 333. The Selinuntines were streightly allied to the Syracusians.
1684. Contempl. St. Man, II. iv. (1699), 160. By how much a delectable Object is more … straightly united to the Faculty; by so much greater is the Joy and Delight which it produces.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., III. ix. § 17. Weight … a Quality as straitly join’d with that Colour [yellow] as its Fusibility.
1871. R. Ellis, Catullus, xci. 7. Yea tho’ mutual use did bind us straitly together.
