Swiftly

adv. Forms: see SWIFT a. and -LY²; also 4 swiflich, sup. swifliest, 5 swyfliche. [f. SWIFT a. + -LY².] In a swift manner; with swift movement or action.

  1.  With great speed or velocity; at a great rate; = QUICKLY 2 a.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Hom., I. 580. Zacheus ða swyftlice of ðam treowe alihte.

c. 1000.  Lambeth Ps. vi. 11. Uelociter, hredlice vel swiftlice.

a. 1023.  Wulfstan, Hom., xlii. (1883), 200. Heora fyðera sweʓað swa swa wæteres dyne … hi fleoð swiftlice.

a. 1325.  Prose Psalter, xliv. 2 [xlv. 1]. My tunge is penne of þe scriuayn swiflich wrytand.

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 3454. Wel was him in þe world þat swiftiest miȝt hiȝe.

c. 1385.  Chaucer, L. G. W., Prol. 200. Home to myn house ful swiftly I me sped.

1447.  Bokenham, Seyntys (Roxb.), 20. They rent hyr flesh … So dispetously that than a ryver Hyr blood to grounde swyftlyere dede glyde.

1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. i. 109. Tydings, as swiftly as the Postes could runne, Were brought me of your Losse.

1647.  H. More, Poems, Notes 399. Ethereall matter floweth swiftlier in those places.

1735.  Berkeley, Querist, § 22. Whether … less money, swiftly circulating, be not, in effect, equivalent to more money slowly circulating?

1798.  Coleridge, Anc. Mar., VI. xiii. Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship.

1877.  Lady Brassey, Voy. Sunbeam, xv. (1878), 255. The currents run very swiftly between these islands.

1907.  J. H. Patterson, Man-Eaters of Tsavo, i. 17. A swiftly-flowing stream.

  b.  transf. Steeply.

1893.  Stevenson, Catriona, i. 4. The narrow paved way descended swiftly.

  † c.  Swiftly horsed, mounted, mounted on a swift horse. Obs. rare.

c. 1611.  Chapman, Iliad, IV. 246. His swiftly mounted Greekes.

1654–66.  Earl Orrery, Parthen. (1676), 37. I should commit you to the charge of some Gentleman, swiftly Hors’d.

  2.  Within a short space of time; = QUICKLY 2 b. Obs. or merged in sense 1.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 311. (Cott.). All his comament was don, Suiftliker þen hee may wink.

c. 1430.  How Gd. Wijf tauȝte hir Douȝtir, 89. Þouȝ ony man speke to þee, Swiftli þou him grete.

c. 1440.  York Myst., xxix. 144. Swiftely he swapped of my nere.

1817.  Shelley, Rev. Islam, VI. xi. 4. Those slaves were swiftly overthrown.

1837.  Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. VII. v. A swiftly-appointed, swift Military Tribunal.

  3.  Without delay; after a very short, or no, interval of time; = QUICKLY 2 c.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Hom., I. 452. Þa ferde his gast swyftlice.

a. 1225.  Leg. Kath., 690. Wittie wordes, þe schulen þe flit of þine fan swiftliche afellen.

1340.  Ayenb., 140. Þe ournemens of boȝamnesse byeþ zeuen. Þet ys, þet me bouȝe prestliche, gledliche, simpleliche, klenliche, generalliche, zuyftliche, and wiluolliche.

a. 1400–50.  Wars Alex., 2069 (Dubl. MS.). Þai swyftly hym sware & sothly hym tald.

c. 1475.  Rauf Coilȝear, 949. Thay swoir on thair swordis swyftlie all thre.

a. 1593.  Marlowe, Hero & Leander, I. 292. Hate me not, nor from me flie To follow swiftly blasting infamie.

1596.  Shaks., Tam. Shr., V. i. 1. Softly and swiftly sir, for the Priest is ready.

a. 1729.  Congreve, Ovid’s Art of Love, 672. Swiftly seize the Joy that swiftly flies.

1907.  Verney Mem., II. 450. Her life came gently but swiftly to a close.