A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1499-1599
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Courtly, -lie, a. Also: curtly, curtlie. [ME. (c 1450); f. Court n. 2, 3 and Curt n. 1.]
1. Courtly, courteous; refined, elegant.(a) a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 2599.
This child sa courtly & sa honest c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 268.
Be courtly ay in clething, and costly arrayit c1500-c1512 Ib. 435.
I … castis kynd lukis To knychtis and to cleirkis and courtly personis 1531 Bell. Boece I. 129.
The first of thaim wes nurist … with courtlie maneris and havingis 1533 Id. Livy I. 31/16.
Ane courtlie veschell namyt feretrum 1535 Stewart 3598.
In courtlie caroling … to dance and sing 1535 Ib. 46035; etc.
Banis … wynd in silk richt courtlie for the nanis 15.. Lichtoun Dreme 69 (M).
Ane cleinlie clouk maid of the courtlie wyse 1596 Dalr. I. 96/1.
Casteng aff al courtlie decore, … thay cleith thame selfes of thair cuntrey maner(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 182.
He is Alse curtly in his clething, … As he that is mair valȝeand 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1022.
Then, to schaw our curtlie corsses, Ga se quha best can rin thair horsses
2. Appropriate to courts of law. a1500 Henr. Fab. 997.
‘Let be, Lowrence’, quod scho, ‘ȝour courtlie knax’
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"Courtly adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/courtly_adj>
