A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400, 1456, 1533-1535
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Folily, Folely, adv. Also: foli-, follelie. [ME. folyliche, folili (a 1300), f. foli a.] Foolishly. a1400 Legends of the Saints xliii. 343.
For it war lyk thai ware wod That … folely that maste ȝarnis That is maste fay to ioy and blis c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1683.
Quho so haistis him richt folely To pass a gait our-hastely 1456 Hay I. 236/9.
Gude faith … wald nocht that ony ambassadouris war … sa folily avisit 1533 Boece ix. iii. 292 b.
That thai folely suld nocht draw thame … to troubill 1533 Ib. vii. 302 b.
Thai … folelie invadit Britouns 1535 Stewart 18639.
To quhome the Britis follilie gaif feild
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"Folily adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/folily>
