A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1596
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Mek(e)ly, Meikly, adv. Also: -lye, -l(i)e and mekilly. [ME. and e.m.E. mekely, ME. also mukly, meokeliche, meoclike (Orm).]
1. Meekly, submissively; humbly, modestly; kindly, graciously, courteously, with kindness and condescension.(a) 1375 Barb. xi. 258.
And thai that thair lord sa mekly Saw welcum thaim … Joyfull thai war a1400 Legends of the Saints xxvi. 631.
Mekly thai can hym pray That he wald lewe tham to say [etc.] a1400 Ib. xxx. 203.
Dochtir … Thus mekly that dedinȝeis thé To spek hamely with sic as me a1400 Ib. xl. 557, 1278. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 541. c1420 Wynt. v. 3790, 3877. 1423 Edinb. Chart. 213.
Yhur honorablez lettres … we hafe resayuit mekly 1475 Peebles B. Rec. I. 172.
Schyr Lowrans Johnson sculmaster … mekly besocht the balyeis … that [etc.] c1475 Acts of Schir William Wallace i. 384.
Wallace meklye agayne ansuer him gawe c1515 Asloan MS I. 300/21.
Abell … offerit mekly a lambe Crist for our saluacoun(b) 1456 Hay II. 17/37.
The autour … mekely makis supplicacioun to the magestee ryall(c) a1400 Legends of the Saints xl. 294.
[Ninian] come one sone mekilly Quhare this catife king can ly c1420 Wynt. viii. 5209.
The erle sayde mekilly [etc.](d) c1450-2 Howlat 693.
All war merschalit to meit meikly & myth a1500 Golagros and Gawane 354. a1500 Buke of the Sevyne Sagis 1080.
Meikly at the dure scho knokit 1533 Gau 30/22. a1538 Abell 50 a.
Eugin … studeit to keip meklie his awne a1568 Scott iii. 41. 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 138. 1568 St. A. Kirk S. 312.
[The session] admonised the said Helene meikle gentely and als wytht threaetining of … excommunication 1596 Dalr. I. 328 marg.
Happilie & meiklie he dies
2. Of animals: Tamely, docilely. a1400 Legends of the Saints iii. 240.
In forem of hundis … Mekly befor al that thar wer a1400 Ib. iv. 350.
Thai discipulis … Brocht … the oxine to the wane mekly
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"Mekly adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/mekely>
