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: 1438-1447, 1499-1663
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Meryly, Merily, Merel(l)y, Mirrel(l)y, adv. Also: merylie, merel(l)ie, mearelie; mirrily, -ie, mirral(l)ie, myrrillie, -ely, -ellie, -alye; merrilie. [ME. (14th c.) myrily, (north.) meryly, also muryly, murely, e.m.E. merely, merrily, f. Mery,a.]
1. In various senses of Mery a.: Merrily, cheerfully, light-heartedly, gaily, happily; joyfully, (of music) delightfully; with mirth or jollity.(a) a1500 Henr. Test. Crees. 243.
Setting sangis and singand merilie a1500 Ib. 428.
Quhair thou was wont full merilye in May To walk a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow i. 294. c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 128.
On harp or lute full merily thai playit 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 2847.
Thay … Payit all his dettis and leifit als merylie As of befoir 1566 Anderson Collect. Mary II. 273.
Thay past togydder to Seytoun, and thair past tyme meryly to the 10th of Marche 1567 Cal. Sc. P. II. 395.
She is in als guid health of persoune and … als merylie disposed as at any tym 1568 Lyndesay Pref.
The King … leuch merilie thairat 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 156.
The laudis of the Lord … Ȝe may sing merilie c1614 Mure Dido & Æneas i. 184.
Mariners … Their chearful whisles meryly do sownd(b) ?1438 Alex. ii. 3788.
Sporting thame richt merelly ?1438 Ib. 506. ?1438 Ib. 3921. 1513 Doug. viii. xi. 50.
Hoppand and syngand wonder merely 1513 Ib. xiii. vi. 45. c1590 J. Stewart II. 137, æ 5.
Vther birdis merelie did sing(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 245.
The joyfull fewlis mirralie did sing 1513 Doug. v. i. 71.
Myrrely Thame welcumand 1535 Stewart 39550.
Richt mirrely ay wauchtand round about 1540 Lynd. Sat. 112.
Sa lang as Placebo and I Remanis … Ȝour grace sall leif richt mirrely c1552 Id. Mon. 192.
The merll rycht myrralye c1552 Ib. 2827.
With bankat royall myrrellie Scho treatit thame tryumphantlie 15.. Clariodus ii. 361.
He sang it with the harpe rycht myrrillie 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 6469.
Sa he as than departit mirrelie Traisting his tryist in all thing weill suld be a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI 222.
He came to the verie place whare Angus was mirrelie camping 1663 Nicoll Diary 391.
They drank mirrelie, and brak thair glasses
b. Jocularly, jestingly. 1558-66 Knox I. 39.
And thus he mearelie tanted thare trystis of hurdome and adulterye c1590 Fowler II. 28/29. 1596 Dalr. II. 8/11. 1600-1610 Melvill 437.
Mr Jhone Davidsone … said mirrelie, ‘Busk, busk, busk him als bonilie as ye can’ 1619 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 81.
He answered … two thrie idle questions mirrilie a1650 Row 287. 1650 Brechin Presb. 45.
2. (To advance, proceed, etc.) cheerfully, livelily, briskly. a1447 Bower Chron. II. 362.
Now row we merely, quoth John Birley a1500 Henr. Fab. 356 (Asl.).
Quhen scho was furth … scho was full fane And merely scho merkit unto the mur 1513 Doug. i. i. 64.
With bent sail full. rycht merely saland 1513 Ib. v. xiv, heading.
Throu owt the flude merely salys Ene, And Palynurus drownys in the see 15.. Clariodus v. 2578.
Thai raid full mirrallie
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"Meryly adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/meryly>
