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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

War(e)ly, Warlie, adv. Also: warelie, warilie, warylye, waraly, warrely, warrily, varrelie, werraly, warlye, varly, wairlie, werly, -lie. [ME and e.m.E. warliche (Layamon), warli (Wyclif), warly (a1425), warely (Prompt. Parv.), warilye (1552), OE wærlíce; War(e adj.]

1. Carefully, cautiously, guardedly.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxxviii 556.
& as this herd Natalia, warly sic ansuere can scho ma c1420 Ratis R. 205.
For-thi is profytable to led Sa weill and warly thi spekinge c1475 Wall. v 873.
Warly thai raid, and held thar hors in aynd; For thai trowide weyll Sotheron wald afaynd With haill power at anys on thaim to sett c1475 Wall. viii 1315.
Warly scho said: ‘Thus wysmen has ws kend, Ay efftir wer pees is the finall end’ c1520-c1535 Nisbet Ephes. v 15.
Tharfor, brether, se ye how warlie ye sal ga; nocht as vnwise men, bot as wijse men 1549 Lamb Resonyng 45/3.
Ȝe speik nocht warlie in the randering of thir ȝour Inglis outlay-maen, for [etc.] 1549 Compl. 101/7.
Ȝe suld animaduert varly to quhat pepil ȝe purpos to vse sic iniurius rigor 1586 Waus Corr. 365.
Quhairfoir handle hir warlie c1590 Fowler II 22/19.
The whisperings wherof not being vnto me secreit … I auoidit warly, & from sic maters willingly absteanit 1596 Dalr. II 363/19.
Quhen this the quene hard, warlie scho weis the mater(b) c1420 Wynt. viii 2032 (W).
Till his innys … Warely him werand he remuffit 1587-99 Hume 83/125.
Walke warilie modestlie and sadly, and be not iolly nor intemperate c1630 Scot Narr. 66.
Warrily 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 50.
He forced the walls more hardlie than warelie 1653 Stirling B. Rec. I 208.
He sall live more varrelie and circumspectlie without any occasioun of effence ather to majestrates or nichtbourisproverb. 1585 Melvill in Calderwood IV 309.
Dreme wairlie, least your doome come to your owne doore a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 231.
Dame deim warilie [MS warlye]

2. Conscientiously, thoroughly, expertly, skilfully, vigilantly, prudently.(a) a1400 Leg. S. v 387.
Till enforme the puple, how-gate Thai suld varly kepe tham fra syn, And thru gud ded syne Hewyn wyne a1400 Leg. S. xxiii 151.
Ȝet Cesare sa warly wrocht, & thai sewine sa slely socht, & has gotine witting quhare thai ware a1500 Henr. Fab. 763.
The keipar off the gait, … On euerilk syde full warlie [Bann. warlye] couth he wait a1500 Henr. Orph. 620 (Bann.).
Ilk man suld be wyse and warly se [A. be war, & wysly se] That he bakwart cast nocht his myndis e 1490 Irland Mir. III 72/5.
Thi saule that thou suld gouerne maist warly and tendirly a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 352.
Jwdas said: ‘Quhom that ȝe se me kis, Hald him fast, and rycht warly him leid' c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 15.
He prayis hem to lyue releg[ious] lyff[is] and to luk waraly for the cummyng of the lord 15.. Dum Wyf 50.
Quhill scho was fallin on sleip Ay warlie watchit he 1562-3 Winȝet I 43/12.
Quhilk thing verilie thairfore wes done sa diligentlie and warlie, … that [etc.] c1590 Fowler II 60/27.
If that thay be soberlie red, nixt warlie hard c1610 Melville Mem. 143.
Sa many as can deall warrely and discretly with your frendis of baith the religions ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. III 146.
[This] begatt ane aeqwall disposition in bothe for to playe ther latter game mor warylye to the advauntage of ther pairtye(b) c1475 Wall. ii 326.
Go, speid the fast agayne To that sammyn hous, and werraly aspye(c) 1513 Doug. i Prol. 107 (Ruddim.).
Gud readers … Be weill auisit my werk or ȝe repreif, Consider it werly, rede ofter than anys a1585 Maitl. Q. 205/117.
Sum men hes wrocht baith werlie and with skill