Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Hely, a. Also: helie, heilie, hielie, -ly, hyely. Also Hiely. [Early ME. heȝliche, hehliche (ME. hiȝlich), OE. héalic, high, lofty, of high degree.] Haughty, proud, arrogant.Said of persons and their words or actions.(a) c1420 Wynt. vii. 2975 (W).
Bot that assythit nocht the party, That wes hely and of gret mycht c1475 Wall. i. 211.
A hely schrew, wanton in his entent 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 226.
Hely and pridefull pepill 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. iii. 255.
Roboam … throw his helie pride Tint all his leigis hartis Id. Æn. ix. x. 13.
Numanus … Rycht prowd and hely in his breist and hart 1535 Stewart 38036.
He sould revengit he Of thair wordis so helie wes and he a1568 Lynd. Pedder C. 36.
Grit Lucifer … Is nocht sa helie as that loun 1551 Hamilton Cat. (1884) 63.
Thai … that ar in thair wordis prydful, helie, vaine glorious a1586 Lindsay MS. 10 h.
Wordis the quhilk ar hely and not plesand to hier(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 25.
Heilie harlottis on hawtane wyis Come in(c) 1456 Hay II. 91/19.
It afferis till all grete princis … to be ever hamely and debonair … and nocht to be hyely na irefull a1500 Prestis of Peblis 179.
With ane hiely hart bath derf & daft