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.
Quotation dates: 1399-1438, 1499-1500, 1567-1586
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Lely, n., attrib. and a. [ME. (14th c.) lely, leli, lele, var. of lily, etc., Lilly n.] A lily; lily-(flower, crown, complexion). a1400 Legends of the Saints i. 708.
Angelis … With lely and rose cronis in hand a1400 Ib. xliii. 138.
Twa cronis … of … rose and quhyt lely ?1438 Alex. ii. 2579.
Lely lyre a1500 Rauf. C. 672.
Rois reulit ryally, Columbyn and lely a1500 Henr. Orph. 351 (Asl.).
Hir lely lyre was lyke vnto the leid 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 166.
Thair is na king … Bot he sall faid as lely floure a1586 Lindsay MS. 35 b.
The flowre delice representis the lely the quhilk hes hienes mair than vther herb
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"Lely n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/lely_n>
