Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BIGLY, adj. and adv.

1. adj. Commodious, habitable, pleasant; handsomely wrought.Sc. 1904 Gay Goshawk in Ballads (ed. Child) No. 96 A xxvi.:
Lay down, lay down the bigly bier, Lat me the dead look on!Abd. 1828 P. Buchan Ballads I. 36:
And has he broke your bigly bowers, Or has he stole your fee?

2. adv.

(1) Of large proportions.w.Dmf. 1908 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo (2nd ed.) 3:
My mither, like my faither, was bigly made, but, unlike him, was inclined to stootishness.

(2) Very much.Uls. 1908 A. M'Ilroy Burnside iii. 26:
From a' I can hear she's a forby thrifty, sensible wench, an' bigly inclined to dae weel.