| 释义 |
deftly, adv.|ˈdɛftlɪ|
Also 6–8 deffly, 7 defly, deaftly.
[f. deft + -ly2.]
In a deft manner.
1. Aptly, skilfully, cleverly, dexterously, nimbly.
The sense of the first quot. is doubtful.
c1460Towneley Myst. (Surtees) 100 God looke over the raw, full defly ye stand. 1579Spenser Sheph. Cal. Apr. 111 They dauncen deffly, and singen soote. 1605Shakes. Macb. iv. i. 68 Come high or low: Thy Selfe and Office, deaftly show. 1607Dekker Knt.'s Conjur. (1842) 71 You shall see swaynes defly piping, and virgins chastly dancing. 1616Surfl. & Markh. Country Farme 655 The mattocke would pull vp the seed, and therefore they must be vnderdigd very deftly. 1710Philips Pastorals i. 29 How deffly to mine Oaten Reed so sweet Wont they upon the Green, to shift their Feet? 1808Scott Marm. iii. viii, The harp full deftly can he strike. 1856R. A. Vaughan Mystics (1860) II. 97 The deftly-woven threadwork of the tissues.
2. Neatly, tidily, trimly; prettily, handsomely. Still dial.
1579G. Gilpin tr. Marnix's Beehive Rom. Ch. Z 5 (N.) Deftly deck'd with all costly jewels, like puppets. 1589Pasquil's Ret. B iij b, Verie defflie set out, with Pompes, Pagents, Motions..Impreases. 1847J. Wilson Chr. North (1857) II. 4 Deftly arrayed in home-spun drapery. 1859Helps Friends in C. Ser. ii. II. i. 6 The grass which deftly covers without hiding.
3. Softly, gently, quietly. dial.
1787Grose Prov. Gloss., Deftly, softly, leisurely. 1802Wordsw. Stanzas, ‘Within our happy Castle’ 58 A pipe on which the wind would deftly play. 1869Lonsdale Gloss., Deftly, quietly, softly. 1873Swaledale Gloss., Deftly, neatly, gently, softly, orderly: see Cannily. |
单词 stete 释义 † stete, v. Obs.Only in pa. tense and pple. stet, stett, (? stite).[Perh.......