featly

adv, adj — 5 senses

featly

adv

/ˈfiːt.li/

Etymology From Middle English fetly, corresponding to feat + -ly.

1

Archaic, Dialectal Properly; suitably.

  • Why may not a man beare himselfe betweene enemies featly [translating commodément] and faithfully?1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 1, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book III, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
2

Archaic, Dialectal With skill or talent; cleverly, skilfully.

  • He had alſo ſet a prieſt of his and a ſeculer ſeruaunt of his beſyde to by [buy] many of the ſame ſuyte [of books], & double and treble of one ſorte, whiche were by thẽ [them] vttred to diuers yonge ſcholers ſuch as thei founde properly witted, feately lerned, and newfangly mynded.1528, Thomas More, “A Dialogue Concernynge Heresyes & Matters of Religion […]. Chapter IIII.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, book III, page 213, column 2:
3

Archaic, Dialectal Gracefully or elegantly.

  • […] Foot it featly here and there; / And, sweet sprites, the burden bear.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:

featly

adj

Etymology From Middle English fetly, corresponding to feat + -ly.

1

Archaic, Dialectal Skilful.

2

Archaic, Dialectal Graceful or elegant.

Related terms
featous

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.