Definition of "lovelily"
lovelily
adverb
comparative more lovelily, superlative most lovelily
In a manner to excite or inspire admiration or love; admirably, beautifully, wonderfully.
Quotations
By continually doing the part of Sacrificers, and eſpecially by turning all the Good Things of Earth into Sacrifices, a Converſation in Heaven vvill be moſt Lovelily Exemplifyed.
1723, Cotton Mather, “Cœlestinus. Heaven Convers’d Withal. The Sixth Essay.”, in Cœlestinus. A Conversation in Heaven, Quickened and Assisted, with Discoveries of Things in the Heavenly World. […], Boston, Mass.: […] S[amuel] Kneeland, for Nath[aniel] Belknap, […], pages 117–118
Courage, a Youth of royal race, / Lovelily ſtern, poſſeſs'd a place / On her left-hand, and on her right, / Sat Honour, cloath'd vvith robes of Light; […]
1764, C[harles] Churchill, “Book I”, in The Duellist. A Poem. […], London: […] G. Kearsly, […]; W[illiam] Flexney, […]; J. Coote, […]; C. Henderson, […]; J. Gardiner, […]; and J. Almon, […], page 23
Whatso looks lovelily / Is but the rainbow on life's weeping rain. / Why have we longings of immortal pain, / And all we long for mortal?
1889, Francis Thompson, “Ode to the Setting Sun”, in The Works of Francis Thompson, volume I (Poems), New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons […], published 1913, page 125
(obsolete) In a friendly or pleasant manner; amiably, kindly, pleasantly.
Quotations
Moreover hovv lovelily do the Graces cling to one another! Hovv vvell does their garment become them, being not girt to them vvith any girdle, the skirts of it vvaving to and fro at liberty.
1671, Desiderius Erasmus, “The Wedding Song”, in H. M. [attributed to Henry More or Henry Munday], transl., The Colloquies, or Familiar Discourses of Desiderius Erasmus of Roterdam, […], London: […] E[van] T[yler] and R[alph] H[olt] for H[enry] Brome, B[enjamin] Tooke, and T[homas] Sawbridge, […], page 245