| 释义 |
swiftly, adv.|ˈswɪftlɪ|
Forms: see swift a. and -ly2; also 4 swiflich, superl. swifliest, 5 swyfliche.
[f. swift a. + -ly2.]
In a swift manner; with swift movement or action.
1. With great speed or velocity; at a great rate; = quickly 2 a.
c1000ælfric Hom. I. 580 Zacheus ða swyftlice of ðam treowe alihte. c1000Lambeth Ps. vi. 11 Uelociter, hredlice vel swiftlice. a1023Wulfstan Hom. xlii. (1883) 200 Heora fyðera sweᵹað swa swa wæteres dyne..hi fleoð swiftlice. a1325Prose Psalter xliv. 2 [xlv. 1] My tunge is penne of þe scriuayn swiflich wrytand. c1350Will. Palerne 3454 Wel was him in þe world þat swifliest miȝt hiȝe. c1385Chaucer L.G.W. Prol. 200 Home to myn house ful swiftly I me sped. 1447O. Bokenham Seyntys (Roxb.) 20 They rent hyr flesh..So dispetously that than a ryver Hyr blood to grounde swyftlyere dede glyde. 1593Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, ii. i. 109 Tydings, as swiftly as the Postes could runne, Were brought me of your Losse. 1647H. More Poems Notes 399 Ethereall matter floweth swiftlier in those places. 1735Berkeley Querist §22 Whether..less money, swiftly circulating, be not, in effect, equivalent to more money slowly circulating? 1798Coleridge Anc. Mar. vi. xiii, Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship. 1877A. Brassey Voy. Sunbeam xv. (1878) 255 The currents run very swiftly between these islands. 1907J. H. Patterson Man-Eaters of Tsavo i. 17 A swiftly-flowing stream.
b. transf. Steeply.
1893Stevenson Catriona i. 4 The narrow paved way descended swiftly.
†c. swiftly horsed, swiftly mounted, mounted on a swift horse. Obs. rare.
c1611Chapman Iliad iv. 246 His swiftly mounted Greekes. 1654–66Earl of Orrery Parthen. (1676) 37, I should commit you to the charge of some Gentleman, swiftly Hors'd.
2. Within a short space of time; = quickly 2 b. Obs. or merged in sense 1.
a1300Cursor M. 341 (Cott.) All his comament was don, Suiftliker þen hee may wink. c1430How Good Wife taught Dau. 89 Þouȝ ony man speke to þee, Swiftli þou him grete. c1440York Myst. xxix. 144 Swiftely he swapped of my nere. 1817Shelley Rev. Islam vi. xi. 4 Those slaves were swiftly overthrown. 1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. iii. vii. v, A swiftly-appointed, swift Military Tribunal.
3. Without delay; after a very short, or no, interval of time; = quickly 2 c.
c1000ælfric Hom. I. 452 Þa ferde his gast swyftlice. a1225Leg. Kath. 690 Wittie wordes, þe schulen þe flit of þine fan swiftliche afellen. 1340Ayenb. 140 Þe ournemens of boȝamnesse byeþ zeuen. Þet ys, þet me bouȝe prestliche, gledliche, simpleliche, klenliche, generalliche, zuyftliche, and wiluolliche. a1400–50Wars Alex. 2069 (Dubl. MS.), Þai swyftly hym sware & sothly hym tald. c1475Rauf Coilȝear 949 Thay swoir on thair swordis swyftlie all thre. a1593Marlowe Hero & Leander i. 292 Hate me not, nor from me flie To follow swiftly blasting infamie. 1596Shakes. Tam. Shr. v. i. 1 Softly and swiftly sir, for the Priest is ready. a1729Congreve Ovid's Art of Love 672 Swiftly seize the Joy that swiftly flies. 1907Verney Mem. II. 450 Her life came gently but swiftly to a close. |