childishlyadv.
/ˈtʃʌɪldᵻʃli/, U.S. /ˈtʃaɪldᵻʃli/ a. In a manner typical of or appropriate to a child.
ΘΚΠ
the world > people > person > child > [adverb]
childishlya1413
childlya1425
childlike1576
a1413 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (Pierpont Morgan) (1882) iv. l. 804 My litel tonge. If I discreuen wolde here heuynesse. It sholde..chyldisshly deface. Here heyghe compleynte.
1559 T. Cooper Lanquet's Epitome of Cronicles (new ed.) ii. f. 24 The kynge,..tooke the childe in his armes, and set the crowne vpon his heade: whyche Moyses, as it were chyldyshly playing, hurled it to the grounde.
1614 P. Forbes Short Discov. Adversarie 4 in Def. Lawful Calling Children, in their sporting, childishly practise and more childishly speak.
a1661 B. Holyday tr. Juvenal Satyres (1673) 263/2 Little ones, that childishly crave for some small coin.
1798 J. Carr tr. Lucian Dialogues (ed. 2) IV. 260 The little ones, not without something already terrible in their aspect, were childishly stealing a look at the young lion.
1864 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend (1865) I. i. v. 35 Childishly-inquiring, grey eyes.
1884 M. E. Braddon Ishmael xxvii A crop of fluffy curls frizzling childishly all over her head.
1964 J. Mitchell White Father ix. 207 The words were childishly simple, verging, indeed, on the meaningless.
1994 H. Burton Leonard Bernstein vi. xxxviii. 488 For a few weeks each summer he was almost childishly happy with the simple life.
b. With reference to a person who is no longer a child: in a manner not befitting maturity; in a puerile, foolish, or silly way.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > childish folly, childishness > [adverb]
childlya1425
bairn-likec1425
bairnly1483
childishly1533
babishly1551
puerilely1654
babyishly1829
babily1872
1533 T. More Debellacyon Salem & Bizance xiii. f.lxxviiiv It is there layed in a mater full chyldyshly to theyr charge.
1553 R. Eden in tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India Pref. sig. Aiiij Lactantius..childisshelye erringe..denyeth that [etc.].
1656 J. Trapp Comm. Matt. xxiv. 36 Many learned men, who have thus childishly set their wits to play in so serious a business.
1742 H. Fielding Joseph Andrews II. iv. viii. 239 You talk foolishly and childishly . View more context for this quotation
1794 M. Wollstonecraft Hist. View Fr. Revol. v. ii. Childishly proud of regulating the business of the nation.
1879 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times (1880) III. xlv. 345 Childishly ignorant of many things.
1926 Travel Nov. 34/2 He kneels in a sort of intense fervor for a minute, then gets up and childishly, almost idiotically, begins to take the pieces of candle from the candlesticks. He is the Verger.
2000 Salina (Kansas) Jrnl. 4 Nov. a10/3 The president begins childishly yelping for attention.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adv.a1413