gracelyadj.
/ˈɡreɪsli/, U.S. /ˈɡreɪsli/ Now rare.
= graceful adj. 2.In quot. 1761: with punning reference to the title Your Grace as given to a duke; see grace n. 8b.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > good taste > refinement > elegance > [adjective] > graceful
gracious1340
gracefulc1449
elegant1483
nymphlike1567
flowing1619
gracely1648
leggiadrous1648
featly1801
gainly1871
svelte1909
1648 Markham's Cheape & Good Husbandry (ed. 7) 21 That maketh him [the horse]..to straiten his rings with gracely [1623 (ed. 3) a gracefull] comelinesse.
1700 G. Booth tr. Diodorus Siculus Hist. Libr. xx. v. 696 His Gracely Meen cloath'd with Royal Majesty.
1761 Humble Addr. to his Grace the D. of N—— in Entire & Impartial Coll. Papers conc. Late Election at Liverpool 7 We fear the Overflow of our Zeal will be tedious to your Gracely Ears.
1809 Belfast Monthly Mag. Oct. 271/2 There were among them several little boys, of the most gracely and beautiful forms.
1904 M. O. Wright Woman Errant x. 190 Ivory herself moved slowly toward the mirror in the hall, with a gracely sort of undulating motion.
1917 Gardeners' Chron. Aug. 297/1 One never gets tired of seeing that stately and gracely foliage plant, Canna gigantea, also known as Canna latifolia.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1648