> as lemmas

OE Ælfric 2nd Let. to Wulfstan (Junius) in B. Fehr Die Hirtenbriefe Ælfrics (1914) 172 Do swa lytlum and lytlum, oþ þæt se clað sy asoht.]

a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1869) II. 135 (MED) But alle þese sees, outake York, faillede litell and litel.

?c1430 (?1383) J. Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 302 Litel and litel þei may gete al þe rewme into here owene hondis.

c1450 tr. Secreta Secret. (Royal) 33 He may not leve it attones, but litille and litille.

1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. cxv. 138 And soo lytell and lytell, the dethe of Jaques Dartuell was forgoten.

1588 R. Parke tr. J. G. de Mendoza Hist. Kingdome of China 294 They shoulde haue a special care vnto their healthes, in trauelling not too fast but little and little.

1642 H. Hexham Duties Horseman 4 in Princ. Art Mil. (ed. 2) i Now to bring his horse to this, and to learne him to turne and wheele with dexteritie, he must often vse him to ride the ring, first with a greater circumference, and then litle and litle by lesser degrees, as first vpon his pace, then vpon his trot, and so to the gallop and Careere.

1697 Athenian Mercury 28 May Drink suddenly runneth and penetrateth the Body, and all the parts thereof..but Meat doth Insinuate but little and little, and after many Concoctions it changeth.

1876 A. Trollope Prime Minister III. vii. 108 I know what men are at when they talk of pulling through, Mrs. Lopez. There shouldn't be no need of pulling through. It should all come just of its own accord,—little and little; but safe.

1891 F. Tennyson Daphne 261 Ah! better far Had the first sadness frozen more and more, Little and little, till her heart had ceased.

1923 C. M. Doughty Mansoul (rev. ed.) 55 When little and little ralented was our course. We a mighty Land beheld.