proverbiallyadv.

?a1475 (?a1425) tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Harl. 2261) (1874) V. 55 Of whom hit was seide proverbially [L. de isto proverbium fuit] that his lyfe was lyke to his doctryne.

a1500 Disciplina Clericalis in Western Reserve Univ. Bull. (1919) 22 58 (MED) Forsoth, proverbialy thei seyn that Socrates eschewid the tumult and the multitude of worldly people.

1534 G. Joye Subuersion Moris False Found. f. lx The grekis vse the ancore prouerbially for a suer and salfe refugye.

1571 A. Golding in tr. J. Calvin Psalmes of Dauid with Comm. 9 As we say proverbyally in English, to looke uppon one as the divile looketh over Lincoln.

1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage vi. x. 516 A coward braggart is prouerbially called a Lyon of Agla.

1646 J. Cooke Vindic. Professors Law 22 We say proverbially ‘make dice of his bones’, the meaning whereof is, that if a prisoner die in execution.., the creditor hath dice delivered him at the Crowne Office as having all that he is likely to have.

1701 J. Le Clerc Harmony of Evangelists 448 As you are wont proverbially to say, Wheresover the Carcase is, there will the Eagles be gathered together.

1743 H. Fielding tr. Demosthenes 1st Olynthiac in Misc. I. 286 It is proverbially said, that if a Man preserves the Wealth he attains, he is greatly thankful to Fortune.

1796 C. Smith Marchmont I. 223 Arms have been proverbially said ‘to make bad men worse’.

1807 J. Robinson Archæol. Græca v. xxi. 521 The Ionians delighted in wanton dances and songs..and wanton gestures were proverbially termed Ionic motions.

1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. III. xii. 204 His ancestors.., though originally English, were among those early colonists who were proverbially said to have become more Irish than Irishmen.

1907 Daily Chron. 3 July 4/6 But who is that ‘pard’ who is so proverbially ‘bearded’?

1952 S. Plath Jrnl. 25 July (2000) 121 We are merely variously constructed sounding boards for the noise of the pine tree falling (proverbially) in the forest.

1991 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 21 Nov. 4/2 Proverbially, the high metaphorical style flourishes in the thickets of sexual passion.

1653 J. Howell German Diet sig. R Som parts of France have bin proverbially infamous for this kind of turpitude.

1665 J. Glanvill Sciri Tuum: Authors Defense 15 in Scepsis Scientifica So uncertain and proverbially inconstant a cause as the winds are.

1740 London Mag. 9 82/2 We are bless'd with a Couple of Norfolk Ministers, who are proverbially famous for Litigiousness.

1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) I. 313 The name of Benedict Arnold has become proverbially contemptible.

1831 B. Disraeli Young Duke II. iii. xiv. 173 Arundel Dacre was proverbially unpumpable.

1892 Montefiore Hibbert Lect. ii. 96 The argument from silence is proverbially dangerous.

1923 Amer. Naturalist 57 443 A poverty-stricken college complained to a proverbially rich factory owner that his pond adjoining the college grounds was a mosquito nuisance.

1960 G. E. Evans Horse in Furrow xiii. 177 Stories passed from one to another are proverbially incorrect as ‘Russian scandal’.

1999 Independent 17 June ii. 3/1 As an almost proverbially right-wing Home Secretary.