1846 Parl. Gazetteer Ireland, 1844–5 II. 257/1 The south-western district is wildly, ruggedly, and rockily mountainous.

1890 ‘M. Field’ Tragic Mary i. ii. 16 The walls On yonder strip lean o'er me rockily As if to crush.

1945 J. West Plainville, U.S.A. i. 1 Any road or trail leading off the main highway will wind rockily past the small grain and hay fields.

1981 Times Lit. Suppl. 6 Feb. 147/5 The difficulties of absorbing women into a group so rockily traditional as the police.

1993 J. Meades Pompey (1994) 141 The other bank rises steeply, rockily, swartly hedgehogged with trees and more trees.

1895 Newark (Ohio) Daily Advocate 5 Sept. 3/4 The wind had unexpectedly whipped around..the lower waters, over whose crested and yeasted tops the Daniel Webster now went rockily careering.

1906 F. Anstey Salted Almonds 50 I could spell! Rather rockily, perhaps—in fact it was my spelling that really spun me in more than one exam—but still, quite well enough to make myself understood.

1977 C. McCullough Thorn Birds vi. 109 Jims standing obediently but a little rockily waiting for his turn.

2005 G. Rizzo 50 Greatest Jazz Piano Players 132 Their long association began rockily, but ended well.