smartlyadv.
/ˈsmɑːtli/, U.S. /ˈsmɑrtli/ 1.
a. Vigorously, forcibly; sharply (in respect of physical action); in later use chiefly with implication of speed and dispatch (cf. sense 2).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [adverb] > with vigour or intensity of operation or effect
swithlyc888
mightilyeOE
strongeOE
fastlyOE
stronglyOE
smartlyc1225
smartc1300
mightlya1393
freshlyc1425
almightily1609
feckfullya1614
shrewly1707
vivaciouslya1711
keenly1837
drivingly1842
drastically1850
incisively1871
c1225 (?c1200) St. Katherine (Royal) (1981) l. 919 (MED) Almihti godd..smit so smertliche herto þet alle þeos fowr hweol tohwiderin to stucchen.
c1330 (?c1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) l. 3485 Asaileþ hem smerteliche.
c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) l. 711 Hem to smyte..smartly I þenk.
c1425 (c1400) Laud Troy-bk. l. 6217 Many of Troye In his defence At that tyme ful smartly stryues.
a1475 Sidrak & Bokkus (Lansd.) (Ph.D. diss., Univ. of Washington) (1965) l. 5276 (MED) Who so in his honde wole take A ȝerde and smertly it do shake, It shal bowe.
1553 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Eneados i. f. xiiiv First the ledaris thre Quhilk on thare hedis, bare thare tyndis hie Smartlie he slew.
1616 W. Browne Britannia's Pastorals II. iii. 52 Thrice had the golden Sun his hote Steedes..smartly lasht Out of the Baulmy East.
1673 in O. Airy Essex Papers (1890) I. 146 We went to supper, were very merry, and drank smartly.
?1706 E. Hickeringill Priest-craft: 2nd Pt. viii. 80 Thus the Nurse..Kisses the Wanton..when it ought..to be Smartly Whipt.
1796 J. Morse Amer. Universal Geogr. (new ed.) I. 761 A breeze..which blows smartly from the land.
1867 F. Francis Bk. Angling xiv. 408 The fish played smartly for a minute.
1883 T. H. Huxley & H. N. Martin Course Elem. Biol. 8 Pressing smartly with the handle of a mounted needle.
1910 L. Hooper Hand-loom Weaving i. vii. 84 Its edge may be brought down smartly upon the whole weft in order to beat it together.
1974 H. Secombe Twice Brightly 62 ‘Ooh! Look at her,’ slavered Sammy in awe. Arthur clipped him smartly across his left ear.
2003 L. Hawking Jaded xi. 149 He became so incensed..that he sat up smartly and accidentally head-butted the woman.
b. Severely; curtly; sharply (in respect of treatment, language, etc.).
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > strictness > [adverb] > severely or sternly
sternlyc897
stitha1000
sterna1175
foulc1275
stithlya1300
steevely1340
austerely?a1400
smartlya1400
unsternlya1400
sore1484
shrewdly1490
dourlya1500
severely1548
roundly1567
severe1599
fiercely1611
piquantly1691
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > harshness or severity > [adverb]
sternlyc897
sharplyc900
stitha1000
hardlyOE
starklyOE
sterna1175
stithlya1300
hardilyc1300
ruggedlya1382
austerely?a1400
smartlya1400
unsternlya1400
acerbly?a1425
brussly1481
sore1484
shrewdly1490
dourlya1500
severely1548
roundly1567
severe1599
strictly1602
fiercely1611
Draconically1641
rugged1661
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) l. 21496 Þe iew him þuȝt selcouþ tene atte þis dome at was sa kene... Me ware leuer ȝou to lere quare lijs ȝour lordis rode tree þen þus smartli dampned be.
c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) 47 Of this same mater it is quikli and smertli spoken in a litil book therto..maad.
1593 G. Harvey Pierces Supererogation 105 That any purified mindes should pay so dearely, and smartly for their fine Phansies.
a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) Linc. 165 I admired much that a man of his age, could write, so smartly, so solidly, so significantly.
1695 Ld. Preston tr. Boethius Of Consol. Philos. ii. 84 He answered smartly [L. mordaciter] again, I had indeed believed it, if thou couldst still have held thy Tongue.
1709 J. Strype Ann. Reformation xxxvii. 382 Haddow smartly answered, this was too impudent an hyperbole.
1773 tr. C. M. Wieland Reason Triumphant over Fancy II. v. xii. 165 The eldest of them was now..able to laugh pretty smartly at my Prudishness, as she called it.
1841 W. M. Thackeray Great Hoggarty Diamond x I let him one day know pretty smartly, that I was..a considerable shareholder in the Company.
1883 ‘H. R. L.’ Sylvian Despard's Revenge x. 203 At last I stepped on to the place myself, and told him pretty smartly he'd nearly been the death of you.
1922 Observer 5 Mar. 13/3 Socialist interrupters, after being smartly retorted upon, ended their heckling.
1994 Face Aug. 28/2 ‘That'll be £1.95,’ replied Rita smartly, adding 15p to our cover price.
c. Keenly, sharply (in respect of feeling); (also) heavily.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > intense emotion > [adverb]
deepa1000
inwardlya1000
inlyOE
mortallyc1390
deeplya1400
keena1400
keenlya1400
from the bottom of one's hearta1413
from (also fro) one's heart1477
profoundly1489
from the spleen?a1505
sensibly1577
with sense1578
smartlyc1580
soakingly1593
dearly1604
intimately1637
viscerally1637
exquisitely1678
sensitively1793
exaltedly1855
intensely1860
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb]
stronglyeOE
felec950
strongeOE
highlyOE
highOE
greatlya1200
stourlya1225
greata1325
dreec1330
deeplya1400
mightya1400
dreichlyc1400
mighty?a1425
sorec1440
mainlyc1450
greatumly1456
madc1487
profoundly1489
stronglya1492
muchwhata1513
shrewlya1529
heapa1547
vengeance?1548
sorely1562
smartlyc1580
mightly1582
mightily1587
violently1601
intensively1604
almightily1612
violent1629
seriously1643
intensely1646
importunately1660
shrewdly1664
gey1686
sadly1738
plenty1775
vitally1787
substantively1795
badly1813
far1814
heavily1819
serious1825
measurably1834
dearly1843
bally1939
majorly1955
sizzlingly1956
majorly1978
fecking1983
c1580 ( tr. Bk. Alexander (1929) IV. ii. l. 9065 Smartly in hart he menit thame then.
1661 P. Heylyn Ecclesia Restaurata To Rdr. sig. bv They returned from Exile in the following Reign. The miserable Effects whereof we feel too sensibly and smartly, to this very day.
1677 in O. Airy Lauderdale Papers (1885) III. 96 Therfor the fynes to be exacted wold be such as may be smartlie felt by the transgressors.
1735 London Mag. Aug. 447/2 Come under Urban's jurisdiction, And smartly pay for truth, or fiction.
1800 T. Hardwicke in Asiatick Researches 6 331 The air proved here as cold.., and having no shelter from trees, was the more smartly felt.
1834 Dublin Univ. Mag. Nov. 569 The former cannot be held by a person residing in Florence or Naples, or at least, if he does so, without..paying pretty smartly for the indulgence.
1897 G. Gissing Whirlpool iii. iv. 366 Alma had a quiet way of exhibiting displeasure and scorn, which told smartly on the nerves of those she rebuked.
1997 Omaha (Nebraska) World Herald (Nexis) 12 Jan. 1 a The winners, she said, pay smartly to achieve that look. Many spend close to $800 on custom-made pageant dresses.
2. Promptly, quickly, briskly (and trimly).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [adverb] > briskly or actively
quiverlyOE
smartc1300
smartlyc1300
spacklya1350
merrilyc1390
sprackly1393
livelyc1425
activelya1500
busilya1513
allegrement1608
alacriously1609
nippily1650
briskly1665
alertly1725
up and doing1817
pert1859
brash1884
stirringly1889
bobbishly1936
the world > action or operation > manner of action > rapidity or speed of action or operation > [adverb] > quickly or promptly
ratheeOE
rathelyeOE
radlyOE
yareOE
timelyOE
belivec1175
belivesc1275
hastivelyc1300
prestc1300
smartc1300
smartlyc1300
prestly1340
spacklya1350
pertlya1375
redelya1375
redlya1375
yeplya1375
readilyc1390
yarelya1400–50
hasty?a1425
promptly1490
hastyfullyc1500
snackly1728
snack1739
snaply1768
in quick sticks (also in a quick stick)1835
pronto1892
quick smart1955
snappily1981
the world > movement > rate of motion > swiftness > swift movement in specific manner > [adverb] > swiftly and briskly
sharplya1000
smartc1300
smartlyc1300
spackc1330
wightlyc1330
spacklya1350
swipperly?a1400
wighta1400
nimblyc1450
quiverly1519
roundly1548
nimble1568
bragly1579
snap1583
yarelya1616
briskly1665
smartish1839
nippily1932
snappingly1976
c1300 St. Michael (Laud) l. 505 in C. Horstmann Early S.-Eng. Legendary (1887) 314 (MED) Ase ȝe I-seoth þe liȝtingue out of þe cloudene i-wende..wel smart-loker scheot ane mannes soule..þene riȝte wei into heouene.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 17810 Quen þat þai herd þis word be said, Ful smertli þai þam þider graid.
1483 ( tr. G. Deguileville Pilgrimage of Soul (Caxton) (1859) i. xxxiii. 37 That bylle whan it was leyd in the balaunce peysed so sore, that smartely that other syde aroos.
a1500 (?c1450) Merlin xx. 324 Thei ronne to armes hastely, and peyned hem harde to be smartly armed and soone.
1568 (a1500) Freiris Berwik 539 in W. T. Ritchie Bannatyne MS (1930) IV. 277 Vpoun his feit he stude And throw þe myre full smertly than he ȝude.
1672 E. Ravenscroft Citizen turn'd Gentleman iv. 81 Plant your selves under that Window, away with it smartly and briskly.
1711 E. Budgell Spectator No. 161. ⁋3 A Trip which was given him so smartly that I could scarce discern it.
1792 Rules & Regulations His Majesty's Forces i. 6 On the word, Attention, the hands are to fall smartly down the outside of the thighs.
1823 G. Roland Treat. Art Fencing vi. 115 B. Parries Tierce smartly, and ripostes straight over the arm.
1872 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. Apr. 281 They walked smartly past the door.
1906 Oelwein (Iowa) Daily Reg. 15 Oct. For a livery car, miss, this one can hike along quite smartly.
1972 Times 4 Nov. 25/4 A late feature was P & O, whose shares ran up smartly at the close to end 8p higher at 362p.
2010 Atlantic Monthly Apr. 33/1 Nurse Jackie..is the linchpin of the ER.., and she walks how a linchpin walks—smartly and low-centeredly.
3. Cleverly, neatly; wittily; †skilfully, carefully (obsolete). In later use also with the implication of speed and dispatch (see sense 2).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > care, carefulness, or attention > [adverb]
welleOE
carefullya1000
wiselyc1000
redelya1250
cherelya1375
tentivelya1375
viselyc1380
curiouslya1382
namelya1382
smartlya1400
tentily?a1400
dearlyc1400
diligentlyc1400
preciously?a1425
listly?a1513
charely1545
heedely1548
accurately1549
respectively1556
heedfully1561
howfully1565
charily1577
heedily1577
charya1593
solicitously1618
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > elegance > [adverb] > neatly
neatly1540
fairly1597
smartly1659
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > intelligence, cleverness > wit, wittiness > [adverb]
wittily1553
conceitedly1606
pointedly1667
smartly1673
scintillatingly1927
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 3673 (MED) Iacob..broght þa kiddes..His moder smartly [Vesp. dughtilik] þaim dight.
a1500 in J. Evans & M. S. Serjeantson Eng. Mediaeval Lapidaries (1933) 90 Ȝ[e]f þis stone be holden hard in a mannes hand, a schall bren his honnde, & þerfor þu must smartly towche him.
1659 J. Gauden Ἱερα Δακρυα iv. xxii. 611 Queen Elizabeth very smartly once said..She that had been wonted to drink strong-waters rarely distilled and compounded of many excellent spirits, which were very cordiall in lesser quantities.
1673 Remarques on Humours of Town 46 He replied handsomely and smartly.
1722 J. Covel Some Acct. Greek Church Pref. p. xxviii I find it most Ingenuously and as smartly confuted in a pleasant Story of the great Erasmus and our Famous Sir Tho. More.
1747 S. Richardson Clarissa II. xviii. 110 Smartly put, Betty!
1803 B. Greatheed Jrnl. 22 Jan. (1953) iii. 34 There you see half a dozen farces or proverbs of a night, smartly playd, particularly by Brunet who is a very good actor.
1860 N. Hawthorne Marble Faun I. ii. 27 What old man..could have turned a silly compliment more smartly than that!
1934 Bulletin (Sydney) 18 Apr. 11/1 She laid the odds, as smartly and acutely, I'll bet, as any trousered Ikey Mo.
1992 New Republic 20 Apr. 34/3 Ritter wheels and double-deals smartly behind the scenes.
2010 New Yorker 20 Sept. 38/3 A smartly executed bank robbery at the beginning..prove[s] that the director, John Luessenhop, has learned well the Michael Mann style of snazzy filmmaking.
4. Handsomely, elegantly, fashionably.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > fashionableness > [adverb] > smartly
smartly1748
smartish1770
smart1771
flashly1812
dashingly1837
nattily1849
nobbily1859
stylishly1879
chicly1905
ritzily1925
snappily1936
1748 Gentleman's Mag. Dec. 565/1 His hat which ever 'till that morn he wore Flapp'd on all sides..now smartly cock'd, and smartly worn.
1754 J. Hildrop Misc. Wks. I. 127 A young Clergyman, who appeared that Morning upon the Field, well mounted, smartly dressed, and one of the most alert Sportsmen he had ever seen.
1840 W. M. Thackeray Shabby Genteel Story i Upon this..the two managed to live pretty smartly, and to maintain an honourable reputation.
1891 Leeds Mercury 27 Apr. 4/7 The guests dressed very smartly, and the wedding was a really pretty one.
1924 N. Coward Rat Trap ii. 30 She doesn't dress smartly enough—too bitty.
1990 R. Clay Only Angels Forget viii. 91 I dress for dinner, somewhat more smartly than usual—my black dress, a green necklace.
2007 Glamour Apr. 122 Looking at my week's work style, I'm surprised how smartly I dress—even on casual Friday.
Compounds
With past participles forming adjectives, as smartly cut, smartly dressed, etc.
ΚΠ
1784 M. Berry Jrnl. 9 Apr. (1865) I. 135 The public walks were crowded with smartly-dressed people.
1838 C. Dickens Oliver Twist II. xxii. 35 Dressed in a smartly-cut snuff-coloured coat.
1899 S. R. Crockett Kit Kennedy 305 Dick always had with him now a low-browed, smartly-dressed man.
1956 S. Gore Overlanding with Annabel 63 Five smartly-dressed Koepangers..had flown in on the bi-weekly plane for a haircut.
1978 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 26 Aug. 40/3 A smartly-lettered 18 inch-menu card offers them a choice of 14 entrees.
1995 Guardian 4 Mar. (Outlook section) 40/1 Sudanese feminists and Indian lawyers will be there alongside the diplomats, ministers, and smartly-suited men.
2004 Independent 13 Jan. 37/4 Carling was groomed as a ‘thinking captain’—articulate, smartly-dressed, caddish good looks.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2013; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
<
adv.c1225