sleightly
English
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English sleightely; equivalent to sleight + -ly.
Adverb
sleightly (comparative more sleightly, superlative most sleightly)
- (obsolete) With cunning.
- 1658, Samuel Crooke Τα Διαφεροντα, or Divine characters in two parts, acutely distinguishing the more secret and undiscerned differences between 1. The Hypocrite in his best dresse of seeming virtues and formal duties. And the true Christian in his real graces and sincere obedience. As also between 2. The blackest weeds of dayly infirmities of the truly godly, eclipsing saving grace, and the reigning sinnes of the unregenerate that pretend unto that godlinesse they never had, page 218:
- He healeth others sleightly, because he is sick of the same malady
- 1658, Samuel Crooke Τα Διαφεροντα, or Divine characters in two parts, acutely distinguishing the more secret and undiscerned differences between 1. The Hypocrite in his best dresse of seeming virtues and formal duties. And the true Christian in his real graces and sincere obedience. As also between 2. The blackest weeds of dayly infirmities of the truly godly, eclipsing saving grace, and the reigning sinnes of the unregenerate that pretend unto that godlinesse they never had, page 218:
Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for sleightly in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913)
Middle English
Adverb
sleightly
- Alternative form of sleightely