Obs. Forms: 1 wærlíce, 3 wearliche, 3–4 warliche, warli, (3 warlyche), 4–6 warly, Sc. varly, 4 waarly, (5 waarli, werly), 5–6 Sc. warlie, 6 warelye, 5–6 warely. [OE. wærlíce, f. wær WARE a.: see -LY2.] Watchfully, cautiously, circumspectly; prudently. Cf. WARILY adv.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past. C., xxviii. 190. Forðæm him is swiðe micel ðearf ðæt he swæ micle wærlicor [L. tanto cautius] hiene healde wið scylda.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Jos. ii. 16. Farað eow nu wærlice and ʓewendað to muntum.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 199. Bute we þe warluker us bureȝen.
c. 1205. Lay., 12277. Ah Ælfwald & his broðer al heo þuhten oðer heo uerden swiðe warliche. Ibid., 12300. Þa cheorles wenden to þan wuden & warliche heom hudden.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 198. Goð, þauh, ful warliche: vor iðisse wildernesse beoð monie vuele bestes.
a. 1240. Sawles Warde, in O. E. Hom., I. 245. We ahen wearliche to biwiten us seoluen wið þe unwiht of helle ant his wrenches.
1388. Wyclif, 1 Sam. xviii. 14. And Dauid dide warli [1382 wiseli, Vulg. prudenter] in alle hise weies.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 12. Putte it hotte vppon and bynde it warly þat it fal not away.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 517/1. Warely, or slyly, caute.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., II. ix. 194. The feendis wijlis and deceitis ben forto be waarli considerid and forto be smertli fled.
1540. Palsgr., Acolastus, IV. iii. T j b. He that ones falleth into the dytche, wyll after loke better or warelyer or he lepe.
1548–9. Book Com. Prayer, Offices, 31. And maye walke more warely in these daungerous dayes.
1574. Whitgift, Def. Aunsw., II. 100. He speaketh also of Ceremonies and traditions, as moderately, as diuinely, and as warely as any man dothe.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. xii. 36. They … bound him hand and foote with yron chains. And with continuall watch did warely keepe.
1594. Plat, Jewell-ho., III. 34. So as the same bee warely distilled with a trew diuision of the partes.
1908. Hardy, Dynasts, II. III. iii. He warely closes up his remnant to the walls.
