Obs. Forms: 1 weliʓ, -eʓ, wæliʓ, weoliʓ, 2–4 weli, 3 weoli, -eȝ, 4–5 wely, 6 Sc. velie. [OE. weliʓ = OS. welag (MLG. and MDu. welich, LG. and Du. welig luxuriant, rank, wanton), OHG. welac:—WGer. *welaʓo-, f. *wela- WEAL sb.1: see -Y1.]
1. Wealthy, prosperous, happy.
Beowulf, 2607. Ʒemunde ða ða are, þe he him ær forʓeaf, wicstede weliʓne Waʓmundinga.
c. 893. K. Ælfred, Oros., IV. v. (1883), 166. Sum weliʓ mon … se wæs haten Hanna.
11[?]. Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 540/6. Diues, weli.
c. 1205. Lay., 427. Þa weoleȝen & þa weaðlen. Ibid., 13904. Þe þridde hæhte Woden Þæt is an weoli godd.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7879. Bot oft þe weliest o win Riue-liest þai fal in sin. Ibid., 9958. Þan was þar never suilk a hald, Ne nan welier in werld to wald.
c. 1380. in Polit. Poems (Rolls), I. 267. Suche annuels has made thes frers, so wely and so gay, That ther may no possessioners mayntene thair array.
2. In good condition, healthy.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1244. Þo þat byden wer so biten with þe bale hunger, Þat on wyf hade ben worþe þe welgest fourre.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., III. 266. The clawes drie & scabbid, old, vnsely, Kitte al away, & kepe up that is wely.
3. Luxurious, self-indulgent.
1545. Joye, Expos. Dan. iv. 50 b. The peple of Israell as oft as thei wexed wealy and fatte as saith the song of Moses. Ibid., v. 71. Let siche sewer wealy rulers beware of a seden fall.
c. 1590. J. Stewart, Poems (S.T.S.), II. 216. Sum velie var, Sum vickit, And Sum vaine.
Hence † Wealiness, luxuriousness. Obs.
1545. Joye, Expos. Dan. xi. 181. Therfore of pryde and wealynes [he] gaue himselfe vp vnto his owne lustis.
1571. Golding, Calvin on Ps. xxx. 7. 109. Hereuppon groweth wealynesse of the flesh [hinc carnis lascivia], that they licentiously folow theyr owne lusts.
