Cleverly

adv. [f. CLEVER + -LY².] In a clever manner.

  1.  With manual skill or dexterity, in a handy way; dexterously, adroitly.

1614.  Meriton, Chr. Assuring-ho., 8. That surgion deserveth praise who lightly presseth the wound, and handleth it cleverlie with the tops of his fingers.

1663.  Butler, Hud., I. i. 398. These would … sometimes catch them with a snap, As cleverly as th’ ablest trap.

1692.  South, Serm. (1823), II. 200 (J.). As a rogue upon the highway may have as strong an arm, and take off a man’s head as cleverly as the executioner.

1798.  Southey, Eng. Eclog., IV. He made them [traps] cleverly … And … I was pleased to see the boy so handy.

  2.  With skilful use of the intellect, skilfully, adroitly, dexterously, neatly. (The current use.)

1654.  Gayton, Pleas. Notes, IV. iii. 185. The Queen … went very cleverly on with the rest of the story.

1657.  Lett., in Fuller, Worthies (1811), II. 195. He made an excellent good Sermon, and went cleaverly through, without the help of any notes.

1722.  De Foe, Relig. Courtsh., I. i. (1840), 15. If I speak a word, he turns it off … so cleverly, that I can’t put in another word for my life.

1756.  Smart, Horatian Canons of Friendship (R.). Never was man so cleverly absurd.

1878.  Browning, Poets Croisic, 82. The thing may be so cleverly declined!

  † 3.  Nimbly; lightly, mobilely; agilely.

1679.  Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 166. A Leaden-Coffin … that swam so cleverly in 9 inches water, that one might thrust it to and fro with a common walking stick.

1824.  Miss Ferrier, Inher., II. xli. 268. He desired the servant to fetch Mrs. St. Clair cleverly, for that her Ladyship the Countess was in a fit.

  † 4.  Handily, conveniently, commodiously; hence, agreeably, nicely. Obs. (Cf. CLEVER 7–8.)

1697.  J. Serjeant, Solid Philos., 105. Cartesius made choice of Extension wittily, that he might thus more cleaverly bring all Physicks to Mathematicks.

a. 1777.  Foote, This letter comes quite cleverly.

1791.  ‘G. Gambado,’ Acad. Horsem., viii. (1809), 101. I could wish … to give them an airing … on a Sunday … but this I cannot cleverly do on a single horse.

  5.  Fairly, fully, completely; quite, ‘clean.’ Now dial. and U.S. Cf. CLEVER B.

1696.  C. Leslie, Snake in Grass (1697), 170. But (alas!) … they do not go cleverly off from the abovesaid Damnable Errors.

1788.  T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), II. 457. While our second revolution is just brought to a happy end with you, yours here is but cleverly under way.

1843–4.  Haliburton, Sam Slick in Eng., viii. (Bartlett). The landlord comes to me, as soon as I was cleverly up this morning.

1884.  Cheshire Gloss., Cleverly, completely.

  6.  To win cleverly (Horse-racing): to win neatly after a close contest, with rather more advantage than seemed likely.

1881.  Daily Tel., 23 June, 4/6. When in the line for home the latter got the best of it, and won cleverly by a neck.

1885.  Truth, 28 May, 855/1. Mr. Gerard’s colt would have won cleverly if he had not been interfered with early in the race.

  7.  U.S. dial. Well (in health). Cf. CLEVER 4 b.

1860.  Bartlett, Dict. Amer., Cleverly … much used in some parts of New England, instead of well or very well.… ‘How do you do?’ we often hear, ‘I am cleverly.’