Chiefly Sc. For forms see LIGHT a.1 [f. LIGHTLY a.2] trans. To make light of, despise, disparage, disdain.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxx. (Theodora), 218. Na heis [þu] þe for riches, to lichtly othyr mare or lese.
c. 1470. Henryson, Mor. Fab., XI. (Wolf & Sheep), xxii. Thay will lichtlie lordis in to thair deidis.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IV. i. 70. Suppois thow lychtlyit thame of Lybie land.
1584. Hudson, Du Bartas’ Judith, I. (1608), 16. His house … That lightlied earth and seem’d to threat the heaven.
1588. A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 4. To lychtlie thame for that thay ar poore.
1650. Row, Hist. Kirk, Coronis (1842), 422. We doe not lightlie pearls though gathered out of a dung-hill.
1788. Burns, Whistle & I’ll come to you. Whiles ye may lightly my beauty a wee.
1814. Scott, Wav., lxvii. It’s best no to lightly them that have that character.
1880. Lucy B. Walford, Troublesome Dau., I. ix. 192. I’d no’ hae my ae bairn gang whaur she was lichtlied.
1892. Sat. Rev., 9 Jan., 32/1. Of which trinity two at least are to be lightlied by no man.
Hence Lightlied ppl. a., Lightlying vbl. sb.
1470. Extracts Aberd. Reg. (1844), I. 30. In gret lychtlying and contemnyng of our auctorite.
1528. Jas. V., in St. Papers Hen. VIII. (1836), IV. 500. To be confortit and ressavit within his Realme to our hurt lychtlying and displesour.
1826. G. Beattie, John o’ Arnha’ (ed. 5), 19. They’d gar’d a lightliet lover greet.
