adv. Forms: 4 spedili, 4–6 spedily, 6 spedyly, speadilie, Sc. spedalie, 6–7 speedilie, 6– speedily. [f. SPEEDY a. Cf. OE. ʓespédiʓlíce prosperously. Before the 17th cent. less usual than spedely SPEEDLY adv.] In a speedy manner; with speed or celerity; quickly.
13[?]. Cursor M., 4048 (Gött.). Þat loueword had sua spedili spredd.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet (Prose), 1. Gladly take and spedily fulfil þe warnyng of þe meke fadir.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 19214 (Trin.). Spedily [earlier MSS. sped(e)li] spelled þei goddes word.
a. 1550[?]. Freiris Berwick, 217, in Dunbar’s Poems (1893), 292. Syn to hir madin spedyly scho spak.
1563. Hyll, Art Garden. (1593), 16. The seedes sowen in due chosen time … doth speediliest breake forth and shoote vp.
1605. Shaks., Lear, IV. ii. 80. You Iustices, that these our neather crimes So speedily can venge.
1659. in Verney Mem. (1907), II. 97. Itt being high tyme … speedily to looke out for a place for him.
a. 1700. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., IX. 346. To the end she may the speedierly Arrive to Inioy the company of ye Blessed.
1749. Naval Chron., III. 93. An opportunity of closing the Line speedilyer.
1779. Mirror, No. 65. The marriage was speedily concluded.
1837. P. Keith, Bot. Lex., 28. An example that was speedily followed by that of Dodonæus.
1877. Froude, Short Stud. (1883), IV. I. x. 117. A short altercation … ended speedily in high words on both sides.
