Forms: 3–4 stabliche, 3, 5 stabili, 3–5 stabeliche, 4 stab(e)li, 4–5 stabely, stabilly, stabilli, 5 stabelike, stabelly, stabyly, stabully, 6 stabilie, 4– stably. [f. STABLE a. + -LY2.] In a stable manner, firmly, † steadfastly, † constantly.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2611. Þe king … bed hom … þat hii hom vnderstode & stabeliche helde to gadere to sauy þat lond.
c. 1300. Beket (Percy Soc.), 2172. Ac bihet hem stabliche [Laud MS. studefastliche] to stonde al at here rede.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1725), 126. Þat Steuen … suld here coroun & his gyft certeyn be holden stabilly.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 75. A man þat meynteneþ goddis lawe paciently & stably.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet (Prose), xlvii. 32. Sho þat þabbes cumandis þis office [of reading], wid mekenes sal sho do it, And stabelike wid-vten pride.
c. 1400. Master of Game (MS. Digby 182), xxvi. And if he se an herte stondynge stabely, he muste looke wele what cuntre he shall goo to his leyr.
c. 1440. York Myst., xvii. 140. So shall ȝe stabely vndirstande Þer mynde and þer menyng.
a. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 2663. By-twene you for to make pees Stabully euer for to stonde.
1488. Caxton, Chastysing Goddes Chyld., xi. 28. He only beholdeth hymselfe and stondeth stably upon his owne propre wyll.
1563. Homilies, II. Rogation Week, I. 236. Consider the huge substaunce of the earth…. Howe coulde it so stande stably in the place as it doth, yf [etc.]?
1695. Ld. Preston, Boeth., IV. 193. Those are such things as are stably fixed near to the Divinity.
1895. Jas. Orr, in Advance (Chicago), 25 April, 1066/1. Rome, stably seated on her seven hills.
1907. Times, 5 Feb., 3/5. The Dean of Canterbury contends that the teaching given as Christian … ought to be stably standardized by being made to include the Apostles’ Creed, [etc.].
