adv. [f. STIFF a. + -LY2.] In a stiff manner; so as to be stiff; (in various senses of the adj.).
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., 113. Swyþe wel bi-gan þis Ercedekne holi churche bi-lede, And stifliche heold op hire riȝte.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Wife’s Prol., 380. Thus … Baar I stifly myne olde housbondes on honde, That thus they seyden in hir dronkenesse.
c. 1400. Lay-Folks Mass-Bk., App. III. 123. Þat he may ben myche more stiffeloker groundyd in goddis seruise.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 153. Nero of the fayrnys of the fire-blaas stifly hym reioiet.
c. 1425. Thomas of Erceld., 49. Hir sadille was of reuylle bone,… Stifly sette with precious stone.
1535. Coverdale, Prov. xxx. 29. There be thre thinges yt go stiffly, but the goinge of the fourth is the goodliest of all.
a. 1555. Latimer, Lett., in Foxe, A. & M. (1583), 1756/1. You confesse your brothers cause wherein he so stiffely standeth, to be uniust.
1599. Dallam, in Early Voy. Levant (Hakl. Soc.), 85. Wheare did run a rever, so bige and stifly,… that we durste not adventur to rid over it.
1623. J. Taylor (Water P.), Discov. Sea Lond. Salisb., Wks. (1630), II. 22/1. At last by Ramsgates Peere we stiffly Rowed, The winde and tyde, against vs blow’d and flowed.
1678. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., v. 75. The Handle … hath a Mortess in it, as long within a quarter of an Inch as the thin piece (called the Tongue) is broad, and stifly so wide as to contain the thickness of the Tongue.
1766. Complete Farmer, s.v. Surbating, The signs of this defect are his halting on both fore-legs, going stiffly.
1824. Scott, St. Ronan’s, vii. A bow was very stiffly exchanged between the ladies.
1885. Manch. Exam., 24 Jan., 5/4. The client, however, has to pay for this … more stiffly than he often imagines.
b. In comb. with pple. or adj.
1606. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iv. I. Tropheis, 90. Whose harmfull point is headed stifly-straight With burnisht Brasse above an Anvil’s weight. Ibid. (1614), Bethulia’s Rescue, II. 79. Noble Palm-Trees, mounting stifly-straight.
1892. E. Reeves, Homeward Bound, 319. Gardens, which rise terrace above terrace of stiffly cut trees.
1908. Nation, 26 Sept., 892/1. The stiffly-worded Anglo-Russian note.
