Forms: 1 stillíce, 2 stillice, 3 stilleliȝ, stillelike, stilliȝ, 3–5 stil(le)liche, 4 stilleli, stillic(h, styllyche, 4–5 stillelich, -ly, stilli, 4–6 stylly, 5 stillie, stylleche, styly, 4– stilly. [OE. stillíce, f. stille STILL a. -líce -LY2.] In a still manner; silently, quietly; in a low voice; † secretly.
c. 1000. De Consuet. Monach., 266, in Anglia, XIII. 384. Silenter, stillice.
c. 1200. Ormin, 16618. He wollde lernenn All stilleliȝ summwhatt at himm.
c. 1205. Lay., 6706. Hæhten his drihliche folc stilleluker dremen.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 82. Þe neddre, seið Salomon, stingeð al stilliche.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 4948. Þan spak ruben, þe eildest broiþer, Stilli menand til þas oþer.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 2432. Ȝyf þou withdrawest a mannys ryȝt Styllyche.
13[?]. K. Alis., 1562 (Laud MS.). He com & seide to þe kyng Stillich bitwene his lyppe Þat [etc.].
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xxi. 23. The fool in laȝhing enhaunceth his vois; forsothe a wis man vnnethe stilleli shal laȝhen.
c. 1425. Eng. Conq. Irel., lxii. 150. Al the Iresshe … stylly sworne ham to-gyddyr ayeyns the Englysshe.
c. 1430. Pilgr. Lyf Manhode, II. cxxxii. (1869), 126. And took me this knyf priueliche, whiche j bere stilleliche and in hideles.
c. 1440. Life St. Kath. (Halliw., 1848), 10. Ihesu Cryste they thanked moche And went ageyne full stylleche.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, IV. ii. 105. In their conuersations to talke modestly, stilly, and with low voices.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., IV. Chorus 5. From Camp to Camp,… The Humme of eyther Army stilly sounds.
1621. Lady M. Wroth, Urania, 177. So stilly did she mooue,… as trees grow without sence of increase.
1802. H. Martin, Helen of Glenross, III. 186. I am very sad—quietly, stilly sad.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., III. xiv. The rocks, the bosky thickets, sleep So stilly on thy bosom deep.
1832. R. H. Froude, Rem. (1838), I. 276. We made the rest of our voyage to Malta stilly and quickly.
1865. Allingham, 50 Mod. Poems, Angela. Stilly she glided in.
