adj. and adv. (old: now recognised).—As adj., delicate; fastidious; dainty; as adv., with great care; softly.

1

  1533.  UDALL, Floures for Latine Spekynge. We stayghe and prolonge our goyng, with a nyce or tendre and softe, delicate, or GINGERLY pace.

2

  c. 1563.  Jacke Jugeler, p. 40 (ed. GROSART).

        We use to call her at home, dame Coye,
A pretie GINGERLIE pice [piece].

3

  1592.  NASHE, Pierce Penilesse, His Supplication to the Divell, in Wks., ii., 32. That lookes as simperingly as if she were besmeard, & iets it as GINGERLY as if she were dancing the Canaries.

4

  1611.  CHAPMAN, May-Day, Act iii., p. 294 (Plays, 1874). Come, come, GINGERLY; for God’s sake, GINGERLY.

5

  1659.  TORRIANO, Vocabolario, q.v.

6

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. Gently, softly, easily.

7

  1759–67.  STERNE, Tristram Shandy, vol. V., ch. v. My mother was going very GINGERLY in the dark.

8

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. To go GINGERLY to work, i.e., to attempt a thing gently, or cautiously.

9

  1874.  E. WOOD, Johnny Ludlow, 1 S. 12, p. 207. The Squire went in GINGERLY, as if he had been treading on a spiked ploughshare.

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