or mightily, adj. and adv. (colloquial).—See quot. 1755. Also MIGHTILY.
1596. SHAKESPEARE, Merry Wives of Windsor, iii. 3. 221. You do yourself MIGHTY wrong, Master Ford.
1609. FLETCHER, The Wild-Goose Chase, iv. 2. This is some MIGHTY dairy-maid in man’s clothes.
1668. PEPYS, Diary, 16 Sept. To my house, where D. Gauden did talk a little, and he do MIGHTILY acknowledge my kindness to him.
1693. CONGREVE, The Old Bachelor, i. 1. Your son’s MIGHTY like his Grace, has just his smile and air of’s face. Ibid. (1695), Love for Love, iii. 4. Scan. … Your lady says your sleep has been unquiet of late…. Mrs. Fore. O, MIGHTY restless!
1712. STEELE, Spectator, No. 438. This gentleman deals MIGHTILY in what we call the irony.
d. 1721. PRIOR, in Wks. [quoted in Encyclopædic Dictionary].
| He reigns: how long? till some usurper rise; | |
| And he too, MIGHTY thoughtful, MIGHTY wise, | |
| Studies new lines. |
1738. POPE, Epilogue to the Satires, ii. 133. But let me add, Sir Robert’s MIGHTY dull.
1755. JOHNSON, A Dictionary of the English Language, s.v. MIGHTY. In a great degree. Not to be used but in very low language.
1775. SHERIDAN, The Rivals, iv. 3. There is a probability of succeeding about that fellow that is MIGHTY provoking.
1780. CHASTELLUX, Travels in North America, ii. 14. On my asking him the next morning how he found himself, he answered, MIGHTY weak. Ibid. [Note by translator]. MIGHTY little, MIGHTY few, MIGHTY weak, &c., are favorite expressions in America.
1793. LD. H. SPENCER, in Auckland Correspondence, III. 83 (1862). Madame Bosset is arrived, and MIGHTY plain.
1793. BURNS, Impromptu on Mrs. ——’s Birthday. Now, Jove, for once be MIGHTY civil.
1802. C. K. SHARPE, in Correspondence (1882), i. 152. He is a MIGHTY neat, pretty little, fiddling fellow, and exceedingly finely bred.
1809. G. W. KENDALL, Narrative of the Texan Santa Fé Expedition, i. 32. “You’ll be MIGHTY apt to get wet,” said a thorough-bred Texan, who stood watching our movements in front of Bullock’s Hotel.
1840. LONGSTREET, Georgia Scenes, 184. ‘He’s a whaler!’ said Rory; ‘but his face is MIGHTY little for his body and legs.’
1846–7. DICKENS, Dombey and Son, xi. The Doctor’s was a MIGHTY fine house, fronting the sea.
1847. HALLIWELL, A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words, etc., s.v. MIGHTY, fine, gay.
1892. A. C. GUNTER, Miss Dividends, iii. I am MIGHTY glad.
HIGH AND MIGHTY, phr. (common).—Consequential; full of ‘airs.’
1892. W. E. HENLEY and R. L. STEVENSON, Deacon Brodie, Act. i. Sc. 2, p. 10. Lawson. Ye needna be sae HIGH AND MIGHTY, onyway.
