needly

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English needely, neodliche, from Old English nēodlīċe (“eagerly, earnestly, carefully, zealously, diligently, sedulously; greatly”); equivalent to need (“desire”) +‎ -ly. Cognate with Old Saxon niudlīko (“zealously, carefully”), German niedlich (“desirable, appealing, lovely, cute”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈniːd.li/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

Adverb

needly (comparative needlier or more needly, superlative needliest or most needly)

1. (archaic) Zealously; carefully; earnestly.

Etymology 2

From Middle English needely, nedelich, from Old English *nīedlīċe (“necessarily”), from nīedlīc (“necessary”); equivalent to need (“necessity, need”) +‎ -ly. Merged with Etymology 1 above. Cognate with Middle Dutch nodelike, Middle Low German nōtliken, Middle High German nōtliche.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈniːd.li/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

Adverb

needly (comparative needlier or more needly, superlative needliest or most needly)

1. (archaic) Necessarily; of necessity.
   • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

     Or if sower woe delights in fellowship,
     And needly will be rankt with other griefes

2. (archaic) Urgently.

Etymology 3

From needle +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈniː.dəl.i/, /ˈniːd.li/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

Adjective

needly (comparative needlier or more needly, superlative needliest or most needly)

1. (informal) Like a needle or needles.

   a needly horn

   • 1869, R[ichard] D[oddridge] Blackmore, chapter XXIII, in Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Sampson Low, Son, & Marston, […], →OCLC:

     needly beard

Synonyms

• acicular

Anagrams

• Leyden, leyned