English edit

Etymology edit

nimble +‎ -ly

Adverb edit

nimbly (comparative more nimbly, superlative most nimbly)

  1. in a nimble manner
    • c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: []”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 173:
      And now, in ſtead of mounting Barbed Steeds, / To fright the Soules of fearfull Aduersaries, / He capers nimbly in a Ladies Chamber, / To the laſcivious pleaſing of a Lute.
    • 1834 [1799], Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, “The Devil's Thoughts”, in The Poetical Works of S. T. Coleridge, volume II, London: W. Pickering, page 85:
      Nimbly” quoth he, “do the fingers move / If a man be but used to his trade.”
    • 2000, Eiji Yoshikawa, translated by William Scott Wilson, Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan[1], →ISBN:
      "The bee belongs to the one who caught it! If you catch it, it's your bee!" he said, nimbly jumping up and snatching a bee out of the air. "Yow! This one's mine!"

Translations edit