lionly

English

Etymology

From lion +‎ -ly.

Adjective

lionly (comparative more lionly, superlative most lionly)

  1. Relating to or resembling a lion
    • 1738, Milton, John, “The Reaſon of Church-Government Urg'd againſt Prelaty, Book II”, in A Complete Collection of the Historical, Political, and Miscellaneous Works of John Milton, London: A. Millar, OL 22864596M, page 66:
      For although I ſaid before, that the Church coveting to ride upon the lionly form of Juriſdiction, makes a transformation of herſelf into an Aſs, and becomes deſpicable...
    • 1879, George Meredith, The Egoist:
      Upon these interjections, placable flicks of the lionly tail addressed to Britannia the Ruler, who expected him in some mildish way to lash terga cauda in retiring, Sir Willoughby Patterne passed from a land of alien manners; […]
    • 1998, Lee Irwin, Gnostic Tarot:
      Lionly strength expresses independence of will and a restless wandering based in deep curiosity and intense perception.
    • 2015, Brad Kronen, Love in the Stars:
      Picture these lionly lovers jumping through romantic hoops, otherwise known as the initial courtship phase, and then a disagreement or difference of opinion occurs.
  2. (by extension) Like a lion; fierce
    • 1994, George David Miller, An Idiosyncratic Ethics:
      The destructive lionly skepticism burns all bridges to prior beliefs and presuppositions.

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for lionly in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.)

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