Light"ly, adv. 1.
With little weight; with little force; as, to tread
lightly; to press lightly.
Yet shall thy grave with rising flowers be drest,
And the green turf lie lightly on thy breast.
Pope.
Him thus intent Ithuriel with his spear
Touched lightly.
Milton.
2. Swiftly; nimbly; with agility.
So mikle was that barge, it might not lightly
sail.
R. of Brunne.
Watch what thou seest and lightly bring me
word.
Tennyson.
3. Without deep impression.
The soft ideas of the cheerful note,
Lightly received, were easily forgot.
Prior.
4. In a small degree; slightly; not
severely.
At the first he lightly afflicted the land of
Zebulun . . . and afterward did more grievously afflict
her.
Is. ix. 1.
5. With little effort or difficulty; easily;
readily.
That lightly come, shall lightly
go.
Old Proverb.
They come lightly by the malt, and need not
spare it.
Sir W. Scott.
6. Without reason, or for reasons of little
weight.
Flatter not the rich, neither do thou willingly or
lightly appear before great personages.
Jer.
Taylor.
7. Commonly; usually. [Obs.] Bp.
Fisher.
The great thieves of a state are lightly the
officers of the crown.
B. Jonson.
8. Without dejection; cheerfully.
"Seeming to bear it lightly." Shak.
9. Without heed or care; with levity; gayly;
airily.
Matrimony . . . is not by any to be enterprised, nor
taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly.
Book of Common Prayer [Eng. Ed.].
10. Not chastely; wantonly.
Swift.
