fitly

comparative more fitly · comparative literary rare fitlier · superlative most fitly · literary rare superlative fitliest

1. In a fit manner

   A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 25:11

   4 more examples

   Meane-while it is a great comfort unto a Christian man, to see our mortall implements, and fading tooles, so fitly sorted to our holy and divine faith[…].

   1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC

   I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale; a’ plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him, and at last devours them all at a mouthful […]

   c. 1607–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, [George Wilkins?], The Late, and Much Admired Play, Called Pericles, Prince of Tyre. […], London: […] [William White and Thomas Creede] for Henry Gosson, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]

   Labour is Life: from the inmost heart of the Worker rises his god-given Force, the sacred celestial Life-essence breathed into him by Almighty God; from his inmost heart awakens him to all nobleness, — to all knowledge, ‘self-knowledge’ and much else, so soon as Work fitly begins.

   1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “chapter XI, Labour”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book III (The Modern Worker)

   This Court has a solemn duty to protect society against the murderous attacks of dangerous men, whether they be old or young, and to show clearly that it will punish fitly such offenders.

   1948, Alan Paton, chapter 28, in Cry, the Beloved Country, New York: Scribner, published 1987

   Synonyms: suitably, properly, commodiously, conveniently, accordantly, accordingly, agreeably, appropriately