English

Alternative forms

• celi, cely, seli, silly, seely

Adjective

sely ‎(comparative selier, superlative seliest)

1. Obsolete form of silly.
2. (archaic) spiritually favored, blessed, holy, virtuous, righteous

   • Sely is þe bareyn & þe vndefouled. — Wycliffite Bible (early version)

3. (archaic) worthy, noble, fine, excellent;

   • the sely man — the goodman, husband

4. (archaic) fortunate, lucky, prosperous

   • Now at erste shul ye here So sely an avisyon That..Scipion..Ne mette such a drem. — Chaucer,

5. (archaic) happy, pleasant
6. (archaic) wealthy (figurative)
7. (archaic) innocent, harmless; good
8. (archaic) simple, guileless; foolish, gullible; doting; ignorant

   • for þis ende þise flatiryng gloosars ... cacchen awey þe goodis of þise celi widowis. — The Lantern of Light (Wycliffite tract), 1425

9. (archaic) weak, helpless, defenseless, hapless
10. (archaic) wretched, unfortunate, miserable, pitiable
11. (archaic) humble, lowly, poor
12. (archaic) worthless, trifling, insignificant

References

• Middle English Dictionary