different between owly vs lowly

English

Etymology

owl +? -y

Adjective

owly (comparative owlier, superlative owliest)

1. Resembling or characteristic of an owl.
   • 2010, Tracy Chevalier, Remarkable Creatures, Dutton (2010), ?ISBN, page 48:

     In the picture Miss Elizabeth showed me the croc had little piggy eyes, not huge owly ones.

2. In a bad mood; cranky.
   • 1988, Janette Oke, Winter Is Not Forever, Bethany House Publishers (2010), ?ISBN, page 16:

     I had no right to be owly and disagreeable with Willie.

3. Seeing poorly.
   • 1908, Vernon L. Kellogg, "The Vendetta", in Insect Stories, Henry Holt and Company (1908), page 55:

     Perhaps nice isn't the best word for him, but he certainly was an unusually imposing and fluffy-haired and fierce-looking brute of a tarantula. He had rather an owly way about him, as if he had come out from his hole too early and was dazed and half-blinded by the light.

Synonyms

• (like an owl): owlish, owllike, strigine
• (in a bad mood): crabby, cranky, grumpy, ornery, out of sorts

Derived terms

• owliness
• owly-eyed

References

• T. K. Pratt, Dictionary of Prince Edward Island English, University of Toronto Press (1988), ?ISBN, pages 107-108
• The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia, The Century Co. (1897), Volume 5, page 265

Anagrams

• Lowy, yowl

English

Etymology

From low +? -ly; compare Middle English lowly.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?l??li/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?lo?li/
• Rhymes: -??li

Adjective

lowly (comparative lowlier, superlative lowliest)

1. Not high; not elevated in place; low.
2. Low in rank or social importance.
3. Not lofty or sublime; humble.
   • 2010, David Dondero, Just a Baby in Your Momma's Eyes

     Where our apt used to be they built a fancy condominium high-rise.
     Which at a lowly income none of us could ever really quite afford.
4. Having a low esteem of one's own worth; humble; meek; free from pride.
   • 1769, Bible (King James Version), Matthew xi. 29

     Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.

Derived terms

• lowliness

Translations

Adverb

lowly (comparative more lowly, superlative most lowly)

1. In a low manner; humbly; meekly; modestly.
2. In a low condition; meanly.
3. At low pitch or volume.

   He muttered lowly.

Translations

Anagrams

• wolly

Middle English

Adverb

lowly

1. in a low manner; humbly; meekly; modestly

   • And there was none of these other knyghtes but they redde in bookes and holpe for to synge Masse, and range bellys, and dyd lowly al maner of servyce.