earthly

• Earthly

From Middle English erthely, erthlich, ierðlich, from Old English eorþlīċ, corresponding to earth +‎ -ly. Cognate with Old Norse jarðligr (“earthly”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈəːθli/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

earthly (comparative earthlier, superlative earthliest)

1. Relating to the earth or this world, as opposed to heaven; terrestrial.

   earthly joys

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Philippians 3:18–19:

     (For many walke, of whome I haue told you often, and now tell you euen weeping, that they are the enemies of the crosse of Christ: / Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glorie is in their shame, who minde earthly things.)

   • [1832], L[etitia] E[lizabeth] Landon, “The Enchantress”, in Heath’s Book of Beauty. […], London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longman, […], →OCLC, pages 1–2:

     The shadows of earth and earthly things, resting omen-like upon the waters, alone shewed which was the home and which the mirror of the celestial host.

2. (negative, informal) Used for emphasis
   • 1971 April 4, Robert B. Semple Jr., “The Nation”, in The New York Times‎, page E1:

     The pressures of politics and war seem remote on this lovely stretch of California coastline, but last week there was no earthly way to avoid them.

   • 2016 June 10, Michael Hitzlik, “Column: Congress continues its stealth assault on Social Security’s customer service”, in Los Angeles Times‎:

     In fiscal terms, there’s no earthly reason for Congress to be stingy with Social Security’s administrative budget.

3. (obsolete) Made of earth; earthy.
   • 1533, John Frith, An other boke against Rastel:

     We have this […] treasure in frail, brittle, and earthly vessels.

• earthly branch

• worldly

earthly (plural earthlies)

1. (collective or in the plural) That which is of the earth or earthly; a terrestrial being.
   • 2018, Tamar M. Boyadjian, The City Lament: Jerusalem across the Medieval Mediterranean, Ithaca & London: Cornell University Press, page 28:

     He claims that the book directs the believer to let go of the earthly and await God's kingdom in the heavenly.

   • [1844], Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “The Virgin Mary to the Child Jesus”, in Mrs. Browning's Poems with Memoir, Chicago & New York: Henneberry, stanza 5, page 267:

     So, let all earthlies and celestials wait / Upon Thy royal state! / Sleep, sleep, my kingly One!

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:earthly.
2. (UK, colloquial) A slightest chance (of success etc.) or idea (about something).
   • 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:

     He arched his eyebrows over the summons. "The poor devil has not an earthly!" said he. "He's lucky to have a summons. Usually they act on a warrant."

   • 1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page, New York, published 2007, page 315:

     ‘Then I didn't have a chance when I stood you a drink?’ I said. ‘Not an earthly!’ she said and laughed; but when I left she kissed me good-night.

earthly (comparative more earthly, superlative most earthly)

1. in an earthly manner.
   • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, A Midsommer Nights Dreame. […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Thomas Fisher, […], published 1600, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

     But earthlyer happy is the roſe diſtild, / Then that, vvhich, vvithering on the virgin thorne, / Grovves, liues, and dies, in ſingle bleſſedneſſe.

   • 1827, Sarah Wilmot Wells, Tales; Mournful, Mirthful, and Marvellous, volume 3, page 94:

     and dost thou, indeed, revive to existence only to again (even in more attempered blood) design the death of the innocent, helpless, orphaned memorial of a pure, a heaven and earthly-sanctioned flame, whose venial trespass was but the forestalment of your own decree?

   • 1886, Thomas Martin McWhinney, Reason and Revelation, Hand in Hand, page 324:

     And here again we observe the great advantage of the heavenly over the earthly appointed courts.

   • 1927, Harriette Augusta Curtiss, The Message of Aquaria, page 431:

     Under such circumstances it is wise that church and state be separated, for such an earthly ordained priesthood has no more ability to rule wisely than have civil rulers.

   • 2010, Patricia Ann Sunday, Jimmy Swaggart: the Anointed Cherub That Covereth, page 1:

     The Lord has allowed me to see a striking similarity between this heavenly anointed cherub and this earthly anointed cherub (messenger) of God.

   • 2016, Bruce W. Hubbard, Marlene Hubbard, The Way of Grace:

     Qualifications are heavenly ordained, not earthly appointed; it is God Who has qualified us as saints and made us fit to share in His eternal salvation. It is not our own efforts and accomplishments that have qualified us; […]

• “earthly”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “earthly”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “earthly”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.

• Hartley, hartely, hartley, heartly, hetaryl, lathery