Adjacent Words

Comely definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

COMELY, a.
1. Properly, becoming; suitable: whence, handsome; graceful. Applied to person or form, it denotes symmetry or due proportion, but it expresses less than beautiful or elegant.
I have seen a son of Jesse--comely person. 2 Samuel 16.
I will not conceal his comely proportion. Job 41.
2. Decent; suitable; proper; becoming; suited to time, place, circumstances or persons.
Praise is comely for the upright. Psalms 33.
It is comely that a woman pray to God uncovered? 1 Corinthians 11.
O what a world is this, when what is comely envenoms him that bears it.
COMELY, adv. Handsomely; gracefully.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: according with custom or propriety; "her becoming modesty"; "comely behavior"; "it is not comme il faut for a gentleman to be constantly asking for money"; "a decent burial"; "seemly behavior" [syn: becoming, comely, comme il faut, decent, decorous, seemly]
2: very pleasing to the eye; "my bonny lass"; "there's a bonny bay beyond"; "a comely face"; "young fair maidens" [syn: bonny, bonnie, comely, fair, sightly]

Merriam Webster's

adjective (comelier; -est) Etymology: Middle English comly, alteration of Old English cy?mlic glorious, from cy?me lively, fine; akin to Old High German k?mig weak Date: 13th century 1. pleasurably conforming to notions of good appearance, suitability, or proportion 2. having a pleasing appearance ; not homely or plain Synonyms: see beautiful • comeliness noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. (comelier, comeliest) (usu. of a woman) pleasant to look at. Derivatives: comeliness n. Etymology: ME cumelich, cumli prob. f. becumelich f. BECOME

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Comely Come"ly (k[u^]m"l[y^]), a. [Compar. Comelier; superl. Comeliest.] [OE. comeliche, AS. cyml[=i]c; cyme suitable (fr. cuman to come, become) + l[=i]c like.] 1. Pleasing or agreeable to the sight; well-proportioned; good-looking; handsome. He that is comely when old and decrepit, surely was very beautiful when he was young. --South. Not once perceive their foul disfigurement But boast themselves more comely than before. --Milton. 2. Suitable or becoming; proper; agreeable. This is a happier and more comely time Than when these fellows ran about the streets, Crying confusion. --Shak. It is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. --Ps. cxlvii. 1.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Comely Come"ly, adv. In a becoming manner. --Ascham.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(comelier, comeliest) A comely woman is attractive. (OLD-FASHIONED) ADJ: usu ADJ n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Becoming, fitting, suitable, seemly, decorous, decent. 2. Symmetrical, graceful, pretty, handsome, beautiful.

Moby Thesaurus

Junoesque, agreeable, amply endowed, appealing, appropriate, apt, attractive, beauteous, beautiful, becoming, befitting, bonny, braw, built, built for comfort, buxom, callipygian, callipygous, civilized, clean, clean-cut, comme il faut, conforming, correct, curvaceous, curvy, fair, felicitous, fit, fitting, goddess-like, good-looking, goodly, handsome, happy, inspired, just, likely, lovely, lovely to behold, neat, nice, personable, pleasing, pneumatic, presentable, pretty, proper, pulchritudinous, seemly, shapely, sightly, slender, stacked, statuesque, trim, well-built, well-chosen, well-expressed, well-favored, well-formed, well-made, well-proportioned, well-put, well-shaped, well-stacked, wholesome, winsome