confusely

English

Etymology

From confuse (adjective) +‎ -ly; compare French confusément.

Adverb

confusely (comparative more confusely, superlative most confusely)

1. (obsolete) Synonym of confusedly.
   • 1520, Robertus Whitintonus, Vulgaria Roberti Whitintoni Lichfeldiensis / et de Institutione Grãmaticulorũ Opusculum: […], London: Wynkyn de Worde, →OCLC, signature I.ij., recto:

     That they pꝛonunce not rudely / haſtely / confuſely oꝛ coꝛruptely. but with cleyne / dyſtyncte / and playne tongue.

   • 1530 July 28 (Gregorian calendar), Iohan Palsgraue [i.e., John Palsgrave], “Wherin the True Sowndynge of the Frenche Tonge Resteth”, in Lesclarcissement de la langue francoyse⸝ […], [London]: […] [Richard Pynson] fynnysshed by Iohan Haukyns, →OCLC, 1st boke, folio i, recto; reprinted Geneva: Slatkine Reprints, October 1972, →OCLC:

     But as foꝛ vowelles in frenche woꝛdes by them ſelfe / there is none wꝛitten / but they be ſounded eyther diſtinctly oꝛ ſhoꝛtly and confuſely (ſaue ſomtyme v) as ſhall here after appere.

   • 1642, H[enry] M[ore], “ΨΥΧΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΑ [Psychathanasia] Platonica: Or A Platonicall Poem of the Immortality of Souls, Especially Mans Soul”, in ΨΥΧΩΔΙΑ [Psychōdia] Platonica: Or A Platonicall Song of the Soul, […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel, printer to the Universitie, →OCLC, book 2, canto 3, stanza 11, page 51:

     As vvhen a name lodg'd in the memory, / But yet through time almoſt obliterate, / Confuſely hovers near the phantaſie: / The man that's thus affected bids relate / A catologue of names.

   • 1685 March 4 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar); first published 1692, Robert South, “A Sermon Preached at Westminster-Abbey, February 22. 168⅘.”, in Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions. […], volume I, London: […] J[ohn] H[eptinstall] for Thomas Bennet, […], →OCLC, page 407:

     And for the other part of memory, called Reminiſcence: which is the Retreiving of a thing, at preſent forgot, or but confuſely remembred, by ſetting the mind to hunt over all its notions, and to ranſack Every little Cell of the Brain.

   • 1737, Daniel Waterland, “A. D. 249. Passover.”, in A Review of the Doctrine of the Eucharist, as Laid Down in Scripture and Antiquity, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Corn[elius] Crownfield, Printer to the University, and W[illiam] Innys […], →OCLC, chapter I (Of the Most Noted, or Most Considerable Names under Which the Holy Communion Hath Been Anciently Spoken Of), page 53:

     Origen ſeems to have led the way; and therefore I date the Notion from his Time: Not that He ſpeaks ſo fully to the Point as ſome that came after, neither had He preciſely the fame Ideas of it; but He taught more confuſely, what others after Him improved, and cleared.