; adv. Severely, sorely, strictly, hard. This word, as does swíþe (q. v.), tends to become an adverb of degree rather than one of manner or quality; where it qualifies words denoting pain, effort, or the like, it may be considered as keeping much of its old force, but even there it is used to translate Latin words marking degree; while in the case of words which do not convey such an idea, it becomes equivalent to very, very much, exceedingly, and the like. I. where there is the idea of pain, trouble, etc. (α) where the idea of manner is more prominent :-- Þearle ys mé nú ðá, heorte ys onhǽted matters go hardly with me now, my heart burns within me, Judth. Thw. 22, 30; Jud. 86. Se ðe his þeóden ǽr þearfe gerǽhte (severely wounded), Byrht. Th. 136, 29; By. 158. Hí fuhton ðearle they fought hard, Judth. Thw. 25, 16; Jud. 262: Chr. 937; Erl. 112, 23. Hí hungre wǽron þearle geþreátod, Andr. Kmbl. 2231; An. 1117: Beo. Th. 1124; B. 560: Rood Kmbl. 103; Kr. 52. Ðis is ðeóstræ hám ðearle gebunden fæstum fýrclommum, Cd. Th. 267, 15; Sat. 38. Þearle hé démde tantopere taxaverat, Hpt. Gl. 454, 2. Ús stalu and cwalu ... derede swýðe þearle injured us very severely, Wulfst. 159, 11. Ðæt hé him ðonne ðearlur (districtius) déman scyle,Past. 53; Swt. 419, 5. (β) where the idea of degree is more prominent, very, very much, exceedingly, excessively :-- Sáwl mín gedréfed is ðearle anima mea turbata est valde, Ps. Spl. 6, 3. Geeádmét ic eom ðearle (nimis), 37, 8: Ps. Th. 78, 8. Þearle ic deorfe nimium laboro, Coll. Monast. Th. 19, 13. Forþóht þearle (cf. swíþe unrót, Bt. 1; Fox 4, 4), Met. 1, 82. Ðæt folc wearð þearle geswenct mid ðam síðfate taedere coepit populum itineris ac laboris, Num. 21, 4: Ps. Th. 103, 8: Homl. i. 80, 14. II. where there is no idea of pain, trouble, etc., very, to a great degree, very much, to a great extent, exceedingly :-- Geðancas þearle deópe nimis profundae cogitationes, Ps. Th. 91, 4. Þearle mildheort multum misericors, 144, 8: Judth. Thw. 22, 23; Jud. 74. Swíðe gelýfed mann and ðearle eáwfæst, Homl. Th. ii. 306, 4. Ðú eall geworhtest þing þearle gód (cf. swíþe góde, Bt. 33, 4; Fox 128, 22), Met. 20, 45. Behéfe þearle utilis valde, Coll. Monast. Th. 27, 27: 29, 31. Þearle deóplíce valde profunde, 32, 9. Þearle swíþe tó herienne, Lchdm. iii. 436, 18: 438, 27. Hé geíhte folc his ðearle (vehementer), Ps. Spl. 104, 22. Þearle fremaþ cræft mín eów multum prodest ars mea vobis, Coll. Monast. Th. 28, 7: Judth. Thw. 26, 3; Jud. 307. Ic ðé gemenigfilde swíþe þearle (vehementer nimis), Gen. 17, 2. Dríg swýþe þearle dry very thoroughly, Lchdm. i. 70, 10. Ðis godspel belimpþ swíðe þearle tó ðære mǽran freólstíde this gospel belongs very specially to the great festival, Homl. Th. ii. 360, 10. Hig þearle etaþ nimium comedunt, Coll. Monast. Th. 26, 11. Gehwylc mé drincan sealde þearle each gave me abundance to drink, Exon. Th. 485, 1; Rä. 71, 7. Drinc swýþe þearle drink very largely, Lchdm. i. 78, 10. Hit on wolcnum oft þearle þunraþ, Met. 28, 25. v. for-þearle.