burly

Meaning

Large, well-built, and muscular.
(slang) Great, amazing, unbelievable.
(slang) Of large magnitude, either good or bad, and sometimes both.

Frequency

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbɜːli/

From Middle English burly, burely, borly, burlich, borlich, borlic (“tall, stately”), of uncertain origin. Cognate with Scots burely, burly (“rough, stout, sturdy, strong”). Perhaps from Old English *būrlīċ (“noble, stately”, literally “bowerly”), equivalent to bower + -ly; or from Old English *byrlīċ (“high, raised”), from byre (“raised area, mound”), cognate with Old High German burlīh, purlīh (“lofty, elevated, high, exalted”), related to Old High German burjan (“to raise, lift, push up”). See burgeon.

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