civilly

adv

Etymology: From Middle English cyvyly, equivalent to civil + -ly.

1. In a civil manner; politely.

   “‘I beg your pardon, Dr. Lanyon,’ he replied civilly enough. ‘What you say is very well founded; and my impatience has shown its heels to my politeness.[…]’”

   “Recently, the Supreme Court justices Sonia Sotomayor and Amy Coney Barrett spoke together publicly about how members of the court speak civilly to one another while disagreeing, sometimes vigorously, about the law.”

2. In a manner befitting a citizen.

   “WHERE before this Time the ancient Cities, Boroughs, Towns Corporate and Market-Towns within this Realm of England have been very populous, and chiefly inhabited with Merchants, Artificers and Handicraftſmen, during which Time the Children in the ſaid Cities, Boroughs, Towns Corporate and Market-Towns, were civilly brought up and inſtructed, and alſo the ſaid Cities, Boroughs and Towns Corporate, kept in good Order and Obeiſance, and the Inhabiters of the ſame well ſet on work, and kept from Idleneſs; […]”

   “The people inhabit ſcatteringly here and there, in Dennes or Caverns (rather than Houſes) of Boughes and Leaves of Palme-trees. And becauſe this manner of living ſo diſperſedly, is the cauſe that theſe people remaine in their former ſavageneſſe of mind, and crueltie of life: and withall, inſomuch as it importeth infinite difficulties, to the preaching of the Goſpel, and Civill Government; the Portugals, and the Fathers of the Societie, uſe their beſt endeavours, to reduce them together, in certaine fit and convenient places; where living civilly, they may with the more facilitie be inſtructed by thoſe Fathers in the Rules of Faith, and governed by the Kings Officers. There may alſo be reduced to this Head, thoſe Cities, which have beene builded by Power, and inhabited by the authoritie of great Princes, or famous Common-wealths: […]”