homily

adv

1. In a homey manner.

   “Rocky handed it [the beer] to Bob, whose demurrals petered out as he held the can's cold actuality in his hand. It bore the smiling face of Lynn Swann. He opened it. Leo farted homily to close the transaction.”

noun

Etymology: From Middle English omelī, omelīe, omelye, from Old French omelie and directly from Late Latin homīlia (“homily”), from Ancient Greek ὁμῑλίᾱ (homīlíā, “homily; instruction”), from ὅμῑλος (hómīlos, “crowd, throng”) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, suffix forming abstract feminine nouns). ὅμῑλος is derived from ὁμός (homós, “common; same”) + ῑ̓́λη (ī́lē, “crowd”) (from εἴλω (eílō, “to aggregate”)).

1. A sermon, especially concerning a practical matter.

   “O moſt gentle Iupiter! What tedious homilie of Loue haue you wearied your pariſhioners withall, and neuer cri'de, haue patience good people.”

   “But to return to the Homily on St. Gregory. It is printed from a Tranſcript I had made of it from one made by Dr. Hopkins, I believe, out of the Cottonian Book, Vitellius D. 17. […] The Homily is one of thoſe which were prepared by Ælfrick, to be uſed in the Engliſh Saxon Church: […]”

2. A moralizing lecture.

   “How expreſſe and poſitive the doctrine of our Church is againſt them, our English Homily entitled Againſt the perill of idolatry, abundantly declareth; […]”

   “But if it be as I have heard my father / Deal out in his long homilies, 'tis a thing— / Oh God! I dare no think on 't!”

3. A platitude.