lully

English

Etymology 1

Possibly from laundry, or lily (compare snow (“laundry”) as in snow-rig). Attested as early as c.1661.

Alternative forms

lally, lulley, lily (since 1901)

Noun

lully (plural lullies)

1. (UK, slang, archaic) Wet or drying linen.
2. (UK, slang, obsolete) A shirt.

Derived terms

• lully-prigger (“laundry stealer”) (since 1753)
• lully-snow-prigger (“laundry stealer”)

Etymology 2

Likely from lullaby, through lullaby-cheat (“child”, literally “lullaby-thing, sleep-stealer”) attested as early as 1648. Possible influence from Etymology 1, see shared phrase: lully-prigger of similar construction to lullaby-cheat. Possible influence from little. See also relations: loll (“favourite child”), and lolly (“child”).

Noun

lully (plural lullies)

1. (slang, obsolete) A child.

Derived terms

• lully-prigger (“child's clothing stealer”) (since 1790)
• queer lully (“deformed child”)

Interjection

lully

1. Alternative form of lullay.

References

• John Camden Hotten (1873), The Slang Dictionary
• https://greensdictofslang.com/search/basic?q=%3Flul