colly

verb

col·​ly ˈkä-lē How to pronounce colly (audio)
collied; collying

transitive verb

dialectal, chiefly British
: to blacken with or as if with soot

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Middle English colwen, from Old English *colgian, from Old English col coal

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of colly was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near colly

Cite this Entry

“Colly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colly. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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