[‘ Of earth or (later chiefly) an item of food, esp. cheese: crumbly, friable. Also: composed of crumbly earth.']
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈməːli/, U.S. /ˈmərli/, Sc. /ˈmʌrli/
Forms: 16 18– *murly*, 19– *murlie*.
Etymology: < murl v. + -y suffix1.
Now Sc.
Of earth or (later chiefly) an item of food, esp. cheese: crumbly, friable. Also: composed of crumbly earth.
1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault /Maison Rustique/ iii. xx. 470 And as concerning the earth..that it be such as is verie murly, temperate [etc.].
1610 W. Folkingham /Feudigraphia/ i. xi. 36 Onyons..thriue well in a red short, murly and moistish earth.
1838 M. Howitt /Childhood/ in /Birds & Flowers/ xvi, The gentian blue on the murly hill And the snap-dragon white and yellow.
1917 /Banffshire Jrnl./ 26 June 3 A kneevelock o’ a murlie kebbuck rossen at the fire.
1928 J. G. Horne /Lan’wart Loon/ 13 Sweet as hinny to the moo The murly morsel [/sc./ a scone] tasted noo.
1954 /Banffshire Jrnl./ 24 Aug. 5/5 A kebbuck o’ fine aul’ fashiont, murly, green cheese.