a. [ OE. burlich strong, excellent; perh. orig. fit for a lady's bower, hence handsome, manly, stout. Cf. Bower. ]
In his latter days, with overliberal diet, [ he was ] somewhat corpulent and burly. Sir T. More. [ 1913 Webster ]
Burly and big, and studious of his ease. Cowper. [ 1913 Webster ]
It was the orator's own burly way of nonsense. Cowley. [ 1913 Webster ]