salley

Noun

sallow (plural sallows)

1. A European willow, Salix caprea, that has broad leaves, large catkins and tough wood.
   • I[f] a man eate the flowers of a sallow or wyllowe tree, or of a Poplet tree, they wyl make cold al the heate of carnall lust in hym.c. 1553, Humphrey Llwyd (translator), The Treasury of Healthe, London: William Coplande, Remedies, Chapter 44

   Synonyms:

   goat willow

2. A willow twig or branch.
   • Who-so that buildeth his hous al of salwes,
     And priketh his blinde hors over the falwes,
     And suffreth his wyf to go seken halwes,
     Is worthy to been hanged on the galwes!1387–1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “(please specify the story via the 'title' parameter)”, in The Canterbury Tales, [Westminster: William Caxton, published 1478], →OCLC; republished in [William Thynne]...

See all 9 meanings of sallow

Noun (1)

sally (plural sallies)

1. A willow.
2. Any tree that resembles a willow.
3. An object made from the wood of a willow.

Noun (2)

sally (plural sallies)

1. A sortie of troops from a besieged place against an enemy.
   • The rest of his horsemen the Duke sent to his campe, bicause they heard a great noise there, and doubted the enimies sally, and indeede they had issued foorth thrise, but were alwaies repulsed, especially through the valiantns of the English men that the Duke left there behind him [...]1596, Philippe de Commynes, The historie of Philip de Commines Knight, Lord of Argenton, London: Ar. Hatfield, pages 50-51
2. A sudden rushing forth.
   • Flocks of these birds stir up flying insects, which can then be picked off in quick sallies.
3. (figuratively) A witty statement or quip, usually at the expense of one's interlocutor.
   • Till then she had never formed an idea of one so gifted and so charming. She listened with astonishment to her companion's gay sallies, and answers, as piquant as they were ready.1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The First Doubt”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 39

See all 17 meanings of sally