sprightly

adj

1. Animated, gay, or vivacious; lively, spirited.

   “Next vnto lumpish Saturn, sprightlie Iove / Moves in his orbe.”

   “[B]y the Path-way green, / A ſprightlie Troupe ſtill onward heedleſſe ſped, / In Chace of Butterflies alert and keen; / Honours, and Wealth, and Powre, their Butterflies I ween.”

   “The Bard now tries a ſprightlier ſound, / When all the feather'd race around / Perceive the varied ſtrains; / The ſoaring lark the note purſues; / The timorous dove around him cooes, / And Philomel complains.”

2. Of a person: full of life and vigour, especially with a light and springy step.

   “Shall our example ſloth create, / And make our Sons degenerate? / Our ſprightly youth uſeleſs in War become, / And ſleep in peace and ſlavery at home.”

   “This youth was ance a sprightlie boy / As ever lived in Linne.”

   “Methinkes it was aboutt this Date that a ſore Afflicſhon befelle my deare and formerlie merrie Siſter, the Ladye Herbert, whom my Reder will beſte recollecte as my Ladye Mother's beſte beloved Childe, the happie, ſprightlie Katie of oure School-den Daies.”

3. Of a person: full of life and vigour, especially with a light and springy step.
4. (obsolete, rare)Of or relating to a sprite; ghostly, spectral.

   “[…] As I ſlept, me thought / Great Iupiter vpon his Eagle back'd / Appear'd to me, with other ſprightly ſhewes / Of mine owne Kindred.”

adv

1. In a lively and vigorous way; sprightlily.