In Scottish or Northern English dialect, meaning off the proper or straight course; awry or askew.
From Old Norse or Scottish Gaelic origins, possibly related to 'aloof' or similar words indicating displacement or being off-course, though the exact path is uncertain.
Dialect words like 'afley' are linguistic treasures because they preserve ancient grammar patterns and meanings that disappeared from standard English—each region kept different pieces of the language's history.
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