Large, strong, and muscular; having a thick, heavy build.
From Middle English 'burly' meaning sturdy or rough, possibly related to Old English 'borlice' meaning excellent or bold. The meaning shifted to describe physical build over time.
The word 'burly' has been used to describe everything from Vikings to bouncer characters—it's the go-to adjective when you need to convey someone is impressively muscular without being intimidating.
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