From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishburlybur‧ly /ˈbɜːli $ ˈbɜːrli/ adjective STRONG PERSONa burly man is big and strong a burly policeman
Examples from the Corpus
burly• He was big and burly, and isn't it known that all big and burly men are ... gentle giants.• The burly Contaldi looks more suited for flattening cornerbacks than roll casting with precision.• Abdul Gafer, 25, leaned burly forearms on the rough wood table.• He was joined immediately by a burly guy in a padded leather body warmer over a navy blue rugby shirt.• The burly lawyer and former mayor of Managua turned 51 on Thursday, celebrating with a full day of work.• The farmer was a big, burly man with a red face.• It was crewed by Larsen's ten burly mates.• A truck arrived at our door one morning and two burly men began unloading cartons from the back.• Three burly workmen duly arrived, complete with truck and mini-crane, to hoist the heavy bins into position.Origin burly (1300-1400) burly “noble, impressive” ((13-17 centuries)), perhaps from an unrecorded Old English borlic “excellent” 