natively

He spoke French natively, having been born there, and English almost as well.

This is because by definition, a pidgin is not learned natively.

2019, Nico Hess, Introducing Global Englishes, page 229:

In the manner of a native, especially a native speaker.

This is a Microsoft Windows application, so you can't run it natively on an Apple Mac.

(computing, of software) Pertaining to the computer or architecture in question; without the use of emulation, etc.

The experiment showed only what the mass must always be— natively incapable of controlling their passions, natively eager for their enjoyment, and natively envious of the original superiority of birth, affluence, and knowledge.

1835 October, “William Pitt: No. VIII”, in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, volume 38, page 455:

The vines of some species are always found natively in limy soils, and varieties of such species generally succeed well in such soils.·

1909, Thomas Volney Munson, Foundations of American Grape Culture, page 118:

Since a transsexual is a person with natively male genitalia who nevertheless has had a lifelong sense of femaleness, the purpose of surgery should logically be to provide such a person with anatomy and sexual response as close as possible to that of any other woman.

1976 August 21, Amalthea, “The Sexual Politics of Transsexual Surgery”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 8, page 8:

Several useful fetures of disordered regions are, however, discernable, and we consider them in the context of a few of the structurally and biochemically characterized biologic systems in which the function of natively unfolded proteins has been investigated.

2013, George Plopper, David Sharp, Eric Sikorski, Lewin's Cells, page 220:

The sin of Adam, by which we are brought under condemnation, is ours originally, natively, and intrinsically; and the nature which we inherit and originally possess is the very nature by which the apostasy was wrought.

2022, Samuel J. Baird, The Elohim Revealed, page 430:

In the manner that occurs naturally; without intervention or training.

On the other hand, some subjects are not natively interesting, but they become interesting when we study them extensively, that is, they have an acquired interest.

1900, The Coming Age - Volumes 3-4, page 236:

In sizing up his first season with the Smart Set, Indianapolis-based columnist Will M. Lewis concluded that Dudley's portrayal of George Washington Bullion "belongs to the Hogan class; not so natively funny, but with better judgement. […]"

2009, Lynn Abbott, Doug Seroff, Ragged but Right, page 91:

Even natively fictive characters can be used as a commentary on real-life politicians such as Donald Trump.

2023, Tobias Kunz, Lukas R.A. Wilde, Transmedia Character Studies, page 211:


by the looks of things

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-by the looks of things.wav


cryptographically

in a cryptographic manner; using cryptography; for cryptographic purposes


100 percent

I can assure you the we are 100 percent with you in this matter.

Many retailers are now offering 100 percent natural products.

“It’s obvious that to feel 100 percent you need matches,” Nadal said. “I didn’t compete for the last six months, so for me, the first goal is to go on court and feel myself competitive. That’s a good test, without great expectations.”

2020 September 25, Cindy Schmerler, “Rafael Nadal Goes for No. 13 in France”, in The New York Times:


so much

Identical twins are so much alike, it is difficult to identify them.

I feel so much better.


pinnately

en-adv

pinnately (comparative more pinnately, superlative most pinnately)

more pinnately (comparative)
most pinnately (superlative)


palmately

palmately (comparative more palmately, superlative most palmately)

more palmately (comparative)
most palmately (superlative)


mutualy

[…] a voyage to plant ye first colonie in ye Northerne parts of Virginia, doe by these presents solemnly & mutualy in ye presence of God […]


togeather

...and one of another, covenant & combine our selves togeather into a civill body politick...


one-two-three

1957, J. D. Salinger, "Zooey", in, 1961, Franny and Zooey, 1991 LB Books edition, page 91,
...when the invader just gets up and leaves, one-two-three, like that.


one-sidedly

one-sidedly (comparative more one-sidedly, superlative most one-sidedly)

more one-sidedly (comparative)
most one-sidedly (superlative)

Macaulay was concerned to interpret the seventeenth century in terms of the triumph of the Whigs as champions of public rights; and he upheld this one-sidedly but not malignantly.

1913, G. K. Chesterton, chapter 1, in The Victorian Age in Literature:

The man smiled one-sidedly.

1915, B. M. Bower, chapter 11, in The Flying U's Last Stand:

There was nothing Julia could tell her about sterilizing, or talcum powder, or keeping light out of the baby's eyes, or turning her over in her crib from time to time so that she shouldn't develop one-sidedly.

1915, Kathleen Norris, chapter 4, in The Story of Julia Page:

In a manner which physically favors or uses only one side of something.


ygoe

[…]That keepes thy body from the bitter fit;
Dead long ygoe I wote thou haddest bin,[…]

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:


vexingly

vexingly (comparative more vexingly, superlative most vexingly)

more vexingly (comparative)
most vexingly (superlative)


searingly

searingly (comparative more searingly, superlative most searingly)

more searingly (comparative)
most searingly (superlative)

a searingly honest appraisal of her career prospects

Their deaths were sobering not merely because of the searingly unbearable wrench of losing those two wonderful people, but because it left me exposed as rudderless.

2005, Sean Dooley, The Big Twitch, Sydney: Allen and Unwin, page 23:


sumat

(Yorkshire, dialectal, obsolete) Alternative form of summat


synonymously

synonymously (comparative more synonymously, superlative most synonymously)

more synonymously (comparative)
most synonymously (superlative)


summat

Dialectal variant of somewhat attested from the 18th century. Joseph Wright suggested that it might be a contraction of "some that" in A Grammar of the Dialect of Windhill (page 78).

It's summat-like to see such a man as that i' the desk of a Sunday!

1859, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter VIII, in Adam Bede […], volume I, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book first, page 172:

(England, especially Lancashire, Yorkshire, informal) Something (“to a degree”); somewhat.


worryingly

worryingly (comparative more worryingly, superlative most worryingly)

more worryingly (comparative)
most worryingly (superlative)

[…] I have always found it hard that Hamlet, a character that I love and admire, is guilty of a puerile misogyny and, perhaps, more worryingly, of the unnecessary deaths of his old friends from university, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.

2014 April 12, Simon Russell Beale, “Why Shakespeare always says something new: As the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth approaches, the great Shakespearean actor Simon Russell Beale explains his secrets [print version: The king and I]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review), London, page R7:


rotely

rotely (comparative more rotely, superlative most rotely)

more rotely (comparative)
most rotely (superlative)


thenabouts

It has been conjectured that Aram got much of Cark’s money, and therewith paid off a mortgage; but this is only conjecture; and as he got a legacy by the will of an old lady thenabouts, it is as fair to presume that this money, so applied, was his own.

1838, Norrisson Cavendish Scatcherd, Memoirs of the Celebrated Eugene Aram, who was executed for the murder of Daniel Clark in 1759, page 35:

Our friend, Simon Jennings, could not sleep that night ; his reveries and scheming lasted from the rum-punch’s final drop, at ten p.m., to circiter two, a.m., and then, or thenabouts, the devil hinted “ steal it ;” and so, not till nearly four, he began to shut his eyes and dream again, as his usual fashion was, of adding up receipts in five figures, and of counting out old Bridget’s hoarded gold.

1844, Martin Farquhar Tupper, The Crock of Gold: A Rural Nobel, page 194:

Seven years ago my wife, Rupert Brooke and I were eastbound from New York, and—then or thenabouts—I wrote from shipboard an open letter on the theater to the Editor of Drama.

1921, Maurice Browne, Theater Arts Magazine, “Lonely Places: An Open Letter to the Editors of the Theatre Arts Magazine”, Theater Publications, page 207


ahorseback

Policemen once patrolled the streets ahorseback.


ahorse

He managed to escape ahorse.

1817, Maria Edgworth, Ormond, Chapter 4, in Harrington, and Ormond, Tales, London: R. Hunter, Volume 2, p. 85,
“By all that’s princely,” cried he, “then, that young Harry Ormond was intended for a prince, he sits a horse so like myself; and that horse requires a master hand to manage him.”

the right to proceed in peace, by whatever means he and his people saw fit, afoot or ahorse

1929, William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury, New York: Vintage, published 1956, page 404:

Two Romans ahorse were circling about four dismounted Cimbri, who stood back to back and glared.

1960, Poul Anderson, chapter 2, in The Golden Slave,, New York: Avon:

(archaic) On the back of a horse; on horseback.


flowingly

flowingly (comparative more flowingly, superlative most flowingly)

more flowingly (comparative)
most flowingly (superlative)

She danced flowingly across the stage, as though gravity and friction didn't apply to her.


killingly

killingly (comparative more killingly, superlative most killingly)

more killingly (comparative)
most killingly (superlative)

I should not be able to say how killingly droll I found this.

1916, William Dean Howells, Between the Dark and the Daylight, page 152:

(figuratively) So as to incapacitate with laughter.


furioso

Borrowed from Italian. Doublet of furious.


mebbe

Mebbe he tried to imitate Dick's tone of voice and told us it was raining.

Mebbe the Don wants to pay a sociable call on our ladies. Mebbe his gang is some hungry, as usual.

1914, Zane Grey, The Light of Western Stars:

Wal, if a man can stand the loneliness, an' if he's quick on the draw, mebbe lone-wolfin' it is the best.

"I thought mebbe there was something wrong at the Willows," he said.

1929, Edith Wharton, Hudson River Bracketed:

“Well then, it's Granny speaking: 'I dunnow!
Mebbe I'm wrong to take it as I do.
There ain't no names quite like the old ones though,
Nor never will be to my way of thinking.[…]

2013 April 22, Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken and Other Selected Poems (Timeless classic), Simon and Schuster, →ISBN:

Pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling

(nonstandard, dialect) Pronunciation spelling of maybe.


warts and all

In 1653, an artist, Samuel Cooper, was asked to paint Oliver Cromwell's portrait. Cromwell preferred the portrait to be shown with "pimples, warts and everything." (i.e., to include any defects and imperfections.) Over time, this phrase has come to be shortened to "warts and all".

The new crop of reality shows brings us that much closer to the contestants, warts and all.

2003 January 14, Donna Freydkin, “Young and voyeuristic”, in USA Today:

"We are very open and publish everything we investigate in detailed reports - warts and all," adds French.

2021 December 29, Paul Stephen, “Rail's accident investigators”, in RAIL, number 947, page 33:

(idiomatic, informal) In a manner which does not conceal shortcomings or imperfections.

kaunistelematta

in a manner which does not conceal shortcomings or imperfections


unrestrainedly

unrestrainedly (comparative more unrestrainedly, superlative most unrestrainedly)

more unrestrainedly (comparative)
most unrestrainedly (superlative)


slam-bang

19th cent., Robert Montgomery Bird, Nick of the Woods, 1967 Rowman & Littlefield edition, →ISBN, page 48,
Well! as soon as I jumped out of his way, bang went his piece, and bang went another, let fly by an Injun;—down went the Major, shot right through the hips, slam-bang.


hell for leather

A few minutes later I was driving hell for leather to Parel, some six miles out of Bombay, where Colonel Liston was in charge of the government laboratory.

1963, Frederick Barnardo, An Active Life, Bodley Head, page 194:

It was one of the pleasures of the country to be able to ride hell for leather in the early morning... .

1988, Emma Lange, The Cost of Honor, →ISBN, page 96:

Of course, we were programmers, so we knew how hard it was, and what really impressed us was that this wasn't just smart programming, it was smart maths. Somebody had gone hell for leather making the absolute best that was possible.

2003 October 18, Francis Spufford, “Masters of their universe”, in The Guardian:

When Alfie had breathlessly told him that Sarah had gone into labour and was on her way to hospital, he'd dropped the lead rein and headed back hell for leather.

2004, Jennifer Marshall, The Christie Legacy, Trafford Publishing, →ISBN, page 290:


down cellar

I had to run down cellar to turn off the water main.

(US, idiomatic) Downstairs; the opposite of upstairs.


ad rem

Borrowed from Latin ad rem (“pertinent, relevant”), from ad (“to”) + rem, accusative of res (“matter”).

To speak ad rem, who is free from passion?


flat-footed

flat-footed (comparative more flat-footed, superlative most flat-footed)

more flat-footed (comparative)
most flat-footed (superlative)

They caught us flat-footed.


countably

In a countable manner; in a way that can be counted.

(mathematics) In a way that can be put into one-to-one correspondence with the natural numbers or any subset thereof.


hither and thither

/ˌhɪðəɹ‿n̩ ˈðɪðə/

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-hither and thither.wav

/ˌhɪðɚ‿n̩ ˈðɪðɚ/

The adverb is derived from hither + and + thither. The verb is derived from the phrase “to come hither and go thither”.

All alter, nothing finally decayes: / Hether and thether ſtill the Spirit ſtrayes; / Gueſt to all Bodies: out of beaſts it flyes / To men, from men to beaſts; and neuer dyes.

1626, Ovid, “The Fifteenth Booke”, in George Sandys, transl., Ovid’s Metamorphosis Englished […], London: […] William Stansby, →OCLC, page 308:

Noailles, Cogny and Company hang well back upon the Hill regions, and strong posts which are not yet menaced; or fly vaguely, more or less distractedly, hither and thither; not in the least like fighting Karl, much less like beating him.

1864, Thomas Carlyle, “Preliminary: How the Moment Arrived”, in History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great, volume IV, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book XV, page 11:

Thou shalt read the hearts of men as an open writing, and hither and thither shalt thou lead them as thy pleasure listeth.

1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, “The Spirit of Life”, in She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 304:

And the passion that held Strickland was a passion to create beauty. It gave him no peace. It urged him hither and thither. He was eternally a pilgrim, haunted by a divine nostalgia, and the demon within him was ruthless.

1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, chapter LIV, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC, page 283:

The Stirling-Oban line has an even more sinuous course, as it winds hither and thither to obtain a passage through the depths of the mountains.

1951 January, Robert M. Hogg, “Crossing Scotland's Mountain Barriers by Rail”, in Railway Magazine, page 17:

“A kleptomaniac,” I said. “Which means, if the term is not familiar to you, a chap who flits hither and thither pinching everything he can lay his hands on.”

1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter VI, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:

In contrast, the Westminster Gazette in 1912 was much more positive about railway staff, praising the "… army of porters hustling and bustling hither and thither with barrows groaning under the weight of bags and baggage and … the ever-patient and long-suffering guards, courteously giving information and advice to the querulous passengers … to the porter the Christmas season means a continuous round of heavy labour, extremely tiring to both nerves and temper, and this fact the public too often seem either to forget or ignore."

2022 December 14, David Turner, “The Edwardian Christmas getaway …”, in Rail, number 972, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 35:

To here and to there, one place after another; in different directions.

andej-këtej

to here and there, one place after another

Presently, men were running hither and thither in all ways. The artillery booming, forward, rearward, and on the flanks made jumble of ideas of direction.

1895 October, Stephen Crane, chapter XII, in The Red Badge of Courage: An Episode of the American Civil War, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC, page 119:

It was fortunate that I was not holding a tea cup as she spoke, for hearing Sir Roderick thus addressed I gave another of my sudden starts and, had I had such a cup in my hand, must have strewn its contents hither and thither like a sower going forth sowing. As it was, I merely sent a cucumber sandwich flying through the air.

1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter V, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:


reprehensibly

reprehensibly (comparative more reprehensibly, superlative most reprehensibly)

more reprehensibly (comparative)
most reprehensibly (superlative)


unsuitably

unsuitably (comparative more unsuitably, superlative most unsuitably)

more unsuitably (comparative)
most unsuitably (superlative)

Dearly as he loved to talk, he could not enjoy nor shine in a conversation when he thought himself unsuitably dressed.

1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, “Samuel Pepys”, in Familiar Studies of Men & Books:


sternward

sternward (comparative more sternward, superlative most sternward)

more sternward (comparative)
most sternward (superlative)


invasively

invasively (comparative more invasively, superlative most invasively)

more invasively (comparative)
most invasively (superlative)


by accident

by accident (comparative more by accident, superlative most by accident)

more by accident (comparative)
most by accident (superlative)

Sorry. I knocked over the vase by accident.

Accidentally; unintentionally; without meaning to; as the result of an event not expected, aided, or willingly planned.

The car got totaled by accident; a giant snowdrift fell off the church roof.

The only way that project still exists today is by accident; I thought we closed it years ago.

The scholar thinks the quote and the parable were spoken on different occasions and only by accident were brought together here.

As the result of some undesigned, unintended, unrelated, natural, or random occurrence; as the unexpected and unforeseen result of formerly unrelated factors.

I hadn't seen her for years, but I ran into her by accident at the store.

She overheard the information by accident.

Thou cam'st not to thy place by accident: It is the very place God meant for thee.

a. 1886, Richard Chenevix Trench, Thou cam'st not to thy place by accident:

By chance; unexpectedly; as the result of an unrelated series of events.


othergates

Here comes Sir Toby halting — you shall hear more; but if he had not been in drink, he would have tickled you othergates than he did.

1601-1602, William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, act 5, scene 1:

It should seem David's men were othergates men than many


unstably

unstably (comparative more unstably, superlative most unstably)

more unstably (comparative)
most unstably (superlative)


thar

Thar's gold in them thar hills.

1849, Dr. M.F. Stephenson, assayor at the Mint at Lumpkin Court House, Dahlonega, Georgia

Ar’n’t we thar yet?

1882, James Jackson, Tom Terror, the Outlaw:


four score seven years ago

four score and seven years ago
four score and seven years ago#English

Alternative form of four score and seven years ago


per cent.

Abbreviation of per centum, which means for every hundred or by the hundred.


four score and seven years ago

four score and seven years ago (not comparable)

/ˈfɔː skɔː‿ɹən ˌsɛvən jɪəz əˌɡəʊ/

/ˈfɔɹ skɔɹ ən ˌsɛvən jɪɹz əˌɡoʊ/

En-au-four score and seven years ago.ogg

Literally, “87 years ago” (score sense: “group of 20”) the beginning of the Gettysburg Address made on November 19, 1863, by United States President Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865). The widespread familiarity of Lincoln’s address, the unusual and poetic wording, and its status as the first words of the speech have caused the phrase to enter the public consciousness.

It was established four score and seven years ago, and since that time its activities have been intertwined with the internal development of the Nation itself.

1936 April 16, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Address at the Dedication of the New Department of the Interior Building:

I imagined momentarily that it was four score and seven years ago, that I had just been brought forth from my mother […]

2010 December 23, Phillip Roth, “Prologue”, in The Great American Novel, →ISBN, page 21:

Four score and seven years ago, I began writing an annual letter to be enclosed in my Christmas cards.

2012 February 20, Vicky DeCoster, “The Letter”, in The Wacky World of Womanhood, →ISBN, page 93:

(idiomatic, often humorous) Used (sometimes sarcastically) to indicate that a past event being mentioned is particularly important: a long time ago; many years ago.


ex nunc

(law) “from now on”. Used to describe certain legal effects which are applicable solely from this point (in time) on and therefore do not affect past actions.


the other way around

“After all, he’s speaking our language, not the other way around.

1988, Michael Crichton, Sphere, page 185:

The same but with the things or people mentioned in reverse order.


the other way round

At dinner Marigold had the Rector on her right and the Colonel on her left, Francis had their wives the other way round to avoid any signs of preference, […]

1979, Honor Tracy, The Ballad of Castle Reef, page 45:

One answer which has gained scientific popularity puts the egg first – 'no egg, no chicken': […] A competing answer puts it the other way round – 'no chicken, no egg': […]

2007, Michael Clark, Paradoxes from A to Z, page 44:

The same but with the mentioned things or people in reverse order or position.

conversely

same, but with mentioned things in reverse order

If it isn't working, try turning the battery the other way round.


to what end

To what end are you spending so much time reading the newspaper?

They put so much effort into it, but to what end?


lexically

It is important to note that connotation is different from an unambiguous “double meaning” or “pun.” With a pun both meanings have to be lexically current but with connotation it is the multiple, even ambiguous, associations of each word that are important.)

2011, Patrick Spedding, James Lambert, “Fanny Hill, Lord Fanny, and the Myth of Metonymy”, in Studies in Philology, volume 108, number 1, page 118:


stochastically

stochastically (comparative more stochastically, superlative most stochastically)

more stochastically (comparative)
most stochastically (superlative)

That is when we have no clear and distinct conception of the truth of a proposition (which is the knowledge of it and can never be false) we may notwithstanding, extend our assents further and judge stochastically, that is opine, this way or that way concerning it, and that sometimes with a great deal of confidence and assurance too.

1838, Ralph Cudworth, edited by John Allen, A Treatise of Freewill, … Now First Edited, from the Original MS., and with Notes, London: John W[illiam] Parker, West Strand, →OCLC, pages 39–40:

In the table the scores from group A are stochastically smaller than those for B, C, or D because group A always has at least as many scores at or below a particular number as any of the other groups. Similarly, the scores from group B are stochastically smaller than those from group C.

1954, Gordon W[illard] Allport, “Selective Quantitative Techniques”, in Gardner Lindzey, editor, Handbook of Social Psychology, volumes 1 (Theory and Method), Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, →OCLC, page 317, column 2:

In still other cases, the state of the system is stochastically determined or else assumed to be stochastically determined, that is, determined by a random factor.

1973 October, J[ames] C[lement] I. Dooge, “Lecture 1. Hydrologic Systems.”, in Linear Theory of Hydrologic Systems (Technical Bulletin; no. 1468), Washington, D.C.: Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, →OCLC, page 8:

In a stochastic manner; by means of a process involving a randomly determined sequence of events.


helluv

From "hell of (a)", like hella (originally Northern California slang). See also Wikipedia:Hella (word).

Dude, I helluv want to go to the show with you, but I'm soooo grounded.

“[…]. This helluv hurts.” We grownups burst out laughing, and I hugged her bony adolescent shoulders.

2002, Peggy Vincent, Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife, page 225:

(slang, chiefly Northern California) Intensifier (modifies verbs); to a large extent; totally; very much.

That new girl is helluv sexy.

“We had the baby, like two minutes ago. It was helluv icy. […] Naeema was so brave, just hellabitchin', and I delivered the baby myself 'cause we have this hellafresh midwife who taught me how to do it.”

2002, Peggy Vincent, Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife, page 226:

“Man, if I had never been to California and read that magazine, I would be helluv scared to come out there!”

2003, Adrienne Anderson, Word: Rap, Politics and Feminism, page 14:

(slang, chiefly Northern California) Intensifier (modifies adjectives); to a large degree; extremely; exceedingly.


addictively

addictively (comparative more addictively, superlative most addictively)

more addictively (comparative)
most addictively (superlative)


mesially

mesially (comparative more mesially, superlative most mesially)

more mesially (comparative)
most mesially (superlative)

The second premolar has two roots, one located mesially and one distally under the crown

1999, Friderun Ankel-Simons, Primate Anatomy: An Introduction, page 246:

Toward the central plane of a body with bilateral symmetry.


approvably

approvably (comparative more approvably, superlative most approvably)

more approvably (comparative)
most approvably (superlative)

In an approvable manner; in a manner that is able to be approved.


apprehensibly

apprehensibly (comparative more apprehensibly, superlative most apprehensibly)

more apprehensibly (comparative)
most apprehensibly (superlative)

Such that it can be apprehended; understandably.


avocationally

avocationally (comparative more avocationally, superlative most avocationally)

more avocationally (comparative)
most avocationally (superlative)


ablatively

ablatively (comparative more ablatively, superlative most ablatively)

more ablatively (comparative)
most ablatively (superlative)

The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles

Oxford University Press
w:Oxford University Press


abiotically

From abiotic + -ally or a- + biotically.

In an abiotic manner; in the absence of life.


axiologically

axiologically (comparative more axiologically, superlative most axiologically)

more axiologically (comparative)
most axiologically (superlative)


acceleratingly

acceleratingly (comparative more acceleratingly, superlative most acceleratingly)

more acceleratingly (comparative)
most acceleratingly (superlative)


sure as eggs is eggs

Possible corruption of "x is x", a statement equivalent to the mathematical expression x = x, or the phrase "A is A" in relation to the law of identity.

At this time of year, sure as eggs is eggs, the TV starts filling with Christmas ads for toys.


accursedly

accursedly (comparative more accursedly, superlative most accursedly)

more accursedly (comparative)
most accursedly (superlative)

And now, when Danforth and I saw the freshly glistening and reflectively iridescent black slime which clung thickly to those headless bodies and stank obscenely with that new, unknown odor whose cause only a diseased fancy could envisage—clung to those bodies and sparkled less voluminously on a smooth part of the accursedly resculptured wall in a series of grouped dots—we understood the quality of cosmic fear to its uttermost depths

1936, H. P. Lovecraft, At the Mountains of Madness:

(degree, somewhat dated) Damnably; extremely.


viceregally

viceregally (comparative more viceregally, superlative most viceregally)

more viceregally (comparative)
most viceregally (superlative)

In a viceregal manner; in the manner of a viceroy.


soitenly

soitenly (comparative more soitenly, superlative most soitenly)

more soitenly (comparative)
most soitenly (superlative)

Pronunciation spelling of certainly, representing New York City English.


forever and ever

for ever and ever
for ever and ever#English

Alternative spelling of for ever and ever


for ever and ever

Arising in the King James Bible, an approximate translation from Ancient Greek εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων (eis toùs aiônas tôn aiṓnōn, “to the aeons of the aeons”) and Hebrew לעולם ועד (“forever and until”), as well as Latin in saecula saeculorum and per omnia saecula saeculorum (themselves from the Greek).

der

εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων

(biblical, Christian liturgy) Eternally; timelessly; with no beginning and no end.


door to door

門到門

from ultimate origin to ultimate destination

He carried the petition door to door, collecting signatures.

He sold magazine subscriptions at inflated prices door to door.

Selling door to door is the best training - and test - for a new salesman.

(by metonymy) From one household or business to the next.

դռնեդուռ

from one household or business to the next

The express company could only handle shipments door to door on the West Coast, needing others to reach the rest of the country.

(by metonymy) From ultimate origin to ultimate destination.

(by further extension) From shipper to recipient.

van deur tot deur

from ultimate shipper to ultimate recipient

It was purely a CIA operation, door to door.

(by further extension) From inception to final completion.

The trip takes sixteen hours door to door.


criss-cross

en-adv

criss-cross (comparative more criss-cross, superlative most criss-cross)

more criss-cross (comparative)
most criss-cross (superlative)


Judaically

Judaically (comparative more Judaically, superlative most Judaically)

more Judaically (comparative)
most Judaically (superlative)

In a Judaic manner; in a manner that is of or pertaining to Judaism.


Hinduistically

Hinduistically (comparative more Hinduistically, superlative most Hinduistically)

more Hinduistically (comparative)
most Hinduistically (superlative)

In a Hinduistic manner; in terms of Hinduism.


Catholically

Catholically (comparative more Catholically, superlative most Catholically)

more Catholically (comparative)
most Catholically (superlative)

In a Catholic manner; in terms of Catholicism.


animistically

animistically (comparative more animistically, superlative most animistically)

more animistically (comparative)
most animistically (superlative)

In an animist manner; in a manner that is of or pertaining to animism.


mephitically

mephitically (comparative more mephitically, superlative most mephitically)

more mephitically (comparative)
most mephitically (superlative)

There was a hissing sound, almost drowned out by the creature's single shrill scream of agony, and a small cloud of steam rose mephitically from the thing's face as it pitched to the floor.

1971, Brian Lumley, Rising with Surtsey:


villainously

villainously (comparative more villainously, superlative most villainously)

more villainously (comparative)
most villainously (superlative)

I am now at liberty to confess, that much which I have heard objected to my late friend’s writings was well-founded. Crude they are, I grant you—a sort of unlicked, incondite things—villainously pranked in an affected array of antique modes and phrases.

1833, [Charles Lamb], “Preface. By a Friend of the Late Elia.”, in The Last Essays of Elia. […], London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page v:

In a villainous manner; in the manner of a villain; evilly.


caressingly

caressingly (comparative more caressingly, superlative most caressingly)

more caressingly (comparative)
most caressingly (superlative)

Is my gloom, after all,
Shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?

1893, Francis Thompson, The Hound of Heaven, lines 178–9:

"You," he said, addressing the breeze caressingly "were in Christminster city between one and two hours ago, floating along the streets, pulling round the weather-cocks, touching Mr. Phillotson's face, being breathed by him; and now you are here, breathed by me—you, the very same."

1895, Thomas Hardy, chapter III, in Jude the Obscure:

The mash grass, through which the Indian canoes had slithered so caressingly, turned harsh and brittle.

1942, Emily Carr, “Grown Up”, in The Book of Small, Toronto, Ont.: Oxford University Press, →OCLC:


startlingly

startlingly (comparative more startlingly, superlative most startlingly)

more startlingly (comparative)
most startlingly (superlative)

Afterwards I took it back when it was borne in upon me startlingly with what extreme nicety he had estimated the time requisite for the ‘affair.’

1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 212:

Economically, too, London is startlingly different. The capital, unlike the country as a whole, has no budget deficit: London’s public spending matches the taxes paid in the city. The average Londoner contributes 70 percent more to Britain’s national income than people in the rest of the country.

2013 September 28, Kenan Malik, “London Is Special, but Not That Special”, in New York Times, retrieved 2013-09-28:

A man dressed as a lab tech, his blue scrubs startlingly pale against the vivid red and black chaos, moved into sight from behind the SUV. He carried an assault rifle.

In a startling manner; surprisingly; shockingly.


by George

"By (God and Saint) George" is an old English oath invoked immediately before charging into battle as late as World War I. A version of the oath can be found in Shakespeare's Henry VI (part I), written circa 1589 and set in 1431.

Heaven knows, I cannot find it in my heart to blame you, but this much I will say, be it kind or unkind: when Captain Smollett was well, you dared not have gone off; and when he was ill and couldn’t help it, by George, it was downright cowardly!

1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:

"Look at Clive - just a clerk, and he conquered India! By George! I'll do something in the world yet!" She laughed at my sudden Irish effervescence.

1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:

(minced oath) By God!: expressing wonderment, zeal.


belowdecks

Lastly, Lundberg went belowdecks to inspect the boat's bulkheads and hull—for what, it was not clear, since he had absolutely no knowledge of steamboat design.

2003, Edward T. O'Donnell, Ship Ablaze: The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum, page 54:

(nautical) Below the main deck of a ship.


for nothing

I got it for nothing. They are giving them away as publicity.

I wrote ten pages of information for nothing. He just chucked it in a drawer without reading it!

In vain, uselessly, wastefully, or pointlessly.

A: Then he walked up to me and shoved me. B: What the hell? What for? A: For nothing!

A: Then she filed suit against the restaurant. B: What the hell? For what? A: For nothing! Not so much for allegedly being negligent as for having some money that she might shake down!

For no reason.
Without cause or without due cause.


flickeringly

flickeringly (comparative more flickeringly, superlative most flickeringly)

more flickeringly (comparative)
most flickeringly (superlative)


unwaveringly

unwaveringly (comparative more unwaveringly, superlative most unwaveringly)

more unwaveringly (comparative)
most unwaveringly (superlative)

He maintained that position unwaveringly throughout the second round of hearings.

1993 Oct, David Brock, “Who is Janet Napolitano?”, in American Spectator, volume 26, number 10, page 20:

Representative Nancy Pelosi, our California congresswoman, has affirmed that the United States stands “unwaveringly” by Israel as it conducts its defense[…]

2023 October 18, “We’re anti-Zionist Jews and we see genocide unfolding in Gaza”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

But the authors cover all the stages and issues thoroughly, even if their approach is so unwaveringly politically correct it occasionally loses sight of reality.

1995 Oct, “Self-esteem: the real story”, in Todays Parent, volume 12, number 7, page 74:


unequally

unequally (comparative more unequally, superlative most unequally)

more unequally (comparative)
most unequally (superlative)

Not equally, unevenly, sometimes unfairly.


unerringly

His sense of direction leads us unerringly every time.

Unerringly impelling this dead, impregnable, uninjurable wall, and this most buoyant thing within; there swims behind it all a mass of tremendous life, only to be adequately estimated as piled wood is—by the cord; and all obedient to one volition, as the smallest insect.

1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Battering-ram”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 376:

It proved the cue for a period of implosion from Wigan, who fell two behind shortly after the hour courtesy of Boyce's costly error, Young firing in unerringly from the spot.

2011 January 25, Les Roopanarine, “Wigan 1 - 2 Aston Villa”, in BBC:

Without making a mistake, perfectly, directly


jolly well

You jolly well deserved it.

We never had a Christmas in the country before. It was simply ripping. And the long-lost love—her name was Miss Ashleigh, but we were allowed to call her Aunt Margaret even before the wedding made it really legal for us to do so—she and her jolly clergyman brother used to come over, and sometimes we went to the Cedars, where they live, and we had games and charades, and hide-and-seek, and Devil in the Dark, which is a game girls pretend to like, and very few do really, and crackers and a Christmas-tree for the village children, and everything you can jolly well think of.

1904, Edith Nesbit, The New Treasure Seekers, Chapter 1:

"Oh, I shall pull it off. I shall jolly well have to succeed," said Michael light-heartedly; feeling unusually confident.

1920, Eric Leadbitter, Rain Before Seven, page 122:

Adrian thought it worth while trying out his new slang. […] ‘That’s beastly talk, Thompson. Jolly well take it back or expect a good scragging.’

1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 1, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, →OCLC, section III, page 26:

For most main lines, that's one or two extra trains every hour. "We jolly well ought to be able to encompass that on a lot of lines," he suggests.

2022 April 6, Philip Haigh, “Passenger numbers increase... and freight must follow”, in RAIL, number 954, page 51:

(UK, dated, emphatic, sometimes humorous) Certainly, very well.


abso-fucking-lutely

abso-fucking-lutely (comparative more abso-fucking-lutely, superlative most abso-fucking-lutely)

more abso-fucking-lutely (comparative)
most abso-fucking-lutely (superlative)

Are you ready? – Abso-fucking-lutely!

(slang, vulgar) Alternative spelling of absofuckinglutely


causatively

causatively (comparative more causatively, superlative most causatively)

more causatively (comparative)
most causatively (superlative)


a bit

Could you move that up a bit?

(informal) To a small extent; in a small amount.

Isn't that hat a bit small for him?

It rained a bit last night.


number-theoretically

(mathematics) By means of, or in terms of, number theory.


set-theoretically

a representation that is set-theoretically identical to the original

set theoretically
set theoretically#English

Alternative spelling of set theoretically


graph-theoretically

(mathematics) In a manner which uses graph theory

(mathematics) In the sense of graph theory


a-tilt

a-tilt (comparative more a-tilt, superlative most a-tilt)

more a-tilt (comparative)
most a-tilt (superlative)

To run a-tilt at men, and wield / Their naked tools in open field;

1663, Samuel Butler, Hudibras, part 1, canto 2:


set theoretically

(mathematics) In a manner which uses set theory

but see w sposób używający teorii mnogości

(mathematics) In the sense of set theory


sc.

Abbreviation of scilicet: namely, to wit, (law) done and recorded in the appropriate place within a jurisdiction.


unmannerly

unmannerly (comparative more unmannerly, superlative most unmannerly)

more unmannerly (comparative)
most unmannerly (superlative)

From Middle English unmanerli (“discourteously, rudely; excessively, unrestrainedly”) [and other forms], from un- (prefix meaning ‘not’) + manerli, manerly (“with good manners, courteously; in accordance with custom or propriety, appropriately, becomingly, properly; respectfully”). Manerli is derived from maner (“kind, sort; form, nature; circumstances; method, manner; outward behaviour, manners; morals; custom, usage; cause, reason”) (see further at etymology 1) + -li (suffix forming adverbs). The English word is analysable as un- + mannerly, and is cognate with Middle Dutch onmanierlike (modern Dutch onmanierlijk).

inh

[T]here the Murtherers, / Steep’d in the Colours of their Trade; their Daggers / Vnmannerly breech'd with gore: [...]

c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 138, column 1:

(archaic) In a way that is not mannerly; discourteously, rudely.


turn-about

He not only sold matches like any ordinary match-man, but he drew pavement pictures as well. He did these things turn-about according to the weather. If it was wet, he sold matches because the rain would have washed away his pictures if he had painted them. If it was fine, he was on his knees all day, making pictures […]

1934, P[amela] L[yndon] Travers, “The Day Out”, in Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins; 1), London: Gerald Howe Ltd […], →OCLC, page 17:


ss.

Abbreviation of scilicet (“namely, to wit”), especially (law) indicating that a legal document was executed in the appropriate place within a jurisdiction for the act recorded.


epigrammatically

en-adv

epigrammatically (comparative more epigrammatically, superlative most epigrammatically)

more epigrammatically (comparative)
most epigrammatically (superlative)


punishably

punishably (comparative more punishably, superlative most punishably)

more punishably (comparative)
most punishably (superlative)

In a punishable manner; in a manner that merits punishment.


understandingly

understandingly (comparative more understandingly, superlative most understandingly)

more understandingly (comparative)
most understandingly (superlative)

From Middle English undirstondingli, understandandly, equivalent to understanding + -ly.

[T]he proprietor smiled understandingly.

1965, James Holledge, What Makes a Call Girl?, London: Horwitz Publications, page 101:

In an understanding manner; with empathy.

Garcias ab Horto writes of one whom he saw at Goa in the East Indies, that took ten drams of opium in three days; and yet consulto loquebatur, spake understandingly […]

(obsolete) In a way that can be understood; intelligibly.


confoundedly

confoundedly (comparative more confoundedly, superlative most confoundedly)

more confoundedly (comparative)
most confoundedly (superlative)

In a confounded manner; as if confused or thwarted.

I have been thinking, George, of changing our travelling dreſſes in the morning. I am grown confoundedly aſhamed of mine.

1773, [Oliver] Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer: Or, The Mistakes of a Night. A Comedy. […], London: […] F[rancis] Newbery, […], →OCLC, Act II, page 23:


characteriologically

characteriologically (comparative more characteriologically, superlative most characteriologically)

more characteriologically (comparative)
most characteriologically (superlative)


back to back

Stand back to back so that we can see which of you is taller.

With one's back facing that of somebody else.

We can't watch these films back to back! That's just way too much for one night.


unalterably

unalterably (comparative more unalterably, superlative most unalterably)

more unalterably (comparative)
most unalterably (superlative)

First experiences are always the most memorable because they fix themselves in the mind unalterably and most powerfully.

Sac. From that instant my affection was unalterably fixed on him—and thence I am reduced to my present langour.

1870, William Jones (transl.), Sacontalá; or, The Fatal Ring, Act III, page 59

In an unalterable manner; in a manner that makes it impossible to be altered.


confidingly

confidingly (comparative more confidingly, superlative most confidingly)

more confidingly (comparative)
most confidingly (superlative)

In a confiding manner; in a matter that confides.


blushingly

blushingly (comparative more blushingly, superlative most blushingly)

more blushingly (comparative)
most blushingly (superlative)

In an blushing manner; in a manner that evokes a blush.


pleadingly

pleadingly (comparative more pleadingly, superlative most pleadingly)

more pleadingly (comparative)
most pleadingly (superlative)

She looked from one to another pleadingly.

1934, Agatha Christie, chapter 15, in Murder on the Orient Express, London: HarperCollins, published 2017, page 194:


deprecatingly

deprecatingly (comparative more deprecatingly, superlative most deprecatingly)

more deprecatingly (comparative)
most deprecatingly (superlative)

Quiet people too, for I think that about this time a sort of remorseful tenderness comes over the bullies and the nagsters, so that they go about gently and deprecatingly, hoping by one day's record sweetness to outface the year's blusterings.

1906, Violet Hunt, The Workaday Woman, page 1:


exultingly

exultingly (comparative more exultingly, superlative most exultingly)

more exultingly (comparative)
most exultingly (superlative)

Hark—even now she cries exultingly
The vengeful cry that tells of battle turned—

1889, “Agamemnon”, in Edmund Doidge Anderson Morshead, transl., The House of Atreus, 2nd edition, page 56:

She laughed exultingly, and the boy felt cold and strangely troubled.

1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 163:

In an exulting manner; with joy at a success or triumph.


designedly

designedly (comparative more designedly, superlative most designedly)

more designedly (comparative)
most designedly (superlative)

But such language is merely intended to heighten the illusion which he has designedly produced, to give his carefully-elaborated poem the air of an improvisation.

1879, F. D. Morice, Pindar, chapter 5, page 76:

The unions themselves had accepted the inevitability of some reduction because of the designedly more durable character of modern equipment—[...].

1962 November, “Talking of Trains: The one-day strike”, in Modern Railways, page 291:

By design; intentionally; according to plan.


injuriously

injuriously (comparative more injuriously, superlative most injuriously)

more injuriously (comparative)
most injuriously (superlative)

It was in vain to diſcover my Reſentments, which were always turned into Ridicule; and I was forced to reſt with Patience while my noble and moſt beloved Country was ſo injuriouſly treated.

1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author’s Love of His Country. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), page 269:

In an injurious manner; in a manner that injures or damages.


indissolubly

indissolubly (comparative more indissolubly, superlative most indissolubly)

more indissolubly (comparative)
most indissolubly (superlative)

Wedlok is the laufull couple of man & wife, ordeyned indissolubly to bring forth children, & to eschew fornicacion. […] I added this terme (indissolubly) that is to saye, vndepartably or wtout breakyng, that a man shold not thinke that wedlocke ones lawfullye made can be vndone & broken […]

1538, Erasmus Sarcerius, chapter 56, in Richard Taverner, transl., Common Places of Scripture, London: John Byddell:

[…] On they move
Indissolubly firm; nor obvious hill,
Nor straitening vale, nor wood, nor stream, divides
Their perfect ranks;

1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost^(https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Paradise_Lost_(1674)/Book_VI), Book 6, lines 68-71:

[…] the day is already commenced which is to bind us indissolubly; and when we are once united, there shall be no recurrence of these mental terrors: I guarantee that.

1847, Charlotte Brontë, chapter 25, in Jane Eyre:

I wouldn’t have mentioned the fellow to you at all, only it was from his lips that I first heard the name of the man who is so indissolubly connected with the memories of that time.

1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I:

The words that were said every day to others would be said to him, in that quiet consulting room whose desk and carpet and square modern armchair would share indissolubly in the moment.

2004, Alan Hollinghurst, chapter 18, in The Line of Beauty […], 1st US edition, New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN:

In an indissoluble manner; in a manner that is unable to be dissolved.


underseas

Under the surface of the sea or ocean, underwater.


incautiously

incautiously (comparative more incautiously, superlative most incautiously)

more incautiously (comparative)
most incautiously (superlative)

His behaviour to herself could now have had no tolerable motive; he had either been deceived with regard to her fortune, or had been gratifying his vanity by encouraging the preference which she believed she had most incautiously shewn.

1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter 13, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume II, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC:

[…] the piranhas habitually attack things much larger than themselves. They will snap a finger off a hand incautiously trailed in the water […]

1914, Theodore Roosevelt, “Chapter 2”, in Through the Brazilian Wilderness, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, page 41:

The parson explained that the dissenters were insufficiently grounded in religious learning, inappropriately eager to administer the sacraments without his help or sanction, and incautiously emotional in their worship.

2008, Jewel L. Spangler, “Chapter 2”, in Virginians Reborn: Anglican monopoly, Evangelical dissent, and the rise of the Baptists in the late Eighteenth Century, Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, page 43:

In an incautious manner; with a lack of caution.


perseveringly

perseveringly (comparative more perseveringly, superlative most perseveringly)

more perseveringly (comparative)
most perseveringly (superlative)

In a persevering manner; with perseverance.


diaphragmatically

diaphragmatically (comparative more diaphragmatically, superlative most diaphragmatically)

more diaphragmatically (comparative)
most diaphragmatically (superlative)

By use of the diaphragm; in a diaphragmatic way

(Of breathing) by expanding/contracting the lungs by lowering/raising the diaphragm, instead of by expanding the chest


bibulously

bibulously (comparative more bibulously, superlative most bibulously)

more bibulously (comparative)
most bibulously (superlative)

The Venetian captain, prodding among the butts and bales of the cargo, had discovered a stowaway--a fat, sandy-haired man in worn leather, snoring bibulously among the barrels.

1939, Robert E. Howard, Gates of Empire:

In a bibulous manner; drunkenly; as if intoxicated.


ablings

(British, dialectal) Alternative form of aiblins


ab aeterno

From time immemorial; from an infinitely remote point in the past.


formulaically

In a formulaic manner; according to an established formula.


adultly

adultly (comparative more adultly, superlative most adultly)

more adultly (comparative)
most adultly (superlative)

Can't we all sit down and discuss this adultly, without the childish name-calling?


just as well

He missed the train, but just as well, it ended up crashing.

Nothing is produced at Sellafield any more. Which was just as well, because I’d gone to Sellafield not to observe how it lived but to understand how it is preparing for its end.

December 15 2022, Samanth Subramanian, “Dismantling Sellafield: the epic task of shutting down a nuclear site”, in The Guardian:

2007, Nov 30, Tomas Alex Tizon, in The LA Times, America's taxi capital: Bethel, Alaska.
There are 16 female cabdrivers in town, most of them Koreans with limited English skills. Which is just as well, says Alla Tinker, because they don't want to understand much of what their male customers say.

Marshall stepped away from the conversation, and it was just as well. It could only have gotten hotter from that point

1986, Frank E. Peretti, This Present Darkness, page 31:

Brilliant mind, thought Geller. Absolutely brilliant. It's probably just as well. Imagine a countenance like that without a mind to offset it.

Used to say that an occurrence, or situation, is not only fortunate, but that on the contrary, it could have been a lot worse; or that something that might at first seem bad is actually good because it could have been worse.

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see just, as well, as, well.


very well

He managed the company very well.

Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.

1892, Walter Besant, “Prologue: Who is Edmund Gray?”, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see very, well.

It may very well rain this afternoon.

I can't very well talk to you and concentrate on sanding this at the same time.

(idiomatic) Used to weaken the effect of certain modal verbs.


pressingly

pressingly (comparative more pressingly, superlative most pressingly)

more pressingly (comparative)
most pressingly (superlative)

I wrote pressingly to Mr. Boone to raise men with all expedition to join capt. Floyd.

1998, Lyman Copeland Draper, The Life of Daniel Boone, page 310:

With a sense of urgency, because it is very important.

Why would you do that on a date, and why, more pressingly, would you do that at the beginning of a date?

Importantly. Often used with more in this sense.

In early 1993, further education staff were pressingly invited to seminars, workshops and training days to prepare for liberation from the local education authorities.

2001 April 10, Gillian Healey, “Managing to cope”, in The Guardian:

With enthusiasm. With friendly encouragement.


thereatop

/ˌðɛəɹəˈtɒp/

/ˌðɛəɹəˈtɒp/

For quotations using this term, see Citations:thereatop.


hair-splittingly

hair-splittingly (comparative more hair-splittingly, superlative most hair-splittingly)

more hair-splittingly (comparative)
most hair-splittingly (superlative)

Nobody expected the vote to be so hair-splittingly close.

(idiomatic) With exceedingly small differences that are probably neither important nor noticeable to most people.


penultimately

2007 Aug 28, Jon Henley in The Guardian, Diary.
Our sincere thanks, penultimately, to the countless hordes of you who, during our absence, sent in...


verry

1819, Nancy Collin, Letter to her parents, 2007, Terrance Keenan, If Our Lives Be Spared: A Saga of the Collin Family Settlers in Early New York State, page 62,
I have enjoyed a verry poor state of health since I wrote to you last ...

1862, Solomon York, Letter to his future wife, 2004, Wallace E. Jarrell, The Randolph Hornets in the Civil War, page 168,
I have nothing verry interesting to write.

When we first came to this place our men were verry feeble[…].

1913, Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine, volumes 43-45, page 626:


onely

All flesh is grasse, is not onely metaphorically, but literally true, for all those creatures we behold, are but the hearbs of the field, digested into flesh in them, or more remotely carnified in our selves.

1643, Sir Thomas Browne, Religio Medici:

on his right
 The radiant image of his Glory ſat,
 His onely Son;

1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 62–64:

In which him chaunced false Duessa meete,
Mine onely foe, mine onely deadly dread;
Who with her witchcraft and misseeming sweete,
Inveigled him to follow her desires unmeete.

1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene:


to tell the truth

(idiomatic) An attestation to the truthfulness and frankness of an associated statement.

дөрөҫөн әйткәндә

attestation to the truthfulness and frankness of a statement


polygonically

polygonically (comparative more polygonically, superlative most polygonically)

more polygonically (comparative)
most polygonically (superlative)


in-off

From a reconstitution of (go) in + off (preposition), as used in phrases such as, "The white has gone in off the black."

Hendry replied with 34, but went in-off attempting a double and next season's world No.1 returned to the table to put the frame beyond doubt and level at 4-4.

(snooker, pool) Of the cue ball: (going) into a pocket, after cannoning another ball.


silliest

comparative degree of silly: most sillily.


courtside

They sat courtside.


that is to say

One of the best things about works of music is that they are repeatable, that is to say that one can listen to the same work over and over without becoming tired of it.

(conjunctive) In other words. Used to introduce a clarification, simplification, or explanation


sicker

From Middle English siker, from Old English sicer, sicor, from Proto-West Germanic *sikur (“free, secure”), from Latin sēcūrus (“secure”, literally “without care”). Doublet of sure and secure.


blive

en-adv

blive (comparative more blive, superlative most blive)

more blive (comparative)
most blive (superlative)

From Middle English blive (“actively, vigorously, eagerly, gladly, quickly, at once”), with unsyncopated alternative form bilive. The adverb is from a contraction of by／bi + live (dative form of lyf, "life"), literally, "by life".

affix

“Perdy, ſir knight,” ſaide then th’ enchaunter blive […]

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto III”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 18, page 223:


yestereve

From Middle English yester even, yistreven, alteration of yestereven (“last night, yesterday evening”), from Old English ġiestranǣfen (“yesterday evening”), equivalent to yester- + even (“evening”).


carpetward

en-adv

carpetward (comparative more carpetward, superlative most carpetward)

more carpetward (comparative)
most carpetward (superlative)

to gaze, or fall, carpetward


jailward

So they pursued their journey jailward along the old road through the woods.


truthward

truthward (comparative more truthward, superlative most truthward)

more truthward (comparative)
most truthward (superlative)


pondward

pondward (comparative more pondward, superlative most pondward)

more pondward (comparative)
most pondward (superlative)


in general

Thou art a grave and noble counsellor,
Most wise in general:

c. 1608, William Shakespeare, Pericles, act V, scene 1:

Yet is the kindness but particular;
’Twere better she were kiss’d in general.

c. 1601, William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, act IV, scene 5:

In the general case; without further assumption; without qualification; in all respects.


betides

From Middle English be- + tide (“time”) + -s. Compare Saterland Frisian bietiede (“from time to time; now and then”), German beizeiten (“early; betimes”), Swedish bitti (“early (in the day)”).


uncountably

From uncountable + -ly or un- + countably.

The stars in the sky are uncountably many. Even a lifetime would not suffice to number them all.

And the dimensions of death that can result from such systems tripped in error, or through misperceptions of reality, are uncountably greater than those

1988 July 6, “Systems Easily Tripped in Error Bring Death in a Lake, Warning Us of...”, in Los Angeles Times:

a host of other producers fear that a vital link to New York's uncountably diverse populations is about to be cut.

1990 September 20, “Unplugging A Diverse Bit Of Cable TV”, in New York Times:

And the memory of man runneth not to a year when there was an episode of disproportion comparable to the planet-wide vapors occasioned by one of the year's uncountably numerous automobile accidents, this one in Paris.

1997 December 29, “Vapors And Serenity”, in Newsweek:

and the sheer quantity of material is uncountably greater

2006, Geoffrey Hawthorn, edited by David R. Olson and Michael Cole, Technology, Literacy and the Evolution of Society, Orality in Politics, page 185:

Stories of road travel in the United States have taken uncountably many forms, from John Steinbeck's "Travels With Charley" and Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" to "Little Miss Sunshine".

2007 January 17, “Hippie and redneck show is equal parts insane, inane”, in Boston Globe:

Too many to be counted (either by reason of being infinite or for practical constraints).

Some nouns can be used both countably and uncountably.

If a set is neither finite nor countably infinite, it is said to be uncountably infinite or simply uncountable.

2004, Jayant V. Deshpande, Mathematical Analysis And Applications: An Introduction, page 55:

(mathematics) In a way that is incapable of being put into one-to-one correspondence with the natural numbers or any subset thereof.


subordinately

en-adv

subordinately (comparative more subordinately, superlative most subordinately)

more subordinately (comparative)
most subordinately (superlative)


dight

From Middle English dighten, dihten, (also dyten, from whence dite), from Old English dihtan, dihtian (“to set in order; dispose; arrange; appoint; direct; compose”), from Proto-West Germanic *dihtōn (“to compose; invent”), of disputed origin. Possibly from a derivative of Proto-Germanic *dīkaną (“to arrange; create; perform”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeyǵ-, *dʰeyǵʰ- (“to knead; shape; mold; build”), influenced by Latin dictāre; or perhaps from Latin dictāre (“to dictate”) itself. See dictate; and also parallel formations in German dichten, Dutch dichten, Swedish dikta.


all night

Coordinate term: all day

We stayed up all night.

I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day.


wormily

en-adv

wormily (comparative more wormily, superlative most wormily)

more wormily (comparative)
most wormily (superlative)

It was not, he declares, anything connected with the cubes and caves of echoing, vaporous, wormily honeycombed mountains of madness which he crossed […]

1936, H. P. Lovecraft, At the Mountains of Madness:

Susan Klein’s fat, puppy-lard face began to ripple, and slowly, wormily, […] there emerged an ordinary looking individual who might have been seen just about anywhere.

Spring 1999, D. F. Lewis, Stuart Hughes, “Beyond the comfort zone”, in Roadworks, number 4, pages 16–18:

In a manner reminding of a worm, with much twisting and turning.


all day

Coordinate term: all night

We walked all day.

So thick a haze o’erspreads the sky,
They cannot see the sun on high:
The wind hath blown a gale all day;
At evening it hath died away.

1802, Robert Southey, The Inchcape Rock:

For the period of an entire day, or at least during all the daytime of a day.

Well, for twenty quid we're having it — it's worth that all day long.

(figuratively) Easily; handily; in spades; by far.


on one's watch

[Robert] Gates emerged from the first week of hearings bearing only a few scratches. […] He even vowed to resign if illegal activity occurred on his watch.

1991 September 30, Michael Duffy, “The CIA: See No Evil, Hear No Evil”, in Time, archived from the original on 2016-04-16:

Woods dismissed the idea that anyone could get away with election fraud on her watch.

2005 February 19, Amy Silvers, “100 miles per hour for 102 years”, in Milwaukee Journal Sentinal:

President George Bush today insisted American forces would not withdraw from Iraq "on my watch" and give terrorists the chance "to claim an historic victory over the United States".

2005 September 22, George W. Bush, quotee, “Bush: Troops will not withdraw on my watch”, in The Guardian:

“You look at what’s happening in Europe,” he continued, “you look at what’s happening in other places – we can’t allow that to happen to the United States. Not on my watch.”

2018 June 19, Lauren Gambino, quoting Donald Trump, “Trump says US will not be a 'migrant camp'”, in The Guardian:

[...] Fowler was responsible for a conservative small engine policy at the LMS, previously adopted on the Midland, which led to much double-heading - although the Royal Scot 4-6-0 express passenger locomotive was also introduced on his watch in 1928.

2021 December 29, Stephen Roberts, “Stories and facts behind railway plaques: Evesham (1870)”, in RAIL, number 947, page 59:

(chiefly US, idiomatic) During the period of time when one is in a position of authority or responsibility.


nudely

nudely (comparative more nudely, superlative most nudely)

more nudely (comparative)
most nudely (superlative)


cloyingly

cloyingly (comparative more cloyingly, superlative most cloyingly)

more cloyingly (comparative)
most cloyingly (superlative)

In a cloying manner; with distasteful excess.


nonjudgmentally

nonjudgmentally (comparative more nonjudgmentally, superlative most nonjudgmentally)

more nonjudgmentally (comparative)
most nonjudgmentally (superlative)

The therapist paraphrased nonjudgmentally what the client had said.

In a nonjudgmental manner; without evaluation; acceptingly.


acceptingly

acceptingly (comparative more acceptingly, superlative most acceptingly)

more acceptingly (comparative)
most acceptingly (superlative)


accommodatively

accommodatively (comparative more accommodatively, superlative most accommodatively)

more accommodatively (comparative)
most accommodatively (superlative)

In a accommodative manner; accommodatingly.


adoptively

The became grandparents adoptively.


adolescently

adolescently (comparative more adolescently, superlative most adolescently)

more adolescently (comparative)
most adolescently (superlative)

In an adolescent manner; like a teenager.


aeronautically

With no paved runways, the country was aeronautically deficient.

In a aeronautical manner; with respect to aeronautics or aviation.


adhesively

adhesively (comparative more adhesively, superlative most adhesively)

more adhesively (comparative)
most adhesively (superlative)

The screw fastening was supplemented adhesively.


adulterously

adulterously (comparative more adulterously, superlative most adulterously)

more adulterously (comparative)
most adulterously (superlative)

She was a home-wrecker, taking her pleasure adulterously.


airlessly

airlessly (comparative more airlessly, superlative most airlessly)

more airlessly (comparative)
most airlessly (superlative)

The balloon crashed airlessly to the ground.


galactically

With regard to galaxies, or in a galactic context.


rationalistically

rationalistically (comparative more rationalistically, superlative most rationalistically)

more rationalistically (comparative)
most rationalistically (superlative)

In a rationalistic manner; in the context of rationalism


hedonistically

hedonistically (comparative more hedonistically, superlative most hedonistically)

more hedonistically (comparative)
most hedonistically (superlative)


naturalistically

naturalistically (comparative more naturalistically, superlative most naturalistically)

more naturalistically (comparative)
most naturalistically (superlative)

Understood naturalistically, natural phenomena are only knowable or misconceivable.

2009, Wilhelm Barthlott, K. Eduard Linsenmair, Stefan Porembski, Biodiversity: Structure and Function, volume 2, page 43:


well-meaningly

well-meaningly (comparative more well-meaningly, superlative most well-meaningly)

more well-meaningly (comparative)
most well-meaningly (superlative)

In a well-meaning manner; with good intentions


quasilinearly

In a quasilinear manner; almost linearly.


acidulously

acidulously (comparative more acidulously, superlative most acidulously)

more acidulously (comparative)
most acidulously (superlative)

In an acidulous manner; in a mildly sour or acid way.


untastefully

untastefully (comparative more untastefully, superlative most untastefully)

more untastefully (comparative)
most untastefully (superlative)

Near-synonyms: crassly, gauchely, gaudily


abubble

From a- (“in such a state or condition”) + bubble.


amazedly

en-adv

amazedly (comparative more amazedly, superlative most amazedly)

more amazedly (comparative)
most amazedly (superlative)

[E]re Sun-riſe, his [Khusrau Mirza's] afflicted vvife (Cavvn Azems daughter) goes to viſit him; vvhere finding him ſpeechleſſe, and (by his contus'd face) murdered; never did poore vvretch ſhed more teares, or ſhevv more paſſion; by tearing her faire hayre, deforming her ſvveet face ſo fiercely, ſo amazedly, that her Father and all his family heare her, and ſee it to their griefe and admiration.

1638, Tho[mas] Herbert, Some Yeares Travels Into Divers Parts of Asia and Afrique. […], 2nd edition, London: […] R[ichard] Bi[sho]p for Iacob Blome and Richard Bishop, →OCLC, book I, page 80:


anigh

anigh (comparative more anigh, superlative most anigh)

more anigh (comparative)
most anigh (superlative)

Inherited from Middle English aneh, equivalent to a- + nigh.

Rest you quiet till I come; and may no foul creature come anigh you.


110 proof

See proof.
Most hard liquor sold at retail in the United States is between 80 and 95 proof (40 to 47.5% by volume); higher proof alcohol is usually bootlegged.

The crowd which jams the grandstands... constitutes the most informal assemblage in the world. This crowd is 110 proof democratic and unconventional. Judge, subway guard, doctor, banker,..., laborer—they can all sit in the same row....

1920 April 11, “Baseball Park, a Stronghold of Free Speech”, in The New York Times:


hea

Da truck is ova hea.
The truck is over here.

"She no stay home, I coming right back ova hea, and I goin' fuckin' kill you. So you tink about what you telling me. Cause if I come back, I no kea if you get fuckin' fifty pigs ova hea. I fuckin' kill 'um all." She smiled.

2007 April 1, Chris McKinney, The Tattoo: A Novel, Soho Press, →ISBN:

“Roll back ova hea'an...” No, this nigga didn't. “Nigga? Is that Shiree? Are you for real fuckin' laid up right now?” I yelled into the phone. I ain' even need an answer. The nigga started stutterin' and fumblin' the phone. I hung.

2012 April 24, Ni'chelle Genovese, Baby Momma, Urban Books, →ISBN:

“Well, I likes it too, Peaches,” Mose said, grinning from ear to ear, “but if callin ya Pearl can gits ya ova hea when I calls ya den I's gon be callin ya Pearl. Come on ovah hea, Pearly gal, les see if it woks.

2014 05, Sharlene Tate, Beyond the Shackles of Double Tree, Xlibris Corporation, →ISBN, page 120:

(chiefly Hawaii or African-American Vernacular) Here.


from here to Sunday

2004 June 24–30, "Jeff Gordon Never Gets Tired Of Seeing Face On Cheap Plastic Crap", The Onion, available in Embedded in America, →ISBN, page 197,
And then there's strolling throgh the aisle at Wal-Mart and seeing his face on everything from here to Sunday, like […]

(idiomatic) Everywhere; all over the place.


absorbably

absorbably (comparative more absorbably, superlative most absorbably)

more absorbably (comparative)
most absorbably (superlative)


absorbently

absorbently (comparative more absorbently, superlative most absorbently)

more absorbently (comparative)
most absorbently (superlative)


en famille

Borrowed from French en famille (literally “in family”).

bor

Then be careful how you accept invitations. To a large dinner, or an evening party, you may go with pleasure and safety indiscriminately, be the party of what side it may; but a breakfast or dinner, en famille, with those whom hereafter you will know as political opponents, may embarrass you exceedingly.

1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter XXXIX, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 199:


unchangeably

en-adv

unchangeably (comparative more unchangeably, superlative most unchangeably)

more unchangeably (comparative)
most unchangeably (superlative)

God is infinitely and unchangeably good.

In a way that cannot be varied, or changed.


penally

penally (comparative more penally, superlative most penally)

more penally (comparative)
most penally (superlative)


spiffily

spiffily (comparative more spiffily, superlative most spiffily)

more spiffily (comparative)
most spiffily (superlative)

He is always dressed spiffily.

(colloquial) In a spiffy manner; done with style.


ruffianly

ruffianly (comparative more ruffianly, superlative most ruffianly)

more ruffianly (comparative)
most ruffianly (superlative)


IINM

(Internet slang) Initialism of if I'm not mistaken.


as per usual

1864, William Martin, “Beavers and Beaver-Meadows in North America”, in Peter Parley’s Annual for 1864: A Christmas and New Year’s Present for Young People, William Kent & Co., page 30,
As soon as the ice breaks up in the spring, they come to look for the sun, as if they had some doubts of his being as “per usual” in the sky.

1867, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Birds of Prey Volume III, “Book the Seventh: Charlotte’s Engagement”, Chapter “VIII: Christmas Peace”, Ward, Lock, and Tyler, page 296,
“Talking about the bonnets, as per usual,” said the stockbroker.

2007, Adrian McKinty, The Bloomsday Dead, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 16,
They’d send the paramilitary police for this one and I’m sure Bridget would have a plan B as per usual.


amidship

The damage from hitting the iceberg head on was at the bow rather than amidship.

In the middle of a ship (as opposed to bow or stern).


as usual

“A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron;[…]. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, and from time to time squinting sideways, as usual, in the ever-renewed expectation that he might catch a glimpse of his stiff, retroussé moustache.

1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:

[…]and, the 3n by 3n matrix M is, as usual, diagonal with the masses occurring down the main diagonal in sets of three[…].

2008, Firdaus E. Udwadia, Robert E. Kalaba, Analytical Dynamics: A New Approach, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 83:


catawampus

catawampus (comparative more catawampus, superlative most catawampus)

more catawampus (comparative)
most catawampus (superlative)

The first part may be related to cater-corner. The second part may be related to wampish (“wriggle, twist about like a fish”).


agglutinatively

agglutinatively (comparative more agglutinatively, superlative most agglutinatively)

more agglutinatively (comparative)
most agglutinatively (superlative)

In an agglutinative fashion; via agglutination.


adsorptively

adsorptively (comparative more adsorptively, superlative most adsorptively)

more adsorptively (comparative)
most adsorptively (superlative)

In an adsorptive manner; with a tendency toward or characteristic of adsorption.


very much

His two cousins are very much alike.

I am very much aware you'd very much like to see me again.

That town was still very much a simple farming community, but something was very much the matter.

Extremely. (Used to modify a verb. To modify an adjective or an adverb, very is used.)

An apparent first-half spitting contest between Papiss Cissé and Jonny Evans provided unwanted controversy on a night when Ashley Young’s late winner kept Manchester United’s hopes of Champions League qualification very much alive.

2015 March 4, Louise Taylor, The Guardian:


adoze

He lay adoze, rousing only when someone came too close.


happily ever after

And they lived happily ever after.

(idiomatic, often preceded by "they lived") Happily until death; used in a formulaic ending for fairy tales.

i van viure feliços i van menjar anissos

og de levede lykkeligt til deres dages ende

ja kui nad surnud pole, siis elavad nad õnnelikult tänase päevani

ils vécurent heureux et eurent beaucoup d’enfants

und sie lebten glücklich bis ans Ende ihrer Tage

und wenn sie nicht gestorben sind, dann leben sie noch heute

בְּאוֹשֶׁר וָעוֹשֶׁר עַד עֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

agus bhí siad go léir ina gcónaí go sona sásta riamh

그들은 행복하게 오래 오래 살았답니다

geudeureun haengbokhage orae orae saratdamnida

Y colorín colorado, este cuento se ha acabado

och så levde de lyckliga i alla sina dagar

ve hayatlarının sonuna kadar mutlu yaşadılar

ac roeddent i gyd yn byw'n hapus byth wedyn


soonest

Send money soonest.

I don't know for sure, the soonest I can know is later this evening.

(informal) Very soon; urgently; without delay.


whencesoever

(archaic) From wherever; from whatever place.


aswell

There should indifferently follow all the same consequences to an hair, aswell in one Hypothesis as in the other.

1662, Thomas Salusbury, Galileo's Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems:


twice-yearly

(UK & Commonwealth) Twice each year; semi-yearly; biannually.


garbologically

garbologically (comparative more garbologically, superlative most garbologically)

more garbologically (comparative)
most garbologically (superlative)


oftenest

Brother Samson Subsacrista, one remarks, is ready oftenest with some question, some suggestion, that has wisdom in it.

1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “ch. 8, The Electon”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book II (The Ancient Monk):

1930, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan the Invincible,Chapter 8, The Treachery of Abu Batn,
Each hour La learned new words, all nouns at first, that described each familiar object that appeared oftenest to their view.

(dated) superlative form of often: most often


hyar

Who CALL me? Listen down de ribber, Dinah! Don’t you hyar
Somebody holl’in’ “Hoo, Jim, hoo?” My Sarah died las’ y’ar;
IS dat black angel done come back to call ole Jim f’om hyar?

1875, Sidney Lanier, The Power of Prayer:


weasel-like

weasel-like (comparative more weasel-like, superlative most weasel-like)

more weasel-like (comparative)
most weasel-like (superlative)


to-day

Dear, dear! How queer everything is to-day!

1865 November (indicated as 1866), Lewis Carroll [pseudonym; Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], “The Pool of Tears”, in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, London: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page 19:


erewhile

I am as fair now as I was erewhile.

c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “A Midsommer Nights Dreame”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

She runs you through, nor asks the word.
O thou, that dear and happy Isle,
The garden of the world erewhile,
Thou Paradise of the four seas
Which Heaven planted us to please,

The dame sans merci's broken strain,
Whom I erewhile, perchance, have known,
When Orleans filled the Bourbon throne,
A siren singing by the Seine.

1800s, Oliver Wendell Holmes, The Flâneur

Quoth he to me, "Thou shalt fare with me to Cairo where dwelleth a friend of mine and to him will I give thee, for erewhile I promised him that on this voyage I would secure for him a fair woman for handmaid."

1885–1888, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night […], Shammar edition, volume (please specify the volume), [London]: […] Burton Club […], →OCLC:

(archaic or poetic) Some time ago; beforehand; formerly.


to-morrow

Dear Noel, / We'll probably start early to-morrow (8th) to have clear weather. It won't be too early to start looking out for us either crossing the rockband under the pyramid or going up skyline at 8.0 p.m. / Yours ever / G Mallory

1924 June 7, George Mallory, Dear Noel, Mount Everest:


FR

Alternative form: fr

(Internet slang) Initialism of for real.


whyever

Whyever would someone do that?

(interrogative) Why ever: an emphatic form of why.

You can use it whenever you want and whyever you want.

Whatever we do, and whyever we do it, does not every motive originate in self, and does not every act proceed out of the individual's instinct for self-fulfilment ?

1918, Wilson Follett, The Modern Novel: A Study of the Purpose and the Meaning of Fiction, page 79:

Whyever they began, there was no perceptible wolf at their door.

1975, Steven Polgar, Population, Ecology, and Social Evolution, page 74:

"And whyever they were doing it, they were the ones responsible for what happened to her and all of the rest of my friends in the first place."

2006>David Weber, Linda Evans, Hell's Gate, (Please provide the book title or journal name):

I don't care what you want. Whyever you're here, please go away.

(uncommon) Regardless of the reason (why).


almightily

almightily (comparative more almightily, superlative most almightily)

more almightily (comparative)
most almightily (superlative)


annotatively

annotatively (comparative more annotatively, superlative most annotatively)

more annotatively (comparative)
most annotatively (superlative)


alpinely

alpinely (comparative more alpinely, superlative most alpinely)

more alpinely (comparative)
most alpinely (superlative)


plz

(slang, Internet slang, text messaging) Abbreviation of please.


mercenarily

mercenarily (comparative more mercenarily, superlative most mercenarily)

more mercenarily (comparative)
most mercenarily (superlative)

I accused her in set terms of giving me the heave-ho in order that she could mercenarily marry a richer man.

1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter X:

In a mercenary way, for selfish reason of profit or gain.


hereinbefore

(formal) In a preceding part of this speech, book, or text; before this.


wrenchingly

wrenchingly (comparative more wrenchingly, superlative most wrenchingly)

more wrenchingly (comparative)
most wrenchingly (superlative)

In a wrenching manner; with a sudden jerk or emotional shock.


arpeggiando

(music) (To be played) in the style of a harp.


assumedly

assumedly (comparative more assumedly, superlative most assumedly)

more assumedly (comparative)
most assumedly (superlative)

(chiefly US) In an assumed manner; presumably.


withall

[T]hey not onely damne [William] Tyndals tranſlacion [of the Bible], (wherein ther is good cauſe) but ouer that doe damne al other, and as though a ley manne wer no chritſen manne, wyll ſuffer no leye manne haue any at all. But whan they fynde any in his keping, they laye hereſye to hym therefore. And thereupon they burne vp the booke, and ſometime the good manne withall, […]

1528, Thomas More, “A Dialogue Concernynge Heresyes & Matters of Religion […]. Chapter XI.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, book III, page 224, column 1:

Thys boke we have devysed, / […] / In hope that no man shall / Be myscontent withall.

c. 1503–1512, John Skelton, Ware the Hauke; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC, page 62, lines 23 and 27–28:

And forſo much as the aulter of burnofferynges was vnhalowed, he [Judas Maccabeus] toke aduyſement, what he might do withall: ſo he thought it was beſt to deſtroye it (leſt it ſhulde happen to do them eny ſhame) for the heithen had defyled it, & therfore they beate it downe.

1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, 1 Macchabees iiij:[44–45], folios lxij, verso – lxiij, recto:

Loue he ſaied to be the occupacion or buſineſſe of idle folkes, that had nothinge els to ſet them ſelues on werke withall.

1564 February, Erasmus, “The Saiynges of Diogenes the Cynike”, in Nicolas Udall [i.e., Nicholas Udall], transl., Apophthegmes, that is to Saie, Prompte, Quicke, Wittie and Sentẽcious Saiynges, […], London: […] Ihon Kingston, →OCLC, book I, folio 36, recto, paragraph 112:

Howbeit Lyſander the ſonne of Lybis, and Mandroclidas the ſonne of Esphanes, and Ageſilaus alſo, greatly commended his noble deſire, and perſwaded him to goe forward withall.

1579, Plutarke of Chæronea [i.e., Plutarch], “Agis and Cleomenes”, in Thomas North, transl., The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romaines, […], London: […] Richard Field, →OCLC, page 851:

For why his beauty (my hearts thiefe) affirmeth, / Piercing no skin (the bodies fensiue wall) / And hauing leaue, and free consent withall, / Himselfe not guilty, whom loue guilty tearmeth, […]

1595, Richard Barnfield, “Cynthia, with Certaine Sonnets and the Legend of Cassandra. Sonnet I.”, in Alexander B[alloch] Grosart, editor, The Complete Poems of Richard Barnfield. […], London: J[ohn] B[owyer] Nichols and Sons, […], published 1876, →OCLC, page 77:

Time trauels in diuers paces, vvith diuers perſons: Ile tel you vvho Time ambles vvithall, vvho Time trots vvithal, vvho Time gallops vvithal, and vvho he ſtands ſtil vvithall.

c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 197, column 1:

For it ſeemeth to me vnreaſonable, to ſend a priſoner, and not withall to ſignifie the crimes laid againſt him.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 15:27, column 2:

It is the common vvonder of all men hovv among ſo many millions of faces there ſhould be none alike: Novv contrary, I vvonder as much hovv there ſhould be any; he that ſhall conſider hovv many thouſand ſeverall vvords have beene careleſly and vvithout ſtudy compoſed out of 24 Letters; vvithall hovv many hundred lines there are to be dravvne in the fabricke of one man; ſhall eaſily finde that this variety is neceſſary: […]

1642, Tho[mas] Browne, “The Second Part”, in Religio Medici. […], 4th edition, London: […] E. Cotes for Andrew Crook […], published 1656, →OCLC, section 2, page 132:

[T]hat [address] to the lord mayor was to give his lordship and the common council thanks for their addresse lately presented to his majestie, […] and withall to give the thanks of the common hall to their late representatives in parliament: […]

1681 July 7 (Gregorian calendar), Narcissus Luttrell, A Brief Historical Relation of State Affairs, from September 1678 to April 1714. […], volume I, Oxford, Oxfordshire: University Press, published 1857, →OCLC, page 103:

The necessary "opening" through the branch line was arranged by the construction of a movable bridge of an unusual kind, but withall simple and free from expensive mechanism.

1946 May–June, Charles E. Lee, “New Works for Wartime Traffic—2”, in The Railway Magazine, London: Tothill Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 180:


disturbingly

disturbingly (comparative more disturbingly, superlative most disturbingly)

more disturbingly (comparative)
most disturbingly (superlative)


electrostatically

electrostatically (comparative more electrostatically, superlative most electrostatically)

more electrostatically (comparative)
most electrostatically (superlative)

in an electrostatic manner, by electrostatic means


empathically

empathically (comparative more empathically, superlative most empathically)

more empathically (comparative)
most empathically (superlative)


worriedly

worriedly (comparative more worriedly, superlative most worriedly)

more worriedly (comparative)
most worriedly (superlative)


rain or shine

The game will be held on Saturday rain or shine.

He always showed up right on time, rain or shine.

This very morning we begin rebuilding the windmill, and we will build all through the winter, rain or shine.

1943 November – 1944 February (date written; published 1945 August 17), George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg, published May 1962, →OCLC:

(idiomatic) Regardless of what the circumstances are, and how the weather is.


fastly

fastly (comparative more fastly, superlative most fastly)

more fastly (comparative)
most fastly (superlative)

From Middle English fastly, fastliche, festliche, from Old English fæstlīċe (“firmly, constantly”), from Proto-West Germanic *fastulīkē, from Proto-West Germanic *fastulīkê (“securely, firmly”); equivalent to fast + -ly.

inh

We tied the rope fastly this time; we didn't want it to get away again.

Before them was a door which apparently led into the grand apartments; this was fastly secured, but it yielded to their united strength, and they entered a lofty hall, whose concave top was supported by pillars.

1843, Thomas Archer, Roderick Dhu, Clan Alpine's Chief, or, the Scottish outlaw:


fastly

Determined in his death, and chasing him, he ran fastly to the 'Mission House,' and under Mrs. Richardson's bed he was sheltered and saved.

1885, The Missionary Herald of the Baptist Missionary Society, page 162:

This trend continued upto the close of the Second World War, although the price index moved fastly.

1990, Shailendra Jha, Agricultural labour: present position and problems, legislations, and governmental steps, measures for upliftment:

The turn of events moved fastly in Nepal at the close of the century and thereafter as well.

2011, Raj Kumar Singh, Contemporary India with Controversial Neighbours, page 264:


pacifistically

en-adv

pacifistically (comparative more pacifistically, superlative most pacifistically)

more pacifistically (comparative)
most pacifistically (superlative)

In a pacifistic manner; in the manner of a pacifist.


bacteriologically

bacteriologically (comparative more bacteriologically, superlative most bacteriologically)

more bacteriologically (comparative)
most bacteriologically (superlative)

In a bacteriological manner; with respect to bacteriology.


incrementally

incrementally (comparative more incrementally, superlative most incrementally)

more incrementally (comparative)
most incrementally (superlative)

In an incremental fashion; by small additions.


here and there

Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language […] his clerks […] understood him very well. If he had written a love letter, or a farce, or a ballade, or a story, no one, either clerks, or friends, or compositors, would have understood anything but a word here and a word there.

1892, Walter Besant, “Prologue: Who is Edmund Gray?”, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:

They thanked him and bade him good-bye, and turned toward the West, walking over fields of soft grass dotted here and there with daisies and buttercups.

1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill., New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC:

Here and there the brilliant rays penetrated to earth, but for the most part they only served to accentuate the Stygian blackness of the jungle's depths.

1912 October, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “Tarzan of the Apes”, in The All-Story, New York, N.Y.: Frank A. Munsey Co., →OCLC; republished as chapter 6, in Tarzan of the Apes, New York, N.Y.: A. L. Burt Company, 1914 June, →OCLC:

In, at or to various places; in one place and another.

Before we study his ideas, it is useful to note here again that extraterrestrial powers intervened here and there in his life, as early as his birth, then his baptism […].

2009, John Bogard, The Message from the Cosmos, page 63:

Yep. Since nineteen sixty, or thereabouts. Missed a few years, here and there.

2011, R. E. Donald, chapter 23, in Slow Curve on the Coquihalla:

(uncommon) From time to time; intermittently, occasionally.


long story short

A reduced form of to cut a long story short and to make a long story short.

Anyway, long story short, I totally screwed up today.

Sitting on a park bench / Years away from fighting / Ah, to cut a long story short, I lost my mind

1981, “To Cut a Long Story Short”, in Journeys to Glory, performed by Spandau Ballet:

So anyway, long story short . . . Kenny was always gambling. And six years ago, he bought this lottery ticket and he won. Not much. A million bucks. After taxes, that’s like five hundred thousand dollars. I’m thinking party time.

1994, Eric Bogosian, Pounding Nails in the Floor With My Forehead, Theatre Communications Group, →ISBN, page 40:

“So long story short,” Damon continues, obviously enjoying his newfound status as Magic Kingdom iconoclast, “it got back to the director what I did and then it went all the way to [Michael] Eisner’s office. […]”

1999, Dennis Hensley, Misadventures in the (213), HarperCollins, →ISBN, page 74:

Long story short, I'm on the hook for sending Trong Tri Kelso to college and he doesn't want to go to a state school.

2005 March 1, “My Best Laid Plans”, in Scrubs, season 4, episode 19 (television production), spoken by Dr. Kelso (Ken Jenkins):

(idiomatic) Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, a relevant story.

القصة بإختصار

Introducing a short version of, or simply the conclusion of, an involved story


far away

far away (comparative farther away, superlative farthest away)

farther away (comparative)
farthest away (superlative)

She lived far away, in a distant land.


painstakenly

painstakenly (comparative more painstakenly, superlative most painstakenly)

more painstakenly (comparative)
most painstakenly (superlative)

(rare) Alternative form of painstakingly


what if

Dates back at least to Old English hwæt ġif, of the same meaning.

e se (with imperfect subjunctive or future subjunctive)

co kdyby

used to introduce speculation about future

co když

used to introduce speculation about past

What if we arrange it for 9:00 instead of 10:00?

Used to introduce a suggestion or proposal for a future event.

What if we could learn to get along? What would happen then?

Used to introduce a speculation about a future event.

What if Abraham Lincoln had not been assassinated? How might the Reconstruction of the Southern States have been handled?

Used to introduce a speculation about a past event. Often the basis for counterfactual historical interpretations.


logarithmically

Decibels increase logarithmically.


overpoweringly

overpoweringly (comparative more overpoweringly, superlative most overpoweringly)

more overpoweringly (comparative)
most overpoweringly (superlative)


spiritedly

spiritedly (comparative more spiritedly, superlative most spiritedly)

more spiritedly (comparative)
most spiritedly (superlative)

In a spirited manner; with spirit; enthusiastically.


undisguisedly

undisguisedly (comparative more undisguisedly, superlative most undisguisedly)

more undisguisedly (comparative)
most undisguisedly (superlative)


anteclassically

anteclassically (comparative more anteclassically, superlative most anteclassically)

more anteclassically (comparative)
most anteclassically (superlative)


postclassically

postclassically (comparative more postclassically, superlative most postclassically)

more postclassically (comparative)
most postclassically (superlative)


acervately

acervately (comparative more acervately, superlative most acervately)

more acervately (comparative)
most acervately (superlative)


afferently

afferently (comparative more afferently, superlative most afferently)

more afferently (comparative)
most afferently (superlative)


efferently

efferently (comparative more efferently, superlative most efferently)

more efferently (comparative)
most efferently (superlative)


adjunctly

adjunctly (comparative more adjunctly, superlative most adjunctly)

more adjunctly (comparative)
most adjunctly (superlative)


adnominally

(grammar) In an adnominal way; used like an adnoun, adjectivally.


airtightly

airtightly (comparative more airtightly, superlative most airtightly)

more airtightly (comparative)
most airtightly (superlative)

Be sure to seal the jar airtightly or the contents will go bad from exposure to oxygen.


since when

Since when do I need your permission?

“[…] We are engaged in a great work, a treatise on our river fortifications, perhaps ? But since when did army officers afford the luxury of amanuenses in this simple republic ? Does your Vehmgerichte pay such extraordinary expenses ?[…]”

1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

(colloquial, rhetorical question, sarcastic) From what time.

The moon is made of green cheese. Since when?

(colloquial, rhetorical question, sarcastic) (as an interrogative interjection) Used to indicate doubt as to the veracity of a statement.


worshipfully

worshipfully (comparative more worshipfully, superlative most worshipfully)

more worshipfully (comparative)
most worshipfully (superlative)

From Middle English worshipfully; equivalent to worshipful + -ly.


additively

additively (comparative more additively, superlative most additively)

more additively (comparative)
most additively (superlative)


exasperatingly

exasperatingly (comparative more exasperatingly, superlative most exasperatingly)

more exasperatingly (comparative)
most exasperatingly (superlative)

In an exasperating manner; frustratingly.


whisperingly

whisperingly (comparative more whisperingly, superlative most whisperingly)

more whisperingly (comparative)
most whisperingly (superlative)