pleasantly

pleasantly (comparative more pleasantly, superlative most pleasantly)

more pleasantly (comparative)
most pleasantly (superlative)

From Middle English pleasauntly; equivalent to pleasant + -ly.

He smiled pleasantly at passersby.

They were pleasantly surprised at the result.

In a pleasant manner; so as to achieve a pleasant result.

In workhouses, pleasantly so named, because work cannot be done in them.

1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “ch. 1, Midas”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, (please specify |book=I or IV, or the page):

Mr Venus, reminded of the duties of hospitality, produced some rum. In answer to the inquiry, 'Will you mix it, Mr Wegg?' that gentleman pleasantly rejoined, 'I think not, sir. On so auspicious an occasion, I prefer to take it in the form of a Gum-Tickler.'

1864 May – 1865 November, Charles Dickens, Our Mutual Friend. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1865, →OCLC:


hook, line and sinker

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-hook, line and sinker.wav

From all the parts of a fishing tackle that may be lost to a fish.
Appeared in 1838 as a metaphor from angling.

I told him you were just a friend, and he fell for it hook, line and sinker.

Completely; (of a belief or acceptance) naively or unquestioningly.

trúa einhverju eins og nýju neti

fall for something hook, line and sinker

gleypa söguna hráa

fall for the story, hook, line and sinker


earlier

I shall be late because I didn't start earlier.

They were looking for some measuring equipment they had placed in the ice earlier.


covertly

en-adv

covertly (comparative more covertly, superlative most covertly)

more covertly (comparative)
most covertly (superlative)

From Middle English covertli, equivalent to covert + -ly.


owt

From Old English āuht, āuhtes; see aught.


slambang

The car went slambang into a fence.

With a slam and a bang; with noisy or headlong violence.


omnidirectionally

Don’t Look Up jabs around omnidirectionally, and some of the most gleefully ridiculous jokes land: There’s an inspired runner about an increasingly scandal-plagued Supreme Court nominee, for example, and another in which politicians and voters alike absurdly declare their allegiance to “the jobs the comet will bring.”

7 December 2021, Jesse Hassenger, “Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence cope with disaster in the despairing satire Don’t Look Up”, in AV Club:


ungodly

ungodly (comparative more ungodly, superlative most ungodly)

more ungodly (comparative)
most ungodly (superlative)

From Middle English ungodli (“cruelly, maliciously, wickedly; unfairly, unlawfully, wrongly; discourteously, rudely”) [and other forms], from un- (prefix meaning ‘not’), + godli (“excellently; pleasingly, splendidly; courteously, graciously; gladly, willingly; righteously; properly, rightly; at all, possibly; much”). Godli is probably derived from Old English gōdlīċe (“goodly”), from gōd (“good”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to join, unite; to suit”)) + -līċe (suffix forming adverbs); thus, equivalent to un- + good + -ly. The English word is cognate with Middle Dutch ongodelike, ongodlike (modern Dutch ongoddelijk), Middle High German ungöttlich, Swedish ogudelike, ogudlike (both obsolete), ogudligt.

der

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-ungodly.wav

Beholde⸝ the lorde ſhall come with thouſandꝭ of ſayntꝭ⸝ to geve iudgement agaynſt all men⸝ and to rebuke all that are vngodly amonge them⸝ of all their vngodly dedes⸝ which they have vngodly cõmitted⸝ [...]

1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, The Pistle off Sanct Judas j:[14–15], folio cccxx, verso:

It is ungodly made, fashioned by man, a beast spun from fire and steel.

2019, Maaza Mengiste
, The Shadow King, Canongate Books (2020), page 123:

(obsolete) In an impious, irreverent, or ungodly manner; ungodlily.


uncomfortably

en-adv

uncomfortably (comparative more uncomfortably, superlative most uncomfortably)

more uncomfortably (comparative)
most uncomfortably (superlative)

From uncomfortable + -ly or un- + comfortably.

Everyone else shifted uncomfortably as this guy continued his derisive laughter and proclaimed my quest the most idiotic thing he'd heard in his life.

2005, Sean Dooley, The Big Twitch, Sydney: Allen and Unwin, page 131:


idly

idly (comparative more idly, superlative most idly)

more idly (comparative)
most idly (superlative)

From Middle English idely, ydelly, idelliche, from Old English īdellīċe, equivalent to idle + -ly.

I idly played with the paper, not even realizing I was folding it into a paper airplane.

Without specific purpose, intent or effort. [from 9th c.]

szórakozottan

without specific purpose, intent or effort


in line

I'm waiting in line at the bakery.


incidentally

incidentally (comparative more incidentally, superlative most incidentally)

more incidentally (comparative)
most incidentally (superlative)

The book discussed the subject, but only incidentally.

Not everybody welcomes standardisation as a principle, because it reduces variety (and, incidentally, tends to dispose of the quainter and more picturesque anomalies).

1951 April, D. S. Barrie, “British Railways: A Survey, 1948-1950”, in Railway Magazine, number 600, page 225:

(manner) In an incidental manner; not of central or critical importance.

Incidentally, did you hear anything new from your brother yesterday?

(speech act, conjunctive) Parenthetically, by the way.


formally

formally (comparative more formally, superlative most formally)

more formally (comparative)
most formally (superlative)

He was dressed too formally for the occasion.

He formally filed a complaint, which involved much paperwork.

He proved it formally but gave his students no intuitive feel for the matter.


unarguably

unarguably (comparative more unarguably, superlative most unarguably)

more unarguably (comparative)
most unarguably (superlative)


spelled sideways

As a play on the phrase "spelled backwards".

It truly is a wired (which, remember, is just "weird" spelled sideways) world, and if you feel like you're the only person left who isn't online, this chapter will help.

2001, Paul McFedries, The complete idiot's guide to Windows XP:

(colloquial) Indicating an anagram or other approximate rearrangement of the letters in the original term.


deliberately

deliberately (comparative more deliberately, superlative most deliberately)

more deliberately (comparative)
most deliberately (superlative)

He deliberately broke that, didn't he?

Major funding for this book was made possible by deliberately starving a family of four in Tennessee.

2004, George Carlin, When Will Jesus Bring the Pork Chops?, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →OCLC, →OL, page https://archive.org/details/whenwilljesusbri00hype/page/n9/:

Intentionally, or after deliberation; not accidentally.

After being called upon, he strode deliberately up to the blackboard.

Taking one's time, slowly and carefully.


noticeably

noticeably (comparative more noticeably, superlative most noticeably)

more noticeably (comparative)
most noticeably (superlative)

We all saw it: he paled noticeably.

It suddenly became noticeably cooler when the sun went behind a cloud.

(degree) To a detectable degree, sufficient to be noticed.

Noticeably, what had been merely annoying to her was becoming infuriating.


medially

laterally

antonym(s) of “near or along the midline”

laterally

antonym(s) of “nearer or toward the midline”

(anatomy) In a medial direction or location; near or along the midline.

(anatomy) In a medial direction or location; nearer or toward the midline.

(linguistics) Inside a word; neither initially nor finally.


low bono

(US, law) Of legal work: offered at a discounted rate, especially to underrepresented communities.


imperceptibly

imperceptibly (comparative more imperceptibly, superlative most imperceptibly)

more imperceptibly (comparative)
most imperceptibly (superlative)

No one noticed that he had moved imperceptibly backwards.

It often happens that the most important results in the natural world are brought about by causes which operate silently, if not imperceptibly.

1838, William Andrus Alcott, chapter I, in The Young House-keeper: Or, Thoughts on Food and Cookery, third stereotype edition, Boston: George W. Light, page 21:

The moon moved imperceptibly towards setting.

1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 154:

Not noticeably; too small to be detected; too little to be perceived.

Beyond the purview of man; too great and all-encompassing to be perceived.


theologically

theologically (comparative more theologically, superlative most theologically)

more theologically (comparative)
most theologically (superlative)


incontinent

From Middle English incontinent, from Old French incontinent, from Latin incontinens, from in + continens.

He says he will return incontinent:

c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:


secretly

Mary cheated secretly in the test, and never got caught.

Sometimes her prose hyperventilates ("Once, years ago, his and N.'s love for each other had glowed like phosphorescent fire on the surfaces of their bodies"), and she has a weakness for epiphanies ("There was a man, no longer young, though not yet old, who, traveling alone in northern Europe, began to feel that his soul was being drained slowly, almost secretly from him, drop by drop").

1988 February 10, James Atlas, “DABBLING IN LOVE - NOT THE NICE KIND”, in The New York Times:


extravagantly

extravagantly (comparative more extravagantly, superlative most extravagantly)

more extravagantly (comparative)
most extravagantly (superlative)


hopelessly

hopelessly (comparative more hopelessly, superlative most hopelessly)

more hopelessly (comparative)
most hopelessly (superlative)

The whole covey of victims was thus netted; the household ruin was thus full and orbicular; and in that proportion the tendency of men and women, flutter as they might, would be helplessly and hopelessly to sink into the all-conquering hands of the mighty murderer.

1854, Thomas De Quincey, “On Murder, Considered as One of the Fine Arts. Postscript.”, in Miscellanies (De Quincey’s Works; IV), London: James Hogg & Sons, →OCLC, page 76:

Crouch had earlier hopelessly miskicked an excellent volleyed chance from eight yards out after a delightful Pennant cross.

2011 October 15, Owen Phillips, “Stoke 2 - 0 Fulham”, in BBC Sport:


forthwith

From Middle English forth-with (“at once, immediately; at the same time, already; straight ahead”) [and other forms], partly from the phrase forth with (something), and partly from forth-with-al, furth-with-al (“at once, immediately; together with”) (whence forthwithal).

inh

Neyther euery thynge, whiche ony maner way is bredde or gendred of man: is forthwith a man (for els lyſe ſholde be called men) But that thynge, whiche is conceyued in the matrice or wombe of a woman, of the very ſubſtaunce of man: [...]

1533, Erasmus of Roterdame, “The Thyrde Instruction”, in anonymous translator, A Playne and Godly Exposytion or Declaration of the Commune Crede (which in the Latin Tonge is Called Symbolum Apostolorum): And of the .x. Commaundementes of Goddes Law. […], London: […] Robert Redman, […] [for William Marshall], →OCLC, folio 66, verso:

Let ther be Light, ſaid God, and forthwith Light, / Ethereal, firſt of things, quinteſſence pure, / Sprung from the Deep, [...]

1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, 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 243–245:

Then Proclamation was made, that they that had ought to ſay for their Lord the King againſt the Priſoner at the Bar, ſhould forthwith appear and give in their evidence.

1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 129:

And no doubt the dry'd Dirt, and Slime of which we were ſpeaking, would have imbib'd ſome Portion of the Humidity, the Day before the Nile overflow'd, had it not been kept ſo cloſe: but being once releas'd from that Cuſtody, it forthwith ruſhes into the Embraces of the deſir'd Moiſture, following the natural Propenſity of dry Bodies to wet.

1714, T[itus] Lucretius Carus, “Of the Annual Inundation of the River Nile”, in Thomas Creech, transl., Of the Nature of Things. Translated into English Verse […], volumes II (Containing the Fifth and Sixth Books), London: Printed by John Matthews, for George Sawbridge, […], →OCLC, page 703:

So he decreed, in words succinct, / That all who flirted, leered or winked, / (Unless connubially linked), / Should forthwith be beheaded.

1885, W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan, composer, “Our Great Mikado, Virtuous Man”, in […] The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu, London: Chappel & Co., […], →OCLC, Act I, page 5:

The Thunder Child fired no gun, but simply drove full speed towards them. It was probably her not firing that enabled her to get so near the enemy as she did. They did not know what to make of her. One shell, and they would have sent her to the bottom forthwith with the Heat-Ray.

1898, H.G. Wells, “The "Thunder Child."”, in The War of the Worlds, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, retrieved 2022-11-24, page 175:

The task was the harder in that the restored service had not only to start forthwith but also to last for several months pending modifications to the multiple-unit electric stock, and this called for organisation on a semi-permanent basis.

1961 July, “Glasgow emergency – the restoration of Clydeside steam suburban services”, in Trains Illustrated, page 431:

[Hans] Jonas emphasized years ago that the prospect of genetic control, though cloning and other means, "raises ethical questions of a wholly new kind," for which we are profoundly unprepared. [...] Is it defensible in any sense, for instance, to set out forthwith to create "grade A individuals", "kids made to order," whether designed as privileged deciders of policy or merely dumb drones for the duller humdrum chores of life?

1998, Richard M. Zaner, “Surprise! You’re Just Like Me!: Reflections on Cloning, Eugenics, and Other Utopias”, in James M. Humber, Robert F. Almeder, editors, Human Cloning (Biomedical Ethics Reviews), New York, N.Y.: Springer Science+Business Media, →DOI, →ISBN, →ISSN, page 114:

[W]hen the Board announced in March 1940, that after a certain date in May no Customs staff aged 23 or over would be allowed to join the Armed Forces it made our minds up for us. We were both 23! We forthwith applied for permission to enlist in the RAF.

2010, Martin W. Bowman, “Dam Buster – Dudley Heal”, in Bombs Away!: Dramatic First-hand Accounts of British and Commonwealth Bomber Aircrew in WWII, Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Aviation, Pen & Sword Books, →ISBN, page 133:

(chiefly formal, literary) Without delay; immediately.

незабавно

without delay — see also immediately, right away


cognitively

The hard subject was more cognitively demanding than the preceding material.


physically

en-adv

physically (comparative more physically, superlative most physically)

more physically (comparative)
most physically (superlative)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-I learned some phrases-physically.wav

“And whatʼs more,” the voice went on triumphantly, “the patient is both physically and neurally whole.”

1952, Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, Penguin Books (2014), page 236:

Oh, yeah? Well, that's not physically possible for me to do! So there!

(obsolete) According to the rules of medicine.


excessively

excessively (comparative more excessively, superlative most excessively)

more excessively (comparative)
most excessively (superlative)

The application form was excessively complicated.

He smoked excessively.


permanently

permanently (comparative more permanently, superlative most permanently)

more permanently (comparative)
most permanently (superlative)

From Middle English permanently; equivalent to permanent + -ly.

We made an odd party before the arrival of the Ten, particularly when the Celebrity dropped in for lunch or dinner. He could not be induced to remain permanently at Mohair because Miss Trevor was at Asquith, but he appropriated a Hempstead cart from the Mohair stables and made the trip sometimes twice in a day.

1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 63:

ADAS are aimed to assist the drivers, who always remain responsible for vehicle control and shall permanently monitor the environment and vehicle/system performance Informal document GRVA-18-07/Rev.2, Proposal for amendments to ECE/TRANS/WP.29/GRVA/2024/2, UN Regulation on uniform provisions concerning the approval of vehicles with regard to Driver Control Assistance Systems, UNECE, 22-26 January 2024

Necromancers were thought to have the power of restoring activity to the dead, either temporarily or permanently[.]

1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 52:


tenaciously

tenaciously (comparative more tenaciously, superlative most tenaciously)

more tenaciously (comparative)
most tenaciously (superlative)

He continued tenaciously, doggedly continuing over all obstacles.


granted

He's a good student and usually does well. Granted, he did fail that one test, but I think there were good reasons for that.

"You haven't been a very good father." "Granted."

Used to concede a point or to express acknowledgment or awareness, often before stating some contrasting or competing information; used as an expression of respect to the point in question.


obstinately

obstinately (comparative more obstinately, superlative most obstinately)

more obstinately (comparative)
most obstinately (superlative)

He obstinately made his motion at every meeting, even though no one else ever supported it and everyone else was bored with it.

'She'll do no such thing,' said the old man obstinately.

1956 [1880], Johanna Spyri, Heidi, translation of original by Eileen Hall, page 53:


stubbornly

stubbornly (comparative more stubbornly, superlative most stubbornly)

more stubbornly (comparative)
most stubbornly (superlative)

He stubbornly refused to quit trying, even after failing 20 times.

It is the outpost which the devil and the flesh most stubbornly maintain against the assaults of grace; and until it be subdued, and its barriers levelled with the very earth, there is more hope of a fool than of the sinner.

1820, [Walter Scott], chapter IV, in The Abbot. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, page 109:

Bradford may have lost on the night but they stubbornly protected a 3-1 first-leg advantage to emulate a feat last achieved by Rochdale in 1962.

2013 January 22, Phil McNulty, “Aston Villa 2-1 Bradford (3-4)”, in BBC:


nostalgically

nostalgically (comparative more nostalgically, superlative most nostalgically)

more nostalgically (comparative)
most nostalgically (superlative)


wondrous

wondrous (comparative more wondrous, superlative most wondrous)

more wondrous (comparative)
most wondrous (superlative)

From Middle English wondrous, alteration after the suffix -ous of Middle English wonders (“wondrous, wonderful”, adjective), from Old English wundres (“of wonder”), genitive singular of wundor (“wonder, miracle”), from Proto-Germanic *wundrą (“wonder”). Compare Dutch wonders, German Wunder.

der

And looking vp, when as his shield he lakt, / And sword saw not, he wexed wondrous woe

1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 53:

[…]And even there, his eye being big with tears, / Turning his face, he put his hand behind him, / And with affection wondrous sensible / He [Antonio] wrung Bassanio's hand; and so they parted.

c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene viii]:

As by the dead we love to sit, / Become so wondrous dear, / As for the lost we grapple, / Though all the rest are here,—

a. 1887 (date written), Emily Dickinson, “As by the dead we love to sit”, in Mabel Loomis Todd and T[homas] W[entworth] Higginson, editors, Poems, Second Series, Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, published 1891, page 193:

In a wonderful degree; remarkably; wondrously.


by the way

First appeared in the 10th century with literal meaning "by the side of the road", from Old English weġ (which became "way") meaning "road". Soon afterward (circa 1000) it came to mean "during one's journey". The figurative meaning developed in the mid-16th century, with the first instance of the modern meaning being from 1614.

(UK, idiomatic) Irrelevantly, off-topic.


tonotopically

Done with the quality of being tonotopic

With a spatial organization which is based upon frequency


abrasively

en-adv

abrasively (comparative more abrasively, superlative most abrasively)

more abrasively (comparative)
most abrasively (superlative)

In an abrasive manner; in a rude and unkind manner; acting in a way that may hurt other people's feelings.


a capella

/ˌɑːkəˈpɛlə/


militarily

militarily (comparative more militarily, superlative most militarily)

more militarily (comparative)
most militarily (superlative)

In a military or martial manner; not peaceably.

2007 Ranjit Matthews, Re: Senator calls for Mecca and Medina to be nuked in retaliation Group: soc.culture.indian
If it were, it would lose because you can't defeat a religion militarily. You can. Jahaliya was cleansed out of Arabia. More recently, Sufism was eliminated in the Hejaz. Kafirism was wiped out in Kafiristan (Nuristan).

The borders of the empire were expanded militarily over the course of many wars of conquest

By way of military or otherwise belligerent means.


back-to-back

A ScotRail Driver: [...] A good friend of mine overshot two stations back-to-back a couple of years ago. He tried to stop at one station and slid by it. Tried to stop at the next station. He slid by that, too.

2021 December 15, Paul Clifton, “There is nothing you can do”, in RAIL, number 946, page 37:


balls

It is balls cold out there.


erst

From Middle English erst, arst, erest, from Old English ǣrest (“first, erst, at first, before all”), from Proto-West Germanic *airist(ō) (“erst”). Cognate with Scots erst (“erst”), Dutch eerst.

inh

Consider what I erst have been and what thou seest me now:

1567, Arthur Golding, Ovid's Metamorphoses, book 2, line 691:

(obsolete) First of all, before (some other specified thing).

Thenne he sente the varlet ageyne and bad hym telle Kyng Mark that I wille come as soone as I am hole / for erste I maye doo hym noo good
"Then he sent the varlet again, and bade him: Tell King Mark that I will come as soon as I am whole, for erst I may do him no good. "

1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xxviij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book X:

When lofty trees I see barren of leaves
Which erst from heat did canopy the herd

1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 12”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:

(archaic, poetic) Formerly, once, erstwhile.


unfriendly

en-adv

unfriendly (comparative unfriendlier or more unfriendly, superlative unfriendliest or most unfriendly)

unfriendlier (comparative)
more unfriendly (comparative)
unfriendliest (superlative)
most unfriendly (superlative)

From Middle English unfrendli, from Old English unfrēondlīċe (“in an unfriendly manner”), equivalent to unfriend + -ly.

inh

in an unkind or unfriendly manner; not as a friend


baldly

en-adv

baldly (comparative more baldly, superlative most baldly)

more baldly (comparative)
most baldly (superlative)

In a bald (blunt, matter-of-fact, unembellished, or lacking supporting details) manner.


vertically

vertically (comparative more vertically, superlative most vertically)

more vertically (comparative)
most vertically (superlative)

This story needs to be read vertically to be understood correctly.

Accumulation of the dye followed orthostichous patterns wherein the dye tended to accumulate in half of each leaf not vertically aligned with the inoculation leaf (leaves 1, 2, and 4), and in the whole of each leaf vertically aligned with the inoculation leaf (leaves 3 and 5).

2015 November 11, “Horizontal Transmission of”, in PLOS ONE, →DOI:


a la mode

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-a la mode.wav

Unadapted borrowing from French à la mode (“in fashion”). The US sense was coined by polyglot restaurant owner John Gieriet in Minnesota in the 1800s though later attributed to Berry Hall and Charles Watson Townsend.


langsyne

Yesteryear, in the old days, some time ago.


alamode

en-adv

alamode (comparative more alamode, superlative most alamode)

more alamode (comparative)
most alamode (superlative)


resistantly

resistantly (comparative more resistantly, superlative most resistantly)

more resistantly (comparative)
most resistantly (superlative)


deprivedly

deprivedly (comparative more deprivedly, superlative most deprivedly)

more deprivedly (comparative)
most deprivedly (superlative)


disastrously

disastrously (comparative more disastrously, superlative most disastrously)

more disastrously (comparative)
most disastrously (superlative)

In a disastrous way. (Of the nature of a disaster; calamitously.)


proudly

proudly (comparative proudlier or more proudly, superlative proudliest or most proudly)

proudlier (comparative)
more proudly (comparative)
proudliest (superlative)
most proudly (superlative)

From Middle English proutly, proudliche, prudeliche, prudliche, prouteliche, from Old English prūtlīċe, equivalent to proud + -ly.

And with domes and pinnacles the dreams arose and stood up proudly between the river and the sky, all shimmering white to the morning.

1906, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], Time and the Gods, London: William Heineman, →OCLC, page 1:

With such focus from within the footballing community this week on Remembrance Sunday, there was something appropriate about Colchester being the venue for last night’s game. Troops from the garrison town formed a guard of honour for both sets of players, who emerged for the national anthem with poppies proudly stitched into their tracksuit jackets.

2011 November 10, Jeremy Wilson, “England Under 21 5 Iceland Under 21 0: match report”, in Telegraph:

"We delivered [the project] £5 million under budget and on time," Hardwick says proudly.

2023 November 29, Richard Foster, “Tyne & Wear Metro goes with the flow”, in RAIL, number 997, page 35:


amiably

amiably (comparative more amiably, superlative most amiably)

more amiably (comparative)
most amiably (superlative)

'You're right so far,' agreed the pastor amiably.

In an amiable manner; in a friendly or pleasant manner.


fucked up

en-adverb

fucked up (comparative more fucked up, superlative most fucked up)

more fucked up (comparative)
most fucked up (superlative)

He drove the car last night all fucked up and wrecked it.

In a screwed up or messed up manner; (by extension) under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

You've got me fucked up. I'm gonna beat your ass.

(slang) All wrong; mistaken; taken the wrong way


adroitly

en-adv

adroitly (comparative more adroitly, superlative most adroitly)

more adroitly (comparative)
most adroitly (superlative)

Adroitly the ewe led the way to the creek, and the lamb followed.

1902, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Bush Studies (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 44:

She held out her empty glass and it was adroitly whisked from her hand.

1968, Carl Ruhen, The Key Club, Sydney: Scripts, page 40:

In a manner exhibiting skill at handling situations, particularly difficult situations.


exacerbatingly

exacerbatingly (comparative more exacerbatingly, superlative most exacerbatingly)

more exacerbatingly (comparative)
most exacerbatingly (superlative)

In an exacerbating way; so as to aggravate or make worse.


exactingly

exactingly (comparative more exactingly, superlative most exactingly)

more exactingly (comparative)
most exactingly (superlative)


exaggeratedly

exaggeratedly (comparative more exaggeratedly, superlative most exaggeratedly)

more exaggeratedly (comparative)
most exaggeratedly (superlative)

He pursed his lips knowingly and winked exaggeratedly.

1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 121:

To an excessive degree; in an exaggerated manner.


exaggeratively

exaggeratively (comparative more exaggeratively, superlative most exaggeratively)

more exaggeratively (comparative)
most exaggeratively (superlative)

In a voice exaggeratively loud and cheerful, he broke the bottomless silence and made conversation.

1911, G. K. Chesterton, The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare:


exaltedly

exaltedly (comparative more exaltedly, superlative most exaltedly)

more exaltedly (comparative)
most exaltedly (superlative)


exaggeratingly

exaggeratingly (comparative more exaggeratingly, superlative most exaggeratingly)

more exaggeratingly (comparative)
most exaggeratingly (superlative)


despiteously

despiteously (comparative more despiteously, superlative most despiteously)

more despiteously (comparative)
most despiteously (superlative)


illegibly

illegibly (comparative more illegibly, superlative most illegibly)

more illegibly (comparative)
most illegibly (superlative)

The doctor illegibly scrawled his signature: if it weren't on his letterhead, no-one would know who had written it.

In a manner that produces illegible results.


amicably

amicably (comparative more amicably, superlative most amicably)

more amicably (comparative)
most amicably (superlative)

characterized by an absence of antagonism, especially in commonly difficult situations


insultingly

insultingly (comparative more insultingly, superlative most insultingly)

more insultingly (comparative)
most insultingly (superlative)

They made an insultingly low bid to buy the house.

In an insulting manner; to a degree that causes insult.


dispiteously

dispiteously (comparative more dispiteously, superlative most dispiteously)

more dispiteously (comparative)
most dispiteously (superlative)


motherless

motherless (comparative more motherless, superlative most motherless)

more motherless (comparative)
most motherless (superlative)

From Middle English moderles, from Old English mōdorlēas, from Proto-Germanic *mōdērlausaz, equivalent to mother + -less. Cognate with Saterland Frisian muurloos (“motherless”), Dutch moederloos (“motherless”), German mutterlos (“motherless”), Danish moderløs (“motherless”), Swedish moderlös (“motherless”), Icelandic móðurlaus (“motherless”).

cog

At the wake, held at her old pub, Brenda watched as her sisters, brothers-in-law and several nieces and nephews got motherless drunk, then summoned a taxi to take them all home in two separate trips.

2009, Bryce Courtenay, The Story Of Danny Dunn:

(South Africa, Australia, slang) very, completely (especially in reference to drunkenness)


contritely

en-adv

contritely (comparative more contritely, superlative most contritely)

more contritely (comparative)
most contritely (superlative)

Ah, but someone was raising her, so they were going to lay her on the trestles, and she not dead. She opened her eyes, took a deep breath, then limply and contritely placed both arms round Andrew's neck.

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 181:


contractedly

contractedly (comparative more contractedly, superlative most contractedly)

more contractedly (comparative)
most contractedly (superlative)


dedicatedly

dedicatedly (comparative more dedicatedly, superlative most dedicatedly)

more dedicatedly (comparative)
most dedicatedly (superlative)


malevolently

malevolently (comparative more malevolently, superlative most malevolently)

more malevolently (comparative)
most malevolently (superlative)

He glared malevolently at the shining porcelain, and then shook his head lugubriously.

1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 25:

They gathered soberly in the farthest recess of the ward and gossiped about him in malicious, offended undertones, rebelling against his presence as a ghastly imposition and resenting him malevolently for the nauseating truth of which he was bright reminder.

1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Soldier in White”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 169:


devotedly

devotedly (comparative more devotedly, superlative most devotedly)

more devotedly (comparative)
most devotedly (superlative)


precipitately

precipitately (comparative more precipitately, superlative most precipitately)

more precipitately (comparative)
most precipitately (superlative)

He talked precipitately, and I did not try to stop him.

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 215:

"That's that!" said Mailey, folding up the paper. "Now, Mr. Thomas Didymus, I leave you to your conclusions," and the enthusiast vanished out of the office as precipitately as he had entered.

1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:

Nawnim rushed into the bedroom so precipitately that he nearly crashed into the bed.

1938, Xavier Herbert, chapter V, in Capricornia, page 63:

Despite their pre-war pioneering work in diesel rail traction, the Germans did not precipitately dieselise their own national system as soon as post-war opportunity offered.

1963 June, G. Freeman Allen, “The success of diesel-hydraulics on the German Federal Railway”, in Modern Railways, page 387:


transiently

transiently (comparative more transiently, superlative most transiently)

more transiently (comparative)
most transiently (superlative)

In a transient manner; momentarily; briefly.


eastwardly

eastwardly (comparative more eastwardly, superlative most eastwardly)

more eastwardly (comparative)
most eastwardly (superlative)


pathophysiologically

(pathology) In a pathophysiologic manner.


chaotically

chaotically (comparative more chaotically, superlative most chaotically)

more chaotically (comparative)
most chaotically (superlative)


upwards

From Middle English upwardes, from Old English upweardes, equivalent to up + -wards. Cognate with Dutch opwaarts (“upwards”), German aufwärts (“upwards”).

Towards a (higher) position closer to the sky than the ground.

Towards something which is higher in order, larger, superior etc.


threefold

From Middle English threfold, from Old English þrīfeald. Equivalent to three + -fold.


peradventure

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-peradventure.wav

From Middle English peraventure, peradventure, from Old French par aventure. Spelling modified as though from Latin. Equivalent to per- + adventure.

For be God the Propheit was commandit to stand in the entress of the Lordis house, and to speik to all the cieties of Juda that come to wirschip in the house of the Lord; and was commandit to keip no word aback, gif peradventure, sayeth the Lord, thay will herkin and turne everie man frome his wickit way.

1554, John Knox, A Godly Letter of Warning or Admonition to the Faithfull in London, Newcastle, and Berwick:

Beſides he tells me, that, if peraduenture / He ſpeake againſt me on the aduerse ſide, / I ſhould not thinke it ſtrange, for 'tis a phyſicke / That's bitter, to ſweet end.

c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vi], page 79, column 2:

Peraduenture there be fifty righteous within the citie; wilt thou also destroy, and not spare the place for the fiftie righteous, that are therein?

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 18:24:

It may peradventure be thought there was never such a time nor condition of warre as this; and I believe it was never generally so, over all the world; but there are many places, where they live so now.

1651, Thomas Hobbes, chapter 13, in Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civill, London: […] [William Wilson] for Andrew Crooke, […], →OCLC:

Often, too, / The pedlar stopped, and tapped her on the head / With absolute forefinger, brown and ringed, / And asked if peradventure she could read.

1856, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, “Third Book”, in Aurora Leigh, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1857, →OCLC, page 123:

(archaic) Perchance or maybe; perhaps; supposing.


world-wide

world-wide (comparative more world-wide, superlative most world-wide)

more world-wide (comparative)
most world-wide (superlative)


finely

finely (comparative finelier or more finely, superlative fineliest or most finely)

finelier (comparative)
more finely (comparative)
fineliest (superlative)
most finely (superlative)

From Middle English finely, fynely, fynly, fineliche, finliche, fynliche, equivalent to fine + -ly.

Grind the meat finely.

This girl could not be above eighteen: her face regular and sweet-featur'd, her shape exquisite; nor could I help envying her two ripe enchanting breasts, finely plump'd out in flesh

1749, [John Cleland], “(Please specify the letter or volume)”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC:

Looking back, Yewdale Crag stands finely over the waterhead; Brantwood is opposite.

2018, William Gershom Collingwood, The Book of Coniston, page 8:

In a fine, handsome or attractive way; very well.


zonally

zonally (comparative more zonally, superlative most zonally)

more zonally (comparative)
most zonally (superlative)

in a manner related to, associated with, or similar to zones.


northward

northward (comparative more northward, superlative most northward)

more northward (comparative)
most northward (superlative)

Towards the north; in a northerly direction.


depravedly

depravedly (comparative more depravedly, superlative most depravedly)

more depravedly (comparative)
most depravedly (superlative)


depressively

depressively (comparative more depressively, superlative most depressively)

more depressively (comparative)
most depressively (superlative)


dispiritedly

dispiritedly (comparative more dispiritedly, superlative most dispiritedly)

more dispiritedly (comparative)
most dispiritedly (superlative)

Cora's dazed stare followed them to earth and returned to Bradly, still unable to visualize him as a pauper. Bradly, having done with pretences and illusions, now dispiritedly accepted the inevitable.

1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 209:

"Ah, well,' he said, shrugging his shoulders dispiritedly.

1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 45:


dispiritingly

dispiritingly (comparative more dispiritingly, superlative most dispiritingly)

more dispiritingly (comparative)
most dispiritingly (superlative)


passably

passably (comparative more passably, superlative most passably)

more passably (comparative)
most passably (superlative)

The night air was passably cool and he strolled through the town at a measured pace, killing time till bedtime.

1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 14:

In a passable fashion; moderately; adequately.


mabby

We allowed as how mabby you took it 'long with you.

1996, Ray Broadus Browne, Lincoln-lore: Lincoln in the Popular Mind, page 42:

"Mabby he won't be tellin' ye all, even if be is shtarted, " replied Mrs. Finerty.

2009, Charles Stewart, The Fugitive Blacksmith, page 162:

“Mabby I haint got common sense, and mabby I haint got eyes in my head,” Eli muttered, with dull fire in the place where eyes should have been, if he had had any.

2014, Mary MacLane, Michael R. Brown, Human Days: A Mary MacLane Reader, page 565:

Pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling


endurably

endurably (comparative more endurably, superlative most endurably)

more endurably (comparative)
most endurably (superlative)


allowably

allowably (comparative more allowably, superlative most allowably)

more allowably (comparative)
most allowably (superlative)


satisfactorily

satisfactorily (comparative more satisfactorily, superlative most satisfactorily)

more satisfactorily (comparative)
most satisfactorily (superlative)

In a satisfactory manner, in a manner adequate to requirements.


intellectually

intellectually (comparative more intellectually, superlative most intellectually)

more intellectually (comparative)
most intellectually (superlative)

Nevertheless intellectually, ideologically and politically he identified with industrialists whom he, just like Smith, saw as the usherers of progress.

2002, Yanis Varoufakis, Foundations of Economics: A Beginner's Companion, page 25:


magisterially

magisterially (comparative more magisterially, superlative most magisterially)

more magisterially (comparative)
most magisterially (superlative)

In a magisterial manner; authoritatively.


magically

magically (comparative more magically, superlative most magically)

more magically (comparative)
most magically (superlative)

In a magical manner; by magic, or as if by magic.


magnanimously

magnanimously (comparative more magnanimously, superlative most magnanimously)

more magnanimously (comparative)
most magnanimously (superlative)


magistrally

magistrally (comparative more magistrally, superlative most magistrally)

more magistrally (comparative)
most magistrally (superlative)

In a magistral manner;
authoritatively; dogmatically.

In a magistral manner;
extremely skilfully


tolerable

tolerable (comparative more tolerable, superlative most tolerable)

more tolerable (comparative)
most tolerable (superlative)

/ˈtɑləɹəbl̩/

/ˈtɒləɹəbl̩/

Borrowed from Middle French tolerable, from Latin tolerābilis.

(dialect) tolerably; passably; moderately.


adequately

adequately (comparative more adequately, superlative most adequately)

more adequately (comparative)
most adequately (superlative)

A loving relationship with a proper companion animal, a relationship that adequately provides for the animal's physical and psychological needs, is not at all inconsistent with the principles and advocacy of animal rights.

2023 August 11 (last accessed), David Pearce, “Companion Animals”, in HedWeb:

Sufficient to satisfy a requirement or meet a need; sufficiently; satisfactorily.


fabulously

fabulously (comparative more fabulously, superlative most fabulously)

more fabulously (comparative)
most fabulously (superlative)

That girl is fabulously beautiful.

Burying its head in the sand is fabulously attributed to the ostrich.


slapdash

slapdash (comparative more slapdash, superlative most slapdash)

more slapdash (comparative)
most slapdash (superlative)

From slap + dash. First attested in the late 17th century, meaning "careless".

Van Eyck signed his portrait of the Arnolfinis slapdash in the center of the painting.

And yet, slap dash, is all again
In every sinew, nerve, and vein;
Runs here and there, like Hamlet's ghost

1718, Mat[thew] Prior, “Alma: Or, The Progress of the Mind”, in Poems on Several Occasions, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], and John Barber […], →OCLC:


magnificently

magnificently (comparative more magnificently, superlative most magnificently)

more magnificently (comparative)
most magnificently (superlative)

From Middle English magnyficently; equivalent to magnificent + -ly.


magnetically

My eyes were magnetically drawn to the scene.


refreshingly

refreshingly (comparative more refreshingly, superlative most refreshingly)

more refreshingly (comparative)
most refreshingly (superlative)

a refreshingly original film in which the villain defeated the hero

The trade wind blows refreshingly cool across the Point, clearing it of mosquitoes and singing an eternal psalm in the fronds of the coconut palms.

1929, Robert Dean Frisbee, The Book of Puka-Puka, Eland, published 2019, page 57:

In a refreshingly honest introduction, it recognised that the hardest part of any strategy is making it happen.

2020 December 2, Industry Insider, “The costs of cutting carbon”, in Rail, page 76:


moderately

moderately (comparative more moderately, superlative most moderately)

more moderately (comparative)
most moderately (superlative)

From Middle English moderately, moderatelye, moderatliche, moderatly, modiratli; equivalent to moderate + -ly.

During the debate, they disagreed plainly, but moderately.

They were at least moderately happy with their bonuses.

All in all, Harris staked out a moderately center-left position, not too different from President Biden’s original Build Back Better agenda, which he was able to implement only in part because in an evenly divided Senate, Joe Manchin had an effective veto.

2024 August 19, Paul Krugman, “Kamalanomics, Revealed: A Solid Center-Left Agenda”, in The New York Times:


madly

madly (comparative madlier or more madly, superlative madliest or most madly)

madlier (comparative)
more madly (comparative)
madliest (superlative)
most madly (superlative)

From Middle English madly, madli, medliche, equivalent to mad + -ly.

I'm madly in love with you.

But his cries were heard, as he madly grappled with the knives which stabbed him.

1854, George Lippard, New York: Its Upper Ten and Lower Million - Issue 2, E. Mendenhall, page 122:

If Austria had not madly invaded Piedmont in 1859, France could not have fought. If, the Pope had not been madly obstinate in rejecting the reforms pressed on him by France, he must have been sustained as a temporal ruler.

1861, Henry Theodore Tuckerman, The Rebellion, Its Latent Causes and True Significance: In ..., J.G. Gregory, page 23:

It is the fact that, for the time, he is bereft of his senses; he is a man who has gone mad. He spends his money madly, he treats his friends madly, he treats himself madly. Those who would love him best if he were not mad are now afraid of him, and often hide themselves from him, and well they may. For this man, in his madness, may hurt them, strike them, kill them.

1878, Benjamin Ward Richardson, The Temperance Lesson Book: A Series of Short Lessons on Alcohol and Its Action on the Body. Designed for Reading in Schools and Families, National Temperance Society and Publication House, page 266:

Consider, for the love of Heaven, to what you run madly: will you take this viper into your bed?

1879, Francis Beaumont, The Works of Beaumont and Fletcher: The Text Formed from a New Collation of the Early Editions, Volume 1, D. Appleton, page 350:

without reason or understanding; wildly.

Diane screamed madly down the phone to the prank caller.

In a way the better procedures you have I think, bizarrely and madly it actually serves to increase rather than decrease the problem

2016, Lizzie Barmes, Bullying and Behavioural Conflict at Work:

In a mad manner
extremely surprisingly or unexpectedly


orally

This medicine is taken orally. Swallowing a pill sure beats getting a shot every day.

Pleasure your partner orally and manually.

I took the make-up test orally because my arm is still in a cast.


eastward

eastward (comparative more eastward, superlative most eastward)

more eastward (comparative)
most eastward (superlative)

From Middle English estward, from Old English ēastweard, ēasteweard; equivalent to east + -ward.


narrowly

narrowly (comparative more narrowly, superlative most narrowly)

more narrowly (comparative)
most narrowly (superlative)

From Middle English narowly, equivalent to narrow + -ly.

They regarded the new idea rather narrowly.

There is now such an immense "microliterature" on hepatics that, beyond a certain point I have given up trying to integrate (and evaluate) every minor paper published—especially narrowly floristic papers.

1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page viii:

In a narrow manner; without flexibility or latitude.

They narrowly escaped collision.

The next day Opra Pitrachard ſent for Monſieur Conſtance to come to him, and ordered him to go and tell the French Officers that there was no deſign of keeping them Priſoners […] I charge you that you ſay this, and no more to thoſe French Officers; and know, that you ſhall be narrowly watched and overheard.

1690, “A Relation of the Late Great Revolution in Siam, and the Driving Out of the French”, in A Full and True Relation of the Great and Wonderful Revolution That Hapned Lately in the Kingdom of Siam in the East-Indies, London: Randal Taylor, page 6:

One inconsequent dream he related, about fancying himself quite young and rich, and finding himself suddenly in a field cropping razors around him, when, just as he had, by steps dainty as those of a French dancing-master, reached the middle, he to his dismay beheld a path clear of the blood, thirsty steel-crop, which he might have taken at first had he looked narrowly; and there he was.

1859, George Meredith, chapter 13, in The Ordeal of Richard Feverel. A History of Father and Son. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC:

The visitors had not managed an away win in the top flight since the final day of last season, but Mauro Formica set the tone in the second minute with a rasping 25-yard drive which flew narrowly wide.

2011 October 29, Neil Johnston, “Norwich 3 - 3 Blackburn”, in BBC Sport:


typographically

Typographically the tables are pleasing and easy to read.

1962 July, “Talking of Trains: The new all-line timetable”, in Modern Railways, page 10:


easterly

easterly (comparative more easterly, superlative most easterly)

more easterly (comparative)
most easterly (superlative)

In an eastward direction or position; towards the east.


hoity-toity

hoity-toity (comparative more hoity-toity, superlative most hoity-toity)

more hoity-toity (comparative)
most hoity-toity (superlative)

Probably from hoit (“to behave frivolously and thoughtlessly; to play the fool”) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘having the quality of’), reduplicated with a change of the initial consonant. The noun is attested earlier than the adjective.

suffix

Then hoity, toity, / VVhiſking, friſking, / Green vvas her govvn upon the graſs: / Oh! ſuch vvere the joys of our dancing days.

1762 December 8 (first performance), [Isaac Bickerstaffe], “Air XVIII”, in Love in a Village; a Comic Opera. […], 4th edition, London: […] W. Griffin; for J[ohn] Newbery, and W. Nicoll, […]; G[eorge] Kearsley, […]; T[homas] Davies, […]; and J. Walter, […], published 1763, →OCLC, Act II, scene iii, page 30:


all the more

Lytle’s progress as a boxer is all the more remarkable when taking into account his unique circumstances.

I had to work all the harder with two people off sick.

If your crush likes football, that's all the more reason for coming with us to the game tomorrow night!

London was startled by a crime of singular ferocity and rendered all the more notable by the high position of the victim.

1886 January 5, Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC:

Stripped of all bravado, Cersei breaks, and shows the very scared, vulnerable woman who has kept her emotions at bay. “I don’t want to die,” she whimpers, “Not like this.” It’s all the more moving for coming from a character who built her identity on steely resolve and contempt for such hoary conceits as fear.

2019 May 12, Alex McLevy, “Westeros faces a disastrous final battle on the penultimate Game of Thrones (newbies)”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 2019-05-15:

Even more; notably, but even more notably due to additional information, either preceding or following the statement.


abackward

From Middle English abakward. Equivalent to aback (“rear”) + -ward (“toward”).

The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles

Oxford University Press
w:Oxford University Press


headlong

From Middle English hedlong, alteration of hedling, heedling, hevedlynge (“headlong”), assimilated to long. More at headling.

Figures out today show the economy plunging headlong into recession.

When his eyes were clear again, he saw the monster had passed and was rushing landward. Big iron upper-works rose out of this headlong structure, and from that twin funnels projected, and spat a smoking blast shot with fire into the air. It was the torpedo-ram, Thunder Child, steaming headlong, coming to the rescue of the threatened shipping.

1898, H.G. Wells, “The "Thunder Child."”, in The War of the Worlds, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, retrieved 2022-11-24, page 175:

Realizing he is now boxed in on all sides, Hipper decides the only remaining card he has to play is to sell his ships as dearly as possible. The remaining German ships make a hard turn southeast, and drive headlong at the Grand Fleet. It is a brave gesture, but only eight of the ships emerge from the pall of smoke that roughly marks the original German line of advance. Two more emerge minutes later, but that is all.

2018 October 17, Drachinifel, 24:24 from the start, in Last Ride of the High Seas Fleet - Battle of Texel 1918, archived from the original on 2022-08-04:

Rashly; precipitately; without deliberation; in haste, hastily.


impractically

en-adv

impractically (comparative more impractically, superlative most impractically)

more impractically (comparative)
most impractically (superlative)


impracticably

impracticably (comparative more impracticably, superlative most impracticably)

more impracticably (comparative)
most impracticably (superlative)


steadfastly

steadfastly (comparative more steadfastly, superlative most steadfastly)

more steadfastly (comparative)
most steadfastly (superlative)

Inherited from Middle English stedefastly, stedefastliche; equivalent to steadfast + -ly.

inh+

He steadfastly refuses to go out with her.

She saw him shake his tall form erect, look at her strangely and steadfastly, and then, noiselessly, stealthily slip away amid the rocks and trees.

1912 January, Zane Grey, “The Fall of Balancing Rock”, in Riders of the Purple Sage […], New York, N.Y., London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC, page 326:

Monarch who through her seven decades of public service became a figure of fascination by remaining steadfastly private.

September 8 2022, Stephen Bates, “Queen Elizabeth II obituary”, in The Guardian:

Hmm, yes, 'negotiations' is an interesting choice of words given that ministers have steadfastly refused to meet the unions for the past year; a clear case of industrial inaction.

2024 March 20, Christian Wolmar, “NAO report highlights lack of clarity and purpose”, in RAIL, number 1005, page 35:

In a steadfast manner; firmly; with conviction


under the influence

He was arrested for driving under the influence.

(idiomatic) Intoxicated, inebriated, or otherwise stupefied by an ingested mind-altering substance, typically alcohol; drunk.

állapotában

of alcohol, of drug, of medicine, respectively


yare

en-adv

yare (comparative more yare, superlative most yare)

more yare (comparative)
most yare (superlative)

From Middle English yare, ȝare, from Old English ġearu (“prepared, ready, prompt, equipped, complete, finished, yare”), from Proto-West Germanic *garu, from Proto-Germanic *garwaz (“ready”).
Cognate with Dutch gaar (“done, well-cooked”), German gar (“done, well-cooked; wholly, at all”), Icelandic görr, gerr (“perfect”).

cog

Hey, my hearts! Cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! Yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to th'Master's whistle.[…]

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:


toot sweet

Homophonic translation of French tout de suite.

The train's about to leave; you'd better get down here toot sweet!

‘Them bloody chaps 'ave a cushy job,’ said little Martlow with resentful envy. ‘Just fly over the line, take a peek at ol' Fritz, and as soon as a bit o' shrapnel comes their way, fuck off 'ome jildy, toot sweet.’

1929, Frederic Manning, The Middle Parts of Fortune, Vintage, published 2014, page 27:

(slang) Alternative form of tout de suite (“very quickly; straight away”)


nether

en-adv

nether (comparative more nether, superlative most nether)

more nether (comparative)
most nether (superlative)

From Middle English nether, nethere, nithere, from Old English niþera (“lower, under, lowest”, adjective), from niþer, niþor (“below, beneath, down, downwards, lower, in an inferior position”, adverb), from Proto-West Germanic *niþer, from Proto-Germanic *niþer, *niþra (“down”), from Proto-Indo-European *ni-, *nei- (“in, down”). Cognates include Dutch neder, German nieder, Luxembourgish nidder, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish ned, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish nedre (“lower”), Faroese and Icelandic niður.


at all

You mustn't speak to her at all.

Can you see anyone at all?

Are you at all bothered by the noise?

Let me know if you are at all concerned.

Were you angry that he was laughing too hard, or that he was laughing at all?

I'm glad that she didn't stay long, but sorry that she came at all.

This is the only one of the issues for which I am at all responsible.

Here's neither buſh, nor ſhrub to beare off any weather at all: and another Storme brewing, I heare it ſing ith' winde: yond ſame blacke cloud, yond huge one, lookes like a foule bumbard that would ſhed his licquor: if it ſhould thunder, as it did before, I know not where to hide my head: yond ſame cloud cannot chooſe but fall by paile-fuls.

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 9:

He did not seem to think that he at all deserved a medal from the Humane and Magnanimous Societies.

1851, Herman Melville, Moby-Dick, Chapter 13: Wheelbarrow

The judge, by the way, was the King; and as he wore his crown over the wig, (look at the frontispiece if you want to see how he did it), he did not look at all comfortable, and it was certainly not becoming.

1865, Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 11: Who Stole the Tarts?

After a while he descended the steps into the road again and he stood there and looked all about him and listened for any sound at all but there was nothing.

1993, Cormac McCarthy, Outer Dark, page 146:

(idiomatic) Indicating degree, quantity or frequency greater than zero: to the slightest degree, in any way, at any time or in any circumstance.


carte blanche

Borrowed from French carte blanche, referring to a blank or white card.

Can gay and lesbian people in justice be excluded carte blanche from the sacrament of sexual love sharing, let alone from church membership or leadership?

2007, Gordon J. Hilsman, Intimate Spirituality: The Catholic Way of Love and Sex, →ISBN, page 114:

The mass production of tennis equipment made it more affordable, such that blue-collar workers were no longer excluded carte blanche as before the war (Birley 1995b).

2014, Robert J. Lake, A Social History of Tennis in Britain, →ISBN:

As an undifferentiated mass, without regard to distinctions; willy-nilly. (Possibly from confusion with another French phrase, en masse.)


loquaciously

en-adv

loquaciously (comparative more loquaciously, superlative most loquaciously)

more loquaciously (comparative)
most loquaciously (superlative)


nought

From Middle English nought, noght, noȝt, from Old English nōwiht, nāwiht, which in turn comes from ne-ā-wiht, which was a phrase used as an emphatic "no", meaning "not anything". Equivalent to ne + ought or ne + a + wight. Doublet of naught and not.


economically

economically (comparative more economically, superlative most economically)

more economically (comparative)
most economically (superlative)

(manner) In an economical manner; not wastefully; not extravagantly

Kim Jong-il, who has died aged 69, was the general secretary of the Workers party of Korea, and head of the military in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). He was one of the most reclusive and widely condemned national leaders of the late 20th and early 21st century, leaving his country diplomatically isolated, economically broken and divided from South Korea.

2011 December 19, Kerry Brown, “Kim Jong-il obituary”, in The Guardian:

(domain) From the perspective of economics or an economy.


impartially

impartially (comparative more impartially, superlative most impartially)

more impartially (comparative)
most impartially (superlative)


inactively

inactively (comparative more inactively, superlative most inactively)

more inactively (comparative)
most inactively (superlative)


meagerly

meagerly (comparative more meagerly, superlative most meagerly)

more meagerly (comparative)
most meagerly (superlative)


meagrely

meagrely (comparative more meagrely, superlative most meagrely)

more meagrely (comparative)
most meagrely (superlative)


unhistorically

In an unhistoric or unhistorical manner.


overtly

overtly (comparative more overtly, superlative most overtly)

more overtly (comparative)
most overtly (superlative)


spontaneously

spontaneously (comparative more spontaneously, superlative most spontaneously)

more spontaneously (comparative)
most spontaneously (superlative)

The idea that the body could spontaneously ignite was promoted by the 19th-century temperance movement.

1998 May 26, C. Claiborne Ray, “Q&A; Spontaneous Combustion”, in The New York Times:

In a spontaneous manner; naturally; voluntarily.


haughtily

haughtily (comparative more haughtily, superlative most haughtily)

more haughtily (comparative)
most haughtily (superlative)

He haughtily demanded the best table, even though people looked and wondered who he was.

"I don't know what you mean," she said haughtily.

1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1965, →OCLC, page 233:

In a haughty manner; with excessive or unwarranted pride.


helder

From Old Norse heldr. Cognate with Danish heller.


deceitfully

deceitfully (comparative more deceitfully, superlative most deceitfully)

more deceitfully (comparative)
most deceitfully (superlative)


admiringly

admiringly (comparative more admiringly, superlative most admiringly)

more admiringly (comparative)
most admiringly (superlative)

Fanny showed slow approval. 'Good on yer!' she said admiringly.

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:


eximiously

eximiously (comparative more eximiously, superlative most eximiously)

more eximiously (comparative)
most eximiously (superlative)

Is it so Our Lord conducted Himself – did He not most eximiously hold truth above all else?

In an eximious way; with distinction, outstandingly.


perishably

perishably (comparative more perishably, superlative most perishably)

more perishably (comparative)
most perishably (superlative)


purposelessly

purposelessly (comparative more purposelessly, superlative most purposelessly)

more purposelessly (comparative)
most purposelessly (superlative)

The sparse grey locks he combed were fewer and greyer: and though the accustomed mouth circle was as obdurately set as of old, his head waggled purposelessly: and his hands fumbled stiffly as he folded and replaced his pocket comb.

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 216:

In a purposeless manner; to no end; for no reason.


adoringly

adoringly (comparative more adoringly, superlative most adoringly)

more adoringly (comparative)
most adoringly (superlative)


admittedly

admittedly (comparative more admittedly, superlative most admittedly)

more admittedly (comparative)
most admittedly (superlative)

Admittedly, vandalism is a bit of a problem.

It's only a theory, admittedly, but it might work.

She was admittedly the one who killed the baron.

Adopting a computerlike countermeasure for a problem enabled by computer algorithms is admittedly an unnatural practice.

2024 June 5, Ben Guarino, “Defend Yourself against AI Impostor Scams with a Safe Word”, in Scientific American:

As is acknowledged to be true; by general admission; confessedly.


purposefully

purposefully (comparative more purposefully, superlative most purposefully)

more purposefully (comparative)
most purposefully (superlative)

[C]riminals are purposefully recruiting young, middle-class university students to do their dirty work “because they know they’re honest” and can be trusted to pass on the stolen cash rather than pocketing it all. Plus, students are cash hungry, as lockdown restrictions have squeezed any income from part-time jobs.

2020 December 8, Claer Barrett, “Could your child be recruited as a money mule?”, in Financial Times:

Jones’ sad eyes betray a pervasive pain his purposefully spare dialogue only hints at, while the perfectly cast Brolin conveys hints of playfulness and warmth while staying true to the craggy stoicism at the character’s core.

2012 May 24, Nathan Rabin, “Film: Reviews: Men In Black 3”, in The Onion AV Club:

(proscribed) On purpose, purposely, deliberately.


perspicuously

perspicuously (comparative more perspicuously, superlative most perspicuously)

more perspicuously (comparative)
most perspicuously (superlative)

Even the derangement of the phrases from their (so-called) natural order is luminous for the mind; and it is by the means of such designed reversal that the elements of a judgment may be most pertinently marshalled, or the stages of a complicated action most perspicuously bound into one.

1905, Robert Louis Stevenson, The Art of Writing:


perspicaciously

perspicaciously (comparative more perspicaciously, superlative most perspicaciously)

more perspicaciously (comparative)
most perspicaciously (superlative)

With the power of seeing or understanding clearly; quick-sightedly; with sharp of sight.

(figurative) With acute discernment; keenly; with mental perception.


subliminally

subliminally (comparative more subliminally, superlative most subliminally)

more subliminally (comparative)
most subliminally (superlative)

Could it be from messages on my TV which I'm getting subliminally?


jildy

If you don’t drink that tea a bit jildy you’ll miss the bus.

1989, Anthony Burgess, “Pump”, in Any Old Iron, London: Hutchinson, →ISBN; republished New York, N.Y.: Washington Square Press, Pocket Books, 1990, →ISBN, page 277:


jildi

Anglo-Indian military slang, from Hindi जल्दी (jaldī, “soon”).

‘Them bloody chaps 'ave a cushy job,’ said little Martlow with resentful envy. ‘Just fly over the line, take a peek at ol' Fritz, and as soon as a bit o' shrapnel comes their way, fuck off 'ome jildy, toot sweet.’

1929, Frederic Manning, The Middle Parts of Fortune, Vintage, published 2014, page 27:


felly

felly (comparative more felly, superlative most felly)

more felly (comparative)
most felly (superlative)

From Middle English felly, felli, fellich, equivalent to fell + -ly.

Ioues dreaded thunder light / Does scorch not halfe so sore, nor damned ghoste / In flaming Phlegeton does not so felly roste.

1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, II.vi:


head to head

comparing head to head

(figurative, of skill, product features, etc.) In the same level as someone else.

competing head to head


timed out

(cricket) Describing a wicket that has fallen by this means.


thumping

thumping (comparative more thumping, superlative most thumping)

more thumping (comparative)
most thumping (superlative)

A thumping good wizard you'll be, I'm sure.


profanely

profanely (comparative more profanely, superlative most profanely)

more profanely (comparative)
most profanely (superlative)

In a profane manner, irreverently, with marked disrespect for the sacred.


blasphemously

blasphemously (comparative more blasphemously, superlative most blasphemously)

more blasphemously (comparative)
most blasphemously (superlative)


time out of mind

Her chariot is an empty hazel-nut / Made by the joiner squirrel or old grub, / Time out o' mind the fairies' coachmakers.

1599, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet:

Our constitution is a prescriptive constitution; it is a constitution, whose sole authority is, that it has existed time out of mind.

1782 May 7, Edmund Burke, Speech on a motion made in the House of Commons, the 7th of May 1782, for a committee to enquire into the state of the representation of the Commons in Parliament:

The very solicitors’ boys who have kept the wretched suitors at bay, by protesting time out of mind that Mr Chizzle, Mizzle, or otherwise was particularly engaged and had appointments until dinner, may have got an extra moral twist and shuffle into themselves out of Jarndyce and Jarndyce.

1853, Charles Dickens, chapter 1, in Bleak House:

I tell you that Cashel never was beaten, although times out of mind it would have paid him better to lose than to win.

1882, George Bernard Shaw, chapter 13, in Cashel Byron's Profession:

(idiomatic, dated) For a lengthy period of time; on numerous occasions.


quindicessima

From Italian quindicessima, the feminine ordinal form of quindici (“fifteen”).

(music) Two octaves higher. Marking indicates a passage to be transposed up two octaves. Abbreviation: 15ma.


ottava

From Italian ottava (“octave”) (also feminine form of ottavo (“eighth”), ordinal form of otto).

(music) One octave higher; as a marking, typically abbreviated 8va.


reverently

reverently (comparative more reverently, superlative most reverently)

more reverently (comparative)
most reverently (superlative)


stupidly

stupidly (comparative more stupidly, superlative most stupidly)

more stupidly (comparative)
most stupidly (superlative)

She was so modest, so expressive, she had looked so soft in her thin white gown that he felt he had acted stupidly.

1891, Thomas Hardy, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, volume 1, London: James R. Osgood, McIlvaine and Co., page 26:

"Don't we behave just as stupidly in our pursuit of happiness - don't we?" Simpson nodded dejectedly.

1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XIV, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 154:

As I write this, drivers' union ASLEF has announced yet another series of one-day strikes, because ministers are stupidly insisting that the modest below-inflation pay rise they have offered drivers still comes with strings attached over working conditions.

2024 January 24, Christian Wolmar, “What could Labour do to reverse the rail reform agenda?”, in RAIL, number 1001, page 47:

He is so—so proud of his money, and thinks every one ought to be as stupidly rich as he is himself.

1898, Fox Russell, “Outridden”, in Fores's Sporting Notes and Sketches, volume 15:

As well as being stupidly hungry I had a raging thirst.

2011, Amy Kernahan, Orion is Upside Down:

To an extreme or excessive degree; absurdly.


territorially

territorially (comparative more territorially, superlative most territorially)

more territorially (comparative)
most territorially (superlative)

In a territorial manner; so as to defend one's territory.


tactically

tactically (comparative more tactically, superlative most tactically)

more tactically (comparative)
most tactically (superlative)

Tactically smart, Leeds' work-rate was also admirable, their players often doubling up on Everton's main threats like Marouane Fellaini, while Victor Anichibe found he had unwelcome, unstinting company throughout.

2012, Ben Smith, Leeds United 2-1 Everton:

in a tactical manner; in a manner calculated to achieve some end.

Jesse Helms is my "enemy" because of what he says and does. If he stops, he ceases to be my enemy. Tactically, I'm not about to spend much time trying to change him. I'd rather make it impossible for him to act in ways that oppress me. But the distinction between the person, who can potentially be won over, and the behavior, which is repulsive, is an important one.

1988 December 11, John D'Emilio, “Enemies, Anger, and Militance”, in Gay Community News, volume 16, number 22, page 5:


temperamentally

temperamentally (comparative more temperamentally, superlative most temperamentally)

more temperamentally (comparative)
most temperamentally (superlative)

The car engine coughed temperamentally before roaring into life.

The first [phase] calls for leaders impatient with the past, and temperamentally disposed to an irreverent break with tradition. They must be agitators who can fan the flames of discontent and gather forces with the strength to tear down the old.

1996, Seymour R. Kesten, Utopian Episodes:


hypothetically

hypothetically (comparative more hypothetically, superlative most hypothetically)

more hypothetically (comparative)
most hypothetically (superlative)

He offered the proposition hypothetically.

Hypothetically, what would you say if I proposed marriage to you?

Used to introduce a proposition to discussion without commitment to its truth


terminally

terminally (comparative more terminally, superlative most terminally)

more terminally (comparative)
most terminally (superlative)

terminally ill

2009, Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, It's Not Me, It's You: Subjective Recollections from a Terminally Optimistic, Chronically Sarcastic, and Occasionally Inebriated Woman:

terminally guided

(military, of missile guidance) To the target.

[…] some of the feathers (especially posterior scapulars) with the broad edgings more rufescent and passing into whitish terminally; […]

1919, Robert Ridgway, Herbert Friedmann, The Birds of North and Middle America, Part 8, Issue 1919, page 276:

In its simplest form this approach uses a lattice with a single chain terminally attached to the interface.

2005, Terence Cosgrove, Colloid Science: Principles, methods and applications, page 119:


technologically

technologically (comparative more technologically, superlative most technologically)

more technologically (comparative)
most technologically (superlative)

what humans have accomplished technologically

For now, it is technologically impossible to have a manned flight to Mercury.

A “moving platform” scheme […] is more technologically ambitious than maglev trains even though it relies on conventional rails. Local trains would use side-by-side rails to roll alongside intercity trains and allow passengers to switch trains by stepping through docking bays. This set-up solves several problems […]

2013 June 1, “Ideas coming down the track”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 13 (Technology Quarterly):

Sighted on Habitat 7, this unknown species has proven to be extremely dangerous. Their armor and equipment suggest a technologically advanced species capable of spaceflight, while their battle tactics indicate attritional warfare with a centralized command.

2017, BioWare, Mass Effect: Andromeda (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Unknown Species Codex entry:


withal

PIE word
 *wi
The adverb is derived from Middle English withal, with-al, withalle (“against, in opposition to; in association with, together with; by means of”), from with (“against; close to, near; directly opposite to; in the company of, together with; on, upon; within; etc.”, preposition) + al (“total number in a group, all, everyone, everything”). The word displaced Old English mid ealle.
The postposition is derived from the adverb.

[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:

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:

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:

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:

Understand, this Firſt-ling [the wallflower] vvas / Once a briſk and bonny Laſſe, / VVho a ſprightly Springall lov'd, / And to have it fully prov'd, / Up ſhe got upon a vvall, / Tempting dovvn to ſlide vvithall: / But the ſilken tvviſt unty'd, / So ſhe fell; and bruis'd, ſhe dy'd.

1648, Robert Herrick, “How the Wall-flower Came First, and Why So Called”, in Hesperides: Or, The Works both Humane & Divine […], London: […] John Williams, and Francis Eglesfield, and are to be sold by Tho[mas] Hunt, […], →OCLC, page 12:

I ſhall, thou ſay'ſt, expel / A brutiſh monſter: vvhat if I vvithal / Expel a Devil vvho firſt made him ſuch?

1671, John Milton, “The Fourth Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 85, lines 127–129:

[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:

Whenas the Palmer came in hall, / No lord, nor knight, was there more tall, / Or had a statelier step withal.

1808 February 22, Walter Scott, “Canto First. The Castle.”, in Marmion; a Tale of Flodden Field, Edinburgh: […] J[ames] Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Company, […]; London: William Miller, and John Murray, →OCLC, stanza XXIX, page 50:

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:

Together with the rest; besides; in addition.

Modest, yet withal an Elf / Bold, and lavish of thyself, […]

1807, William Wordsworth, “To the Small Celandine”, in Poems, in Two Volumes, volume I, London: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, […], →OCLC, page 23:

But I found myself continually returning to the countenance, and I still think I could have modelled a better face out of putty. […] But withal there was a perceptible acumen about the man which was puzzling in the extreme.

1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter II, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 15:

But, just as I had been an individualist without knowing it, I was now a Socialist without knowing it, withal, an unscientific one.

1905 April, Jack London, “How I Became a Socialist”, in War of the Classes, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 277:

Yet, withal, David was the true altruist. Even now as he walked this road which led to his old home, dear to him beyond all else, his thoughts kept flying to the Nile and to the desert.

1907 September, Gilbert Parker, “Each after His Own Order”, in The Weavers: A Tale of England and Egypt of Fifty Years Ago, Toronto, Ont.: The Copp, Clark Company, published October 1907, →OCLC, book III, page 237:

So-al was a mighty fine-looking girl, built like a tigress as to strength and sinuosity, but withal sweet and womanly.

1918 September–November, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Land That Time Forgot”, in The Blue Book Magazine, Chicago, Ill.: Story-press Corp., →OCLC; republished as chapter IV, in Hugo Gernsback, editor, Amazing Stories, part II, number 12, New York, N.Y.: Experimenter Publishing, March 1927, →OCLC, page 1164, column 1:

(chiefly archaic)
All things considered; nevertheless.

All things considered
all things considered

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

a. 1530 (date written), John Skelton, “Here after Foloweth the Boke Entytuled Ware the Hauke”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, page 156, 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:

No matter vvho's diſpleas'd, vvhen you are gone: / I fear me he vvill ſcarce be pleas'd vvith all.

c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii], page 28, column 2:

So glad of this as they I cannot be, / VVho are ſurpriz'd vvith all; but my reioycing / At nothing can be more: […]

1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 11, column 2:

[T]he Papiſts, profeſſed Enemies of our Church and Religion, eſcaping in the mean vvhile Scot-free, ſeldome or never medled vvithal in any of their Sermons.

a. 1664 (date written), Robert Sanderson, “The Preface to the Reader”, in XXXIV Sermons. […], 5th edition, London: […] [A. Clark] for A. Seil, and are to be sold by G. Sawbridge, […], published 1671, →OCLC:

The condition of England, on which many pamphlets are now in the course of publication, and many thoughts unpublished are going on in every reflective head, is justly regarded as one of the most ominous, and withal one of the strangest, ever seen in this world.

1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “Midas”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book I (Proem), page 1:

(archaic or obsolete) Synonym of therewith (“with this, that, or those”)


con brio

From Italian con brio (literally “with vigor”).

bor

She ate, drank, worked, danced, and made love in exactly the same way: con brio.

The bags were obviously heavy but she carried them con brio, her back straight, her low heels clicking briskly.

2012, Stephen King, chapter 20, in 11/22/63, page 442:

(music) with spirit, with vigor; vivaciously (used as a musical direction)


some more

(Manglish, Singlish) Alternative form of somemore


topically

en-adv

topically (comparative more topically, superlative most topically)

more topically (comparative)
most topically (superlative)

If the predisposition to the disease has arisen from a plethoric state of the system, or from a turgescence in the vessels of the head, this is to be obviated by bleeding, both generally and topically, but more particularly the latter; an abstemious diet and proper exercise; and by a seton in the neck.

1842, Gibbons Merle, John Reitch, The Domestic Dictionary and Housekeeper’s Manual: Comprising Everything Related to Cookery, Diet, Economy and Medicine. By Gibbons Merle. The Medical Portion of the Work by John Reitch, M.D., London: William Strange, 21, Paternoster Row, →OCLC, page 360, column 2:

(medicine) (Applied) to a localized part of the body.


cap-a-pie

From Old French (de) cap a pié (Modern French de pied en cap).

If twenty thousand naked Americans were not able to resist the assaults of but twenty well-armed Spaniards, I see little possibility for one honest man to defend himself against twenty thousand knaves, who are all furnished cap-a-pie with the defensive arms of worldly prudence, and the offensive, too, of craft and malice.

1661–67, Abraham Cowley, The Dangers of an Honest Man in much Company

I sallied forth cap-à-pie in my Madras regimentals, intending to accompany Brent to Westminster Abbey, and to take a coach at the first stand we came to.

1808–10, William Hickey, Memoirs of a Georgian Rake, Folio Society 1995, p. 129

Miss Thorne when fully dressed might be said to have been armed cap-a-pie, and she was always fully dressed, as far as was ever known to mortal man.

1857, Anthony Trollope, Barchester Towers:

From head to toe, especially of armor or other military accoutrements.


grazioso

grazioso (comparative more grazioso, superlative most grazioso)

more grazioso (comparative)
most grazioso (superlative)

Borrowed from Italian grazioso (“graceful”), from Latin grātiōsus (“agreeable, popular”), from grātia (“grace”). Doublet of gracioso and gracious.


malapropos

malapropos (comparative more malapropos, superlative most malapropos)

more malapropos (comparative)
most malapropos (superlative)

/ˌmælæprəˈpəʊ/

From French mal à propos, from mal (“bad, badly”) and à propos (“appropriate, relevant”).


horticulturally

Ripeness can be trusted. Young women are green. I spoke horticulturally. My metaphor was drawn from fruits.

1895, Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest […] , [Act II]:


prematurely

prematurely (comparative more prematurely, superlative most prematurely)

more prematurely (comparative)
most prematurely (superlative)

In a premature manner; too soon or too early.


(text messaging) Nonstandard spelling of tomorrow.


unluckily

unluckily (comparative more unluckily, superlative most unluckily)

more unluckily (comparative)
most unluckily (superlative)


AIUI

(Internet slang) Initialism of as I understand it.


too much

You talk (much/far/rather) too much.

I was too much affected by their criticisms.

To a greater extent than is wanted or required; excessively.

すぎる (すぎる, sugiru) (verb or adjective suffix; grammatical verb, e.g. 飲みすぎる (nomisugiru) - to drink too much))

I'm not leaving now ... I'm enjoying myself too much!

To a sufficiently strong degree to prevent some other action from happening.


ungainly

ungainly (comparative ungainlier or more ungainly, superlative ungainliest or most ungainly)

ungainlier (comparative)
more ungainly (comparative)
ungainliest (superlative)
most ungainly (superlative)

ungain (from un- + gain (“dexterous; convenient, easy, handy; suitable”)) + -ly.

(obsolete) In an ungainly or unbecoming manner; improperly; undeservedly, unduly; unsuitably.


transcendentally

transcendentally (comparative more transcendentally, superlative most transcendentally)

more transcendentally (comparative)
most transcendentally (superlative)


on the fly

Jones caught the ball on the fly.

(baseball, of the ball) While in the air, without having touched the ground.

The software program has a table of values for some results, but calculates others on the fly.

(idiomatic) Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.


dimly

dimly (comparative more dimly, superlative most dimly)

more dimly (comparative)
most dimly (superlative)

I began dimly to understand.

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

It was a miserable evening; outside it was snowing and blowing, and in the squire's parlour the candle burned so dimly that you could scarcely distinguish anything in the room but a clock-case with some Chinese ornaments, a large mirror in an old-fashioned frame, and a silver family tankard.

1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 249:

"The evil is for those benighted ones who will have none of it; seeing the light the true believers worship, as the fishes see the stars, but dimly."

1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:

The well-heeled gay yuppies of Bay Village would just as soon banish Drag Queens and hustlers entirely from their lives, only to dimly acknowledge them once a year in flowery paeans to "the gay men and Lesbians who rioted at Stonewall and gave birth to our movement" on Gay Pride Day.

1984 December 22, Ingrid Sell, “Changing Boston”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 23, page 4:


worlds

The show understands that implied nudity is worlds funnier than actual nudity, and goes to delightful lengths to keep Marge and Homer’s unmentionables out of view.

2016 January 24, Les Chappell, “TV: Review: The Simpsons (Classic), “Natural Born Kissers” (season nine, episode 25, originally aired 05/17/1998)”, in The Onion AV Club:


transgressively

transgressively (comparative more transgressively, superlative most transgressively)

more transgressively (comparative)
most transgressively (superlative)


transitorily

With regard to similes of this kind, it will readily occur to the reader that when a resembling subject is once properly introduced in a simile, the mind is transitorily amused with the new object, and is not dissatisfied with the slight interruption.

1762, Henry Home Kames, Elements of Criticism, published 1819, page 147:

All parts of the experienced world are experienced transitorily. They appear and disappear.

1960, William Leonard Hoerber, A Scientific Foundation of Philosophy, page 76:

Most transitorily poor households are substantially better off than chronically poor households.

2001, Neil McCulloch, L[eonard] Alan Winters, Xavier Cirera, Trade Liberalization and Poverty: A Handbook, page 149:

It is not a permanent space: it transitorily colonizes public urban space, overlapping and somehow replacing it.

2008, Frank Eckardt, Media and urban space: understanding, investigating and approaching mediacity, page 17:


mirthlessly

mirthlessly (comparative more mirthlessly, superlative most mirthlessly)

more mirthlessly (comparative)
most mirthlessly (superlative)

Miriam laughed again, but mirthlessly, to hear him thus mix her up with women in a general way.

1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “chapter 7”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC:

And presently he grew conscious that the gods had played a very good practical joke on him, and he laughed at himself mirthlessly.

1915, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, “chapter 79”, in Of Human Bondage, New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, →OCLC:


up front

If we settle on the terms of the deal up front there will be much less arguing later.

(idiomatic) At the beginning; before anything begins.

per anticipat

at the beginning; before anything begins

If you don't have anything to do up front, help organize the boxes in back.

But, rather than make a change up front, Hughes shuffled his defence for this match, replacing Carlos Salcido with Baird, in a move which few would have predicted would prove decisive.

2010 December 28, Marc Vesty, “Stoke 0 - 2 Fulham”, in BBC:


agone

Three days agone I fell sick.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Samuel 30:13:

And many a serpent of fell kind, / With wings before, and stings behind, / Subdued; as poets say, long agone, / Bold Sir George, Saint George did the dragon.

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

(archaic or dialectal, Northern England) Alternative form of ago


starkly

starkly (comparative more starkly, superlative most starkly)

more starkly (comparative)
most starkly (superlative)

From Middle English starkli, starcliche, sterkliche, stercliche, from Old English stearclīċe (“strongly; stoutly; vigorously; vehemently; fiercely; strictly”), from Proto-Germanic *starkulīka (“strongly; stiffly”), from *starkulīkaz (“strong; rigid”), from *starkuz (“strong; stiff; stark”), equivalent to stark + -ly.

inh

The dark mountains stood out starkly against the pale sky.

We initially came to this data collection technique through research conducted into the linguistic landscape at NIE which yielded an overwhelmingly English-biased signage which was starkly at odds with our own day-to-day experience at the institute.

2019, Li Huang, James Lambert, “Another Arrow for the Quiver: A New Methodology for Multilingual Researchers”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, →DOI, page 1:


through and through

He moved from Cincinnati to San Francisco, but he's still a Cincinnati Bengals fan, through and through.

Thus, sitting where I was, I lit my candle once more, and then clambered across that great coffin which, for two hours or more, had been a mid-wall of partition between me and danger. But to get out of the niche was harder than to get in; for now that I had a candle to light me, I saw that the coffin, though sound enough to outer view, was wormed through and through, and little better than a rotten shell. So it was that I had some ado to get over it, not daring either to kneel upon it or to bring much weight to bear with my hand, lest it should go through.

[1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC:


wrongfully

en-adv

wrongfully (comparative more wrongfully, superlative most wrongfully)

more wrongfully (comparative)
most wrongfully (superlative)

From Middle English wrongfully, wrongfullich; equivalent to wrongful + -ly.

If you do wrongfully ſeize Herford's right, / call in his Letters Patents that he hath / By his Atturneyes generall, to ſue[…]

1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The life and death of King Richard the Second”, 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, [Act II, scene i], page 29, column 2:

Wrongfully imprisoned action heroes rarely have the time to wait for an appeal.

2002, Joe Borgenicht, The Action Hero's Handbook, Quirk Books, page 36:


pleasingly

pleasingly (comparative more pleasingly, superlative most pleasingly)

more pleasingly (comparative)
most pleasingly (superlative)

From Middle English plesingliche; equivalent to pleasing + -ly.

I not only then tighten'd the pleasure-girth round my restless inmate by a secret spring of friction and compres- sion that obeys the will in those parts, but stole my hand softly to that store bag of nature's prime sweets, which is so pleasingly attach'd to its conduit pipe, from which we receive them;

1749, [John Cleland], “(Please specify the letter or volume)”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC:

In a pleasing manner; agreeably; favourably.