sensibly

sensibly (comparative more sensibly, superlative most sensibly)

more sensibly (comparative)
most sensibly (superlative)

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

[...] but in the damp conditions prevailing the driver sensibly was unwilling to attempt the climb up through Combe Down tunnel without help, for fear of slipping to a standstill in the unventilated bore, [...].

1960 March, “Motive Power Miscellany: Western Region”, in Trains Illustrated, page 184:

In a sensible manner; in a way that shows good sense.

խելոք

in a sensible manner; in a way that shows good sense

Time sensibly all things impairs.

a. 1685, Wentworth Dillon, 4th Earl of Roscommon, The Sixth Ode of the Third Book of Horace:

This four months' lastingness would doubtless be sensibly reduced if the tent were subject to numerous transportations and repitchings.

1873, Thomas Wiltberger Evans, Edward A. Crane, John Swinburne, History of the American Ambulance Established in Paris During the Siege of 1870-71:

4. P. californicum n. sp.
Very similar in color and sculpture to seriatum. The form is, however, sensibly narrower, averaging very nearly two and one half times as long as wide, while in seriatum the length is ahout two and three- tenths times the width.

1905, Transactions of the American Entomological Society, volume 31, page 216:

(dated or formal) In a way that can be sensed or noticed; perceptibly.


ineptly

en-adv

ineptly (comparative more ineptly, superlative most ineptly)

more ineptly (comparative)
most ineptly (superlative)

Quite possibly the worst aspect of this is the role of the train operating companies and their representative body, the ineptly named Rail Delivery Group (RDG). Ostensibly, the plan has come from them. In reality, this has been driven entirely by Government, which asked each train operator to draw up plans for its area.

2023 July 26, Christian Wolmar, “Closing ticket offices to lead to 'catch-22' for passengers”, in RAIL, number 988, page 42:


wistfully

wistfully (comparative more wistfully, superlative most wistfully)

more wistfully (comparative)
most wistfully (superlative)


insensibly

insensibly (comparative more insensibly, superlative most insensibly)

more insensibly (comparative)
most insensibly (superlative)

St. Peters ſeldom anſvvers Expectation at firſt entering it, but enlarges it ſelf on all Sides inſenſibly, and mends upon the Eye every Moment.

1705, J[oseph] Addison, “From Rome to Naples”, in Remarks on Several Parts of Italy, &c. in the Years 1701, 1702, 1703, London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 174:

In a insensible manner; without feeling or noticing something.


mournfully

mournfully (comparative more mournfully, superlative most mournfully)

more mournfully (comparative)
most mournfully (superlative)

1836, Hans Christian Andersen (translated into English by Mrs. H. B. Paull in 1872), The Little Mermaid
"Why have not we an immortal soul?" asked the little mermaid mournfully; "I would give gladly all the hundreds of years that I have to live, to be a human being only for one day, and to have the hope of knowing the happiness of that glorious world above the stars."

The steamer itself had vanished, but the great scroll of smoke still hung in the air and drooped like a flag mournfully in valediction.

1927 May, Virginia Woolf, chapter 10, in To the Lighthouse (Uniform Edition of the Works of Virginia Woolf), new edition, London: Leonard and Virginia Woolf at the Hogarth Press, […], published 1930, →OCLC:

So she dared not tell anyone how she felt, but went about mournfully, with a heavy heart.

1956 [1880], Johanna Spyri, Heidi, translation of original by Eileen Hall, page 104:

In a mournful manner; as if in mourning for something.


splendidly

splendidly (comparative more splendidly, superlative most splendidly)

more splendidly (comparative)
most splendidly (superlative)

“Well,” I answered, at first with uncertainty, then with inspiration, “he would do splendidly to lead your cotillon, if you think of having one.” ¶ “So you do not dance, Mr. Crocker?” ¶ I was somewhat set back by her perspicuity.

1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter IV, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC, page 51:

"Despite restrictions I did manage to talk a couple of colleagues into doing a sponsored walk [...]. Due to COVID-19 we had to organise this ourselves, but it went off splendidly and the three of us walked 12 miles along the Basing Canal on the River Wey and Thames. [...]."

2020 November 18, “Stop & Examine”, in Rail, page 71:


complacently

complacently (comparative more complacently, superlative most complacently)

more complacently (comparative)
most complacently (superlative)

At work Mr. Burns spies Homer munching complacently on a donut and hisses that each donut Homer shoves into his fat face brings him one donut closer to the poisoned donut Mr. Burns has ordered thrown into the mix as a form of culinary Russian Roulette, only to learn from Smithers that the plant’s lawyers ultimately nixed the poisoned donut plan because “they consider it murder.”

2012 June 17, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Homer’s Triple Bypass” (season 4, episode 11; originally aired 12/17/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:

In a complacent manner; overly calm and contented; not troubled.


familiarly

familiarly (comparative more familiarly, superlative most familiarly)

more familiarly (comparative)
most familiarly (superlative)

He spoke familiarly to the hotel porter.

in a casual or informal manner, as with a close acquaintance; especially when such behavior may be considered inappropriate.

(dated) in an inappropriately sexual or romantic manner.

The giant panda, familiarly known as a "panda bear", is not actually a bear at all.

(linguistics) colloquially; of common or vernacular speech, as opposed to scholarly language.

The voice from downstairs sounded familiarly like a foghorn, and right away he knew that Uncle Fred had arrived.

in a manner prompting recognition or recollection

The instructor spoke familiarly about the dangerous conditions on the mountain during the winter.

in a manner expressing comprehensive or intimate knowledge


ethnically

But the row highlighted the fall from grace of the ethnically diverse women Sarkozy once promoted but later cast aside, who are now rebelling. The former young sports minister, Rama Yade, outspoken and hugely popular, has not only quit the government: she has left Sarkozy's party.

2011 December 14, Angelique Chrisafis, “Rachida Dati accuses French PM of sexism and elitism”, in Guardian:

London has one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the world. It absorbs more than half of all immigrants to Britain.

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


perpendicularly

perpendicularly (comparative more perpendicularly, superlative most perpendicularly)

more perpendicularly (comparative)
most perpendicularly (superlative)


sul ponticello

(music, chiefly violin) Bowed near the bridge for the duration of a passage


senza sordino

(music) Without the mute. Specifically for the piano: with the sustain pedal.


humorlessly

humorlessly (comparative more humorlessly, superlative most humorlessly)

more humorlessly (comparative)
most humorlessly (superlative)

In a humorless manner; lacking levity or humor.


ham-handedly

ham-handedly (comparative more ham-handedly, superlative most ham-handedly)

more ham-handedly (comparative)
most ham-handedly (superlative)

In a ham-handed manner; clumsily or heavily


polemically

polemically (comparative more polemically, superlative most polemically)

more polemically (comparative)
most polemically (superlative)


poignantly

poignantly (comparative more poignantly, superlative most poignantly)

more poignantly (comparative)
most poignantly (superlative)

So while Ralph generally seems to inhabit a different, more glorious and joyful universe than everyone else here his yearning and heartbreak are eminently relateable. Ralph sometimes appears to be a magically demented sprite who has assumed the form of a boy, but he’s never been more poignantly, nakedly, movingly human than he is here.

2012 August 5, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):


poco a poco

Crescendo poco a poco – gradually getting louder.


poisonously

poisonously (comparative more poisonously, superlative most poisonously)

more poisonously (comparative)
most poisonously (superlative)

c. 1900, Thomas Edison, quotation
The x-ray had affected poisonously my assistant, Mr. Dally.

To Edward […] he was terrible, nerve-inflaming, poisonously asphyxiating. He sat rocking himself in the late Mr. Churchill's swing chair, smoking and twaddling.

1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:


pointedly

pointedly (comparative more pointedly, superlative most pointedly)

more pointedly (comparative)
most pointedly (superlative)

The film echoes a central question from all the Wick films, though: is he a natural-born murderer? Or a good man underneath it all? "This is who you are," the Marquis tells him. "A killer." The question is pointedly unresolved here.

2023 March 14, Caryn James, “John Wick: Chapter 4: 'Soars above most action films'”, in BBC:

explicitly; with emphasis; so as to make a point, especially with criticism


raving

raving (comparative more raving, superlative most raving)

more raving (comparative)
most raving (superlative)

He went stark, raving mad.


gayly

gayly (comparative more gayly, superlative most gayly)

more gayly (comparative)
most gayly (superlative)

Gayly to bourgeon and broadly to grow.

1810, Walter Scott, “(please specify the canto number or page)”, in The Lady of the Lake; […], Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for John Ballantyne and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, and William Miller, →OCLC, (please specify the stanza number):

In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.

1852, Mrs M.A. Thompson, “The Tutor's Daughter”, in Graham's American Monthly Magazine of Literature, Art, and Fashion, page 266:

Gayly-dressed mavournins and blaring bands stepped lively along Fifth Avenue.

1958, Printers' Ink, volume 262, page 28:

(uncommon, dated) Cheerfully; in a gay manner.


chillingly

chillingly (comparative more chillingly, superlative most chillingly)

more chillingly (comparative)
most chillingly (superlative)

And I'll never forget the chillingly instinctive racism. "Sure is pretty countryside. Pity it's spoiled by the niggers picknickin."

2000, Bill Oddie, Gripping Yarns, page 71:


coarsely

coarsely (comparative more coarsely, superlative most coarsely)

more coarsely (comparative)
most coarsely (superlative)

From earlier coursely, from Middle English coursly (“naturally, logically”); equivalent to coarse + -ly.

inh

He stood transfixed before the unaccustomed view of London at night time, a vast panorama which reminded him […] of some wood engravings far off and magical, in a printshop in his childhood. They dated from the previous century and were coarsely printed on tinted paper, with tinsel outlining the design.

1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:


gloriously

en-adv

gloriously (comparative more gloriously, superlative most gloriously)

more gloriously (comparative)
most gloriously (superlative)

[…] Tanee was accosted by certain good fellows, friends and boon companions, who condoled with him on his misfortunes—railed against the queen, and finally dragged him away to an illicit vender of spirits, in whose house the party got gloriously mellow.

1847 March 30, Herman Melville, “Queen Pomaree”, in Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas; […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 309:

'With love shall life roll gloriously on from year to year, like the voice of some great music that hath power to hold the hearer's heart poised on eagles' wings above the sordid shame and folly of the earth.'

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

That year when he came to Korea, he was already thirty-one years old. Once while carrying out an emergency repair of a bridge, he volunteered to climb barehanded up a seventeen meter high isolated steel beam. He did so and brought down some materials. In addition, he paid no heed to danger during the flooding and set up floating bridges three times, victoriously completing his mission. To everyone's sorrow, on May 15th, 1952, our hero, while repairing the Qingchuan River Bridge, was gloriously martyred. His company was named the "Yang Liandi Company".

1989 April 4 [1987 August], Dezhi Yang, “Regulations”, in Leo Kanner Associates, transl., For Peace [Weile Heping], Foreign Technology Division, →OCLC, page 113:

The elimination of [Roger] Federer after [Rafael] Nadal's loss to Lukas Rosol would have created mild panic among the fans of these gloriously gifted but now clearly vulnerable geniuses.

2012 June 29, Kevin Mitchell, “Roger Federer back from Wimbledon 2012 brink to beat Julien Benneteau”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 2016-11-15:


genuinely

genuinely (comparative more genuinely, superlative most genuinely)

more genuinely (comparative)
most genuinely (superlative)

I thought they were joking at first, but it seemed they were genuinely interested in the talk about glaciers.


medicinally

medicinally (comparative more medicinally, superlative most medicinally)

more medicinally (comparative)
most medicinally (superlative)


incoherently

incoherently (comparative more incoherently, superlative most incoherently)

more incoherently (comparative)
most incoherently (superlative)


prettily

prettily (comparative more prettily, superlative most prettily)

more prettily (comparative)
most prettily (superlative)

From Middle English pratily, prately, pratyly, pratylych; equivalent to pretty + -ly.

And thus they were all begging for pancakes, the one more prettily than the other, because they were so hungry, and such good little children.

1881, P. Chr. Asbjörnsen [i.e., Peter Christen Asbjørnsen], “The Pancake”, in H. L. Brækstad, transl., Round the Yule Log. Norwegian Folk and Fairy Tales, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, →OCLC, page 62:

St. Lawrence Station is very prettily situated, high cliffs on the left, and the lush vegetation of the Undercliff sloping down to the sea on the right.

1946 July and August, K. Westcott Jones, “Isle of Wight Central Railway—2”, in Railway Magazine, page 244:

The air was clear and scented, the breeze flitted lightly through the tall grass around his cave, the birds were chirruping at each other, the butterflies were flitting about prettily, and the whole of nature seemed to be conspiring to be as pleasant as it possibly could.

1982 August, Douglas Adams, chapter 2, in Life, the Universe and Everything (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; 3), London: Pan Books, →ISBN, page 12:

“Indeed!” replied he. “Then, my dear Isabella, it is the most extraordinary sort of thing in the world, for in general every thing does give you cold. Walk home!—you are prettily shod for walking home, I dare say. It will be bad enough for the horses.”

1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter XV, in Emma: […], volume I, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC, pages 270–271:


convincingly

convincingly (comparative more convincingly, superlative most convincingly)

more convincingly (comparative)
most convincingly (superlative)

If Moldova harboured even the slightest hopes of pulling off a comeback that would have bordered on miraculous given their lack of quality, they were snuffed out 13 minutes before the break when Oxlade-Chamberlain picked his way through midfield before releasing Defoe for a finish that should have been dealt with more convincingly by Namasco at his near post.

2012 September 7, Phil McNulty, “Moldova 0-5 England”, in BBC Sport:


admiratively

admiratively (comparative more admiratively, superlative most admiratively)

more admiratively (comparative)
most admiratively (superlative)


kaleidoscopically

In a kaleidoscopic, continuously changing manner.

ständig wechselnd

in a kaleidoscopic, continuously changing manner


curtly

curtly (comparative more curtly, superlative most curtly)

more curtly (comparative)
most curtly (superlative)

She greeted me with a bright smile, and said: “Back already? Did you find it?” With a strong effort I mastered my emotion and replied curtly but civilly that the answer was in the negative. “No,” I said, “I did not find it.”

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

In a curt manner; tersely, almost rudely.


possessively

possessively (comparative more possessively, superlative most possessively)

more possessively (comparative)
most possessively (superlative)


potently

potently (comparative more potently, superlative most potently)

more potently (comparative)
most potently (superlative)


powerlessly

powerlessly (comparative more powerlessly, superlative most powerlessly)

more powerlessly (comparative)
most powerlessly (superlative)


pontifically

pontifically (comparative more pontifically, superlative most pontifically)

more pontifically (comparative)
most pontifically (superlative)

He slapped his documents open on the table and seated himself pontifically, with a certain imminent redness lurking behind the formality of his expression.

1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1965, →OCLC, page 139:

In a pontifical manner; in the manner of a pope.

Whilst pontificating; with pontification.


grievously

grievously (comparative more grievously, superlative most grievously)

more grievously (comparative)
most grievously (superlative)

From Middle English grevously; equivalent to grievous + -ly.

Thoſe Chriſtian Captiues, which you keepe as ſlaues, […]
when they chance to reſt or breath a ſpace,
Are puniſht with Baſtones so grieuouſly,
That they lie panting on the Gallies ſide.

c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene iii:

That's why this failure of the super committee represents a reckless, irresponsible gamble by our "leaders" in Washington. It's difficult to remember a Congress that has put the nation so much at risk in the service of ideology and to hold onto office. Partisans on both sides are grievously failing the country.

2011 November 21, David Gergen, “Have they gone nuts in Washington?”, in CNN.com:


indifferently

indifferently (comparative more indifferently, superlative most indifferently)

more indifferently (comparative)
most indifferently (superlative)

In an indifferent manner.
Tolerably; passably.

Uiew wel my Camp, and ſpeake indifferently,
Doo not my captaines and my ſouldiers looke
As if they meant to conquer Affrica?

And make diuiſion equally,
Of each mans goods indifferently, […]

1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], Act I:

Without distinction; impartially, objectively.

They might have been lifted bodily out of an indifferently written American crime novel.

1934, Agatha Christie, chapter 3, in Murder on the Orient Express, London: HarperCollins, published 2017, page 222:

For the first ten years of nationalisation a further note of overall gloom was added by the depressing policy of unimaginative Regional colour schemes, indifferently applied.

1962 October, Brian Haresnape, “Focus on B.R. passenger stations”, in Modern Railways, page 251:

Without great care; without sufficient attention or thought.


drastically

drastically (comparative more drastically, superlative most drastically)

more drastically (comparative)
most drastically (superlative)

This recession has been drastically different.

drastically reduced prices

The corn ration was drastically reduced, and it was announced that an extra potato ration would be issued to make up for it.

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

On Christmas Day itself there will be no trains, for recent experience has shown that few wish to travel then, even on services which had been drastically reduced: earlier closing of shops and offices on Christmas Eve is the chief reason for this change in the pattern of travel.

2023 December 27, David Turner, “Silent lines...”, in RAIL, number 999, page 30:

Lisa always wore shorts and a T-shirt, which clashed drastically with her brother's thick winter coat.

It explains why a Democratic Congress foisted Prohibition on the country and a Republican Congress drastically legislated to enforce it, when ordinarily the two parties are only too anxious for any political stick to beat each other with.

Seldom have democratic principles been so drastically enacted into law.

1928, The Atlantic Monthly, volume 141, page 558:

A uniform marriage and divorce law must be drastically enacted by the Central Government and rigidly administrated by the higher courts.

1933, The China Critic, volume 6, page 428:


ponderously

ponderously (comparative more ponderously, superlative most ponderously)

more ponderously (comparative)
most ponderously (superlative)

Rooney and his team-mates started ponderously, as if sensing the enormity of the occasion, but once Scholes began to link with Ryan Giggs in the middle of the park, the visitors increased the tempo with Sunderland struggling to keep up.

2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport:

A narrow and deserted street in deep shadow, high houses, innumerable windows with Venetian blinds, a dead silence, grass sprouting between the stones, imposing carriage archways right and left, immense double doors standing ponderously ajar.

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 199:


brutally

brutally (comparative more brutally, superlative most brutally)

more brutally (comparative)
most brutally (superlative)

From another point of view, it was a place without a soul. The well-to-do had hearts of stone; the rich were brutally bumptious; the Press, the Municipality, all the public men, were ridiculously, vaingloriously self-satisfied.

1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

"You sit there," said Henry brutally.

1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1965, →OCLC, page 134:

England's World Cup dreams fell apart under a French onslaught on a night when their shortcomings were brutally exposed at the quarter-final stage.

2011, Tom Fordyce, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 12-19 France:

And this year, some of the granite facades have a new addition - the blue and yellow of the flag of Ukraine. It's hardly surprising to see the Scots, a nation more attuned to independence than some, showing solidarity with a country brutally invaded by Russia.

2022 November 30, Paul Bigland, “Destination Oban: a Sunday in Scotland”, in RAIL, number 971, page 75:

In a brutal manner; viciously, barbarically.

He was not an expert but he was brutally honest by saying he couldn’t help the customer find a solution.

Beeching concludes, rather brutally, that "a high proportion of stopping passenger train services ought to be discontinued as soon as possible... and as soon as procedure permits".

2023 March 8, Gareth Dennis, “The Reshaping of things to come...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 47:

In a direct way that does not attempt to hide, disguise or mask unpleasantness; directly.

You know, I am so glad I never did it with someone I had lukewarm feelings for. Christian is brutally hot, and I am going to remember tonight forever.

1995, Amy Heckerling, Clueless, spoken by Cher (Alicia Silverstone):


pompously

pompously (comparative more pompously, superlative most pompously)

more pompously (comparative)
most pompously (superlative)

When he went home on leave he rioted on a large scale - pompously.

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 211:

'I could cite good reasons both for and against such a course of action,' he began pompously.

1956 [1880], Johanna Spyri, Heidi, translation of original by Eileen Hall, page 85:


dere

African-American Vernacular, New York City

Nonstandard spelling of there, reflecting any of a variety of accents with th-stopping.

Pronunciation spelling
pronunciation spelling


stupefyingly

stupefyingly (comparative more stupefyingly, superlative most stupefyingly)

more stupefyingly (comparative)
most stupefyingly (superlative)


responsively

responsively (comparative more responsively, superlative most responsively)

more responsively (comparative)
most responsively (superlative)


portentously

portentously (comparative more portentously, superlative most portentously)

more portentously (comparative)
most portentously (superlative)

The cold light of the moon touched every face with unnatural paleness; and the silence was unbroken and portentously profound.

1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXXVIII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 318:

At that moment a long, scraggy individual in a checked suit poked his head into the bar, looked around portentously, whistled mysteriously to my informant, and jerked his thumb and head in the direction of the door.

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

Shirky ends the story of the lost Sidekick by asking, portentously, “What happens next?”—no doubt imagining future waves of digital protesters.

2010 September 27, Malcolm Gladwell, “Small Change”, in The New Yorker:


fondlingly

fondlingly (comparative more fondlingly, superlative most fondlingly)

more fondlingly (comparative)
most fondlingly (superlative)


peevishly

peevishly (comparative more peevishly, superlative most peevishly)

more peevishly (comparative)
most peevishly (superlative)

"See / Or shut your eyes," said Nature peevishly, / "It nothing skills: I cannot help my case: / 'Tis the Last Judgment's fire must cure this place, / Calcine its clods and set my prisoners free."

1855, Robert Browning, Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came, section XI:

His uncles peevishly claimed the paper.

1938, Evelyn Waugh, Scoop, book I, ch. 2,1:

Seated in a kitchen chair, and rasping at his scorched shoulders, he said peevishly, "By ginger, it gives a man the willies, left alone in a place like this all day."

1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 78:


asininely

asininely (comparative more asininely, superlative most asininely)

more asininely (comparative)
most asininely (superlative)


aseptically

aseptically (comparative more aseptically, superlative most aseptically)

more aseptically (comparative)
most aseptically (superlative)


stoutly

stoutly (comparative more stoutly, superlative most stoutly)

more stoutly (comparative)
most stoutly (superlative)

From Middle English stoutely, stouteliche, stoutliche, equivalent to stout + -ly.

He stoutly defended himself.

In a stout manner; lustily; boldly; obstinately.

He was a stoutly-built and thickly-set man, about the average height, with all the ordinary symptoms of paralysis […]

1870, Transactions of the Pathological Society of London:


if need be

Need is a noun, be a subjunctive. Perhaps an alteration of Old English phrases like ġif þearf bēo, literally “if need be.” That phrase would have been completely unidiomatic, equivalent to “if a need exists” or “if there is a need.” This is because (1) Old English had no indefinite article, (2) the word for "to be" was also the default word for "to exist" and translates the modern phrase "there is," and (3) the subjunctive mood was much more common and often translates the Modern English indicative.

(idiomatic) If necessary; if there is a need.


ascetically

ascetically (comparative more ascetically, superlative most ascetically)

more ascetically (comparative)
most ascetically (superlative)


FDC

(dance) Initialism of facing diagonally to the center.


shyly

shyly (comparative more shyly, superlative most shyly)

more shyly (comparative)
most shyly (superlative)

The moon went slowly down in chastened loveliness; she departed like some sweet bride into her chamber, and long veil-like shadows crept up the sky through which the stars peeped shyly out.

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


ashamedly

ashamedly (comparative more ashamedly, superlative most ashamedly)

more ashamedly (comparative)
most ashamedly (superlative)


radiantly

radiantly (comparative more radiantly, superlative most radiantly)

more radiantly (comparative)
most radiantly (superlative)


racily

racily (comparative more racily, superlative most racily)

more racily (comparative)
most racily (superlative)


stateside

I'll be going stateside next month!

(chiefly outside USA) In or to the United States, especially the lower forty-eight.

(Alaska) In or to the 48 contiguous states.


postpartum

1844, from Latin post (“after”) + partum (“giving birth”), form of partus, from pariō (“I give birth”), from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“to bring forth”).

der

Nothing surprising there (although one relative of mine unequivocally LOVES being pregnant), but what particularly struck me was her complaint that it had messed up her feet, of all things. They had spread out and flattened under the weight of pregnancy, and hurt. It was getting on for a year postpartum and her poor feet were only just getting back to normal.

2012 January 10, Amy Fleming, “The mother of all maternity shoes”, in The Guardian:


so to speak

Then Tom girded up his loins, so to speak, and went to work to “get his verses.”

1876, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter IV, in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Hartford, Conn.: The American Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 42:

This could have occurred nowhere but in England, where men and sea interpenetrate, so to speak—the sea entering into the life of most men, and the men knowing something or everything about the sea, in the way of amusement, of travel, or of bread-winning.

1898 September, Joseph Conrad, “Youth: a Narrative”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXIV, number DCCCCXCV, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publication Co., page 309:

He took the great, round world in his hand, so to speak, familiarly, contemptuously, and it seemed no larger than the seed of a Maraschino cherry in a table d’hôte grape fruit.

1906 April, O. Henry [pseudonym; William Sydney Porter], “A Cosmopolite in a Café”, in The Four Million, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co, →OCLC, page 27:

I don't believe Lecter's even seen a woman in eight years. And oh, are you ever his taste. So to speak.

1991, Ted Tally, The Silence of the Lambs (motion picture), spoken by Dr. Frederick Chilton (Anthony Heald):

For Firefighter Joseph Ceravolo, President Obama turned up the heat, so to speak, even before he sat down to an early lunch on Thursday.

2011 May 5, James Barron, Colin Moynihan, “Obama Visits Firehouse in Midtown Manhattan”, in New York Times, retrieved 2011-11-24:

In a manner of speaking
in a manner of speaking#English


racially

en-adv

racially (comparative more racially, superlative most racially)

more racially (comparative)
most racially (superlative)

a racially aggravated attack

The ideal Mexican national is not racially equivalent to the Spaniard; Mexicans are racial hybrids, mestizos.

1997, Alfred Arteaga, Chicano Poetics: Heterotexts and Hybridities, page 172:


apolitically

apolitically (comparative more apolitically, superlative most apolitically)

more apolitically (comparative)
most apolitically (superlative)


dead center

The sense referring to a piston position was originally a variant of earlier dead-point. The adjective carries two of its senses at once in this construction: both "exact" and "without force imparted". As the piston passes through dead center, there is an instant when it is neither being pushed nor being pulled.

Now, the Ouija board sat dead center.

Damascus White sat dead center in the back of the booth.

2013, Jaye Wells, Rusted Veins: A Sabina Kane Novella:

I give it a flick, so the daisy charm swings back and forth like a pendulum, dead center in the middle of his windshield.

2013, Jenny Han, Siobhan Vivian, Fire with Fire:


artistically

artistically (comparative more artistically, superlative most artistically)

more artistically (comparative)
most artistically (superlative)


day-to-day

day-to-day (comparative more day-to-day, superlative most day-to-day)

more day-to-day (comparative)
most day-to-day (superlative)

The cost of gasoline is determined day-to-day.


artfully

artfully (comparative more artfully, superlative most artfully)

more artfully (comparative)
most artfully (superlative)

Artfully pulling the ball back to leave McCleary chasing a lost cause, Sánchez calmly made space for a shot and applied a finish that beat the despairing dives of both Federici and Michael Hector, the latter vainly attempting to recover position when it was too late.

2015 April 18, Paul Wilson, The Guardian:


rabidly

rabidly (comparative more rabidly, superlative most rabidly)

more rabidly (comparative)
most rabidly (superlative)


cannily

cannily (comparative more cannily, superlative most cannily)

more cannily (comparative)
most cannily (superlative)


dendrochronologically

by the use of, or with reference to dendrochronology


playfully

playfully (comparative more playfully, superlative most playfully)

more playfully (comparative)
most playfully (superlative)


oc

(Internet slang) Initialism of of course.


arithmetically

arithmetically (comparative more arithmetically, superlative most arithmetically)

more arithmetically (comparative)
most arithmetically (superlative)

Over the past decade the business has grown arithmetically, which shows that it is serving a demand successfully; but because it has not grown exponentially, its growth is viewed by some investors as "not good enough."

arithmetic progression
arithmetic progression

(of the nature of increases or decreases) In a way characterized by addition (of increments) rather than multiplication (by factors) or exponentiation (by exponents): by an arithmetic progression.

The two terms are arithmetically equivalent, but they are not equally intuitive regarding what phenomenon they represent in the real world.


'round

The cottonwood leaves were dropping yellow, just as they be now, for it were fall, and some things in nature are about the same one year as another; but the country has changed so much, that when I get to thinking of them days, and look ’round and see the valley a-settled up and the wire fences a-winding across the hills, I get mighty lonesome, and likely enough wish I’d wake up on my old blankets and find it a dream, and see once more the buffalo a-feeding on the hillside, and the beaver a-working at their dams.

1895 May, Sargent Robie, “The Old Trapper’s Story”, in Frank Leslie’s Popular Monthly, volume XXXIX, number 5, New York, N.Y.: Frank Leslie’s Publishing House, […], page 584, column 1:

“Oh, papa!” cried Patty, in dismay, “you said I could keep house for you; and Aunt Alice has taught me lots about it; and she’ll teach me lots more; and you know I can make good pumpkin pies; and, of course, I can dust and fly ’round; and that’s about all there is to housekeeping, anyway.”

1904, Carolyn Wells, “The Decision”, in Patty at Home, New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, →OCLC, page 23:

“That Makes the World Go ’Round”

1921, Marie Conway Oemler, “Contents”, in Where the Young Child Was and Also The Spirit of the House, The Youngest Officer, Linden Goes Home, The Little Brown House, That Makes the World Go Round, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co.:

“What are you doing that for?” “Why, little girl, I’m advertising ice cream.” “That’s not the way to do it—just walking ’round and ’round.”


wishfully

wishfully (comparative more wishfully, superlative most wishfully)

more wishfully (comparative)
most wishfully (superlative)


witheringly

witheringly (comparative more witheringly, superlative most witheringly)

more witheringly (comparative)
most witheringly (superlative)


winsomely

winsomely (comparative more winsomely, superlative most winsomely)

more winsomely (comparative)
most winsomely (superlative)


witlessly

witlessly (comparative more witlessly, superlative most witlessly)

more witlessly (comparative)
most witlessly (superlative)


winningly

winningly (comparative more winningly, superlative most winningly)

more winningly (comparative)
most winningly (superlative)

The preteen stars develop an organic and winningly uncool rapport, that shared language of misfit middle-school camaraderie.

2019 August 14, A. A. Dowd, “Good Boys Puts a Tween Spin on the R-rated Teen Comedy, to Mostly Funny Effect”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 2021-03-04:


wittily

wittily (comparative more wittily, superlative most wittily)

more wittily (comparative)
most wittily (superlative)

From Middle English wittily, wyttyly, wittiliche, equivalent to witty + -ly.


aslant

From Middle English aslant (“at an angle, in a curve; from the side, deviously”), from on slante; equivalent to a- + slant.

inh

The Shaft that slightly was impress’d,
Now from his heavy Fall with weight increas’d,
Drove through his Neck, aslant,

1700, “The Twelfth Book of Ovid his Metamorphoses”, in John Dryden, transl., Fables, Ancient and Modern, London: Jacob Tonson, page 447:

It [the light] led me aslant over the hill, through a wide bog;

1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], chapter II, in Jane Eyre. An Autobiography. […], volume III, London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, page 65:

1914, Constance Garnett (translator), Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky, New York: P. F. Collier & Son, 1917, Part 4, Chapter 4, p. 321,
A wall with three windows looking out on to the canal ran aslant so that one corner formed a very acute angle, and it was difficult to see in it without very strong light.

[…] he was looking aslant and not directly at me; more of a gaze to the side of me.

2018, Anna Burns, chapter 3, in Milkman, London: Faber & Faber:


uneasily

en-adv

uneasily (comparative more uneasily, superlative most uneasily)

more uneasily (comparative)
most uneasily (superlative)

On once more we swung, bumping uneasily along in the antique narrow-gauge coach, with gloomy woods and gathering night outside, shouts and songs (and quacks) inside—this was not at all the sort of train ordained by the logical strategists in Paris—then grinding to a stop at a mysterious halt which was no more than a nameboard in the pinewoods, without even a footpath leading to it, but nevertheless with a solitary passenger stolidly waiting.

1961 November, H. G. Ellison, P. G. Barlow, “Journey through France: Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 668:


devoutly

devoutly (comparative more devoutly, superlative most devoutly)

more devoutly (comparative)
most devoutly (superlative)


raunchily

raunchily (comparative more raunchily, superlative most raunchily)

more raunchily (comparative)
most raunchily (superlative)


wittingly

wittingly (comparative more wittingly, superlative most wittingly)

more wittingly (comparative)
most wittingly (superlative)

From Middle English wetandly, wettanly, wetyngly, witandly, witingeliche, wittandly, wittingli, wittingly, wityngli, wityngly, witynly, wytindeliche, wytyngly, equivalent to witting + -ly. Cognate with German wissentlich.

It muſt be ſo offended, it cannot be els, for heere lyes the poynt, if I drovvne my ſelfe vvittingly, it argues an act, & an act hath three branches, it is to act, to doe, to performe, or all; ſhe drovvnd her ſelfe vvittingly.

c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], signature M, verso:

in a witting manner, intentionally, on purpose.


regally

regally (comparative more regally, superlative most regally)

more regally (comparative)
most regally (superlative)

From Middle English regali; equivalent to regal + -ly.

In a regal manner, in the way of, or befitting, royalty.


hesitantly

hesitantly (comparative more hesitantly, superlative most hesitantly)

more hesitantly (comparative)
most hesitantly (superlative)


doubtfully

doubtfully (comparative more doubtfully, superlative most doubtfully)

more doubtfully (comparative)
most doubtfully (superlative)

From Middle English dowtfully, doutefulli, equivalent to doubtful + -ly.

He looked at the mauve envelope doubtfully, and examined the postmark. "Where is Pudlington, James? and one might almost ask—why is Pudlington? No town has any right to such an offensive name."

1920, Herman Cyril McNeile, chapter 1, in Bulldog Drummond:

In a doubtful manner, in context of doubt or ambiguity, questionably.


woozily

woozily (comparative more woozily, superlative most woozily)

more woozily (comparative)
most woozily (superlative)


unobserved

unobserved (comparative more unobserved, superlative most unobserved)

more unobserved (comparative)
most unobserved (superlative)


worthlessly

worthlessly (comparative more worthlessly, superlative most worthlessly)

more worthlessly (comparative)
most worthlessly (superlative)

I had learnt her whole character, which was without mystery or disguise: she was coquettish but not heartless; exacting, but not worthlessly selfish.

1847, Charlotte Brontë, chapter 32, in Jane Eyre:


strikingly

strikingly (comparative more strikingly, superlative most strikingly)

more strikingly (comparative)
most strikingly (superlative)

He entered strikingly, taking over the stage.

Fully air-conditioned and fluorescently lit, it is strikingly decorated and there is a magnificent outlook through the wide windows.

1960 December, “Modern lightweight coaches of the Swiss Federal Railways”, in Trains Illustrated, page 745, photo caption:

He was strikingly deficient in good sense.

Each mate nursed his fellow, and some strikingly pathetic touches of devotion were shown here and there amongst them.

1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 150:

Patterns of evolution in the two families, however, are strikingly different.

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 3:

Warwick's first glance had revealed the fact that the young woman was strikingly handsome, with a stately beauty seldom encountered.

1900, Charles W[addell] Chesnutt, chapter I, in The House Behind the Cedars, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], →OCLC:

(degree) To a remarkable degree or extent.

Strikingly, he had bowed deeply to the Emperor.

Then, they looked up which lawyers in these various lawsuits won their cases, and those who didn’t. Most strikingly, the researchers found that if the legal teams more closely mirrored a judge’s preferred writing style in documents such as past legal opinions, their chances of winning could more than double.

2020 December 21, Bryan Lufkin, “How 'linguistic mirroring' can make you more convincing”, in BBC:


excitedly

excitedly (comparative more excitedly, superlative most excitedly)

more excitedly (comparative)
most excitedly (superlative)

Everybody crowded around very excitedly and talked about the Australian crawl, a stroke I cannot do because there is something wrong with my flutter kick.

1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 48:


woodenly

woodenly (comparative more woodenly, superlative most woodenly)

more woodenly (comparative)
most woodenly (superlative)

"If they do, all they'll find are hunks of metal," Patrick said woodenly.

2009, Dale Brown, Strike Force, page 31:

(of movement) Clumsily or without animation.


wordily

wordily (comparative more wordily, superlative most wordily)

more wordily (comparative)
most wordily (superlative)

Engineer Allan not only helped plan and build the South Carolina road, but he also designed and constructed its first locomotive, christening it wordily the Best Friend of Charleston.

1996, John Hoyt Williams, A Great and Shining Road: The Epic Story of the Transcontinental Railroad, U of Nebraska Press, page 13:

In a wordy manner; using too many words.


competently

competently (comparative more competently, superlative most competently)

more competently (comparative)
most competently (superlative)


raggedly

raggedly (comparative more raggedly, superlative most raggedly)

more raggedly (comparative)
most raggedly (superlative)

In a ragged manner, unevenly, especially not in unison


rapaciously

rapaciously (comparative more rapaciously, superlative most rapaciously)

more rapaciously (comparative)
most rapaciously (superlative)

In a rapacious manner, greedily, with great appetite


pleasurably

pleasurably (comparative more pleasurably, superlative most pleasurably)

more pleasurably (comparative)
most pleasurably (superlative)


rascally

rascally (comparative more rascally, superlative most rascally)

more rascally (comparative)
most rascally (superlative)

“I hope,” said Jones, “you don’t intend to leave me in this condition.” “Indeed but I shall,” said the other. “Then,” said Jones, “you have used me rascally, and I will not pay you a farthing.”

1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:


dryly

dryly (comparative more dryly, superlative most dryly)

more dryly (comparative)
most dryly (superlative)

‘Anybody been here, Sammy?’ asked Mr. Weller, dryly, after a long silence.

1836, Charles Dickens, chapter XXVII, in The Pickwick Papers:

The company were convulsed with laughter, all except the host himself, who dryly remarked: ‘Very amusing, Mr. Robert, very amusing, truly; ye're a clever lad, very clever; but just let me tell you, […]’

1900, Thomas Finlayson Henderson, “CULLEN, Robert”, in Dictionary of National Biography, volume 13, page 279:

“My Continental prominence is improving,” I commented dryly. ¶ Von Lindowe cut at a furze bush with his silver-mounted rattan. ¶ “Quite so,” he said as dryly, his hand at his mustache. “I may say if your intentions were known your life would not be worth a curse.”

1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter IV, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:

"Accident, Suicide, Murder?"
"Undoubtedly neither accident nor suicide," he said dryly.
[…]
"You incline to the idea, then, that Mrs. Owen was murdered. Do you know by whom?"
He laughed, and drew forth the piece of string he always fidgeted with when unravelling some mystery.
"You would like to know who murdered that old woman?" he asked at last.
"I would like to hear your views on the subject," Polly replied.
"I have no views," he said dryly. "No one can know who murdered the woman, since no one ever saw the person who did it. No one can give the faintest description of the mysterious man who alone could have committed that clever deed, and the police are playing a game of blind man's buff."

1909, Emma Orczy, chapter XXXIV, in The Old Man in the Corner:

"Wasn't his father in steamships or something?" asked Charlotte.
"Aye! Steamships and railroads and banks and trust companies, and nubbody knows what all! But when he died two years ago, mark ye now, he couldn't take a penny of it with him. So his boy Perry come in for it all."
"Was that his wife I met on the veranda?" asked Charlotte.
"Perry's wife? Not likely! He isna married."
"I wonder why."
"Courted to death, I'm thinking," said Mr. Ogilvie dryly.
"Poor thing!" said Charlotte, more dryly than he.

1918, George Weston, chapter VII, in The Apple-Tree Girl, page 115:


wrongheadedly

wrongheadedly (comparative more wrongheadedly, superlative most wrongheadedly)

more wrongheadedly (comparative)
most wrongheadedly (superlative)

In a movie like The Extra Girl, though Sue is the starring role, Dave is the active role in romantic comedy terms. The happy ending makes them both happy, but he's the one who has pursued Sue unstintingly while Sue has wrongheadedly pursued a career.

2000, Alan S. Dale, Comedy is a Man in Trouble: Slapstick in American Movies, U of Minnesota Press, page 128:


decently

decently (comparative more decently, superlative most decently)

more decently (comparative)
most decently (superlative)

You need to be decently attired to enter the restaurant.

a decently high salary


stiffly

stiffly (comparative more stiffly, superlative most stiffly)

more stiffly (comparative)
most stiffly (superlative)

From Middle English stifly, styfly; equivalent to stiff + -ly.

'Twas Mr. Glennie who first moved to seek me; for when the second day came that I was not at school, he thought that I was ill, and went to my aunt's to ask how I did, as was his wont when any ailed. But Aunt Jane answered him stiffly that she could not say how I did.

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

'Very well, Clara,' she said stiffly, 'but I shall also speak to your father.'

1956 [1880], Johanna Spyri, Heidi, translation of original by Eileen Hall, page 86:


worthily

worthily (comparative more worthily, superlative most worthily)

more worthily (comparative)
most worthily (superlative)

Then, as my gueſt, and thine ovvne acquiſition / VVorthily purchas'd, take my daughter […]

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 IV, scene i], page 14:

We should conceive of poetry worthily, and more highly than it has been the custom to conceive of it.

1880, Matthew Arnold, “The Study of Poetry”, in Essays in Criticism: Second Series, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co. […], published November 1888, →OCLC, page 2:

This world-wide travel organisation recently attained its centenary, and under happier conditions than those prevailing at the present time the event would doubtless have been celebrated worthily.

1941 November, “Notes and News: The Centenary of Cook’s”, in Railway Magazine, page 513:

[S]ustain worthily your name of gentleman, which has been worthily borne by your ancestors for five hundred years, both for your own sake and the sake of those who belong to you.

2004, Alexandre Dumas, “The Three Musketeers”, in Spark, Educational Publishing, page 5:


smilingly

smilingly (comparative more smilingly, superlative most smilingly)

more smilingly (comparative)
most smilingly (superlative)

But me thinks at these words I heare some smilingly say, I would be loath to lacke liuing of my own till the Prince gaue me a maner of new Elme for my riming […]

1589, George Puttenham, chapter 8, in The Arte of English Poesie:

But his flaw’d heart,
Alack, too weak the conflict to support!
’Twixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief,
Burst smilingly.

c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene iii]:

1753, Samuel Richardson, The History of Sir Charles Grandison in a Series of Letters, London: William Miller, 1811, Volume II, Letter 28, p. 279,
He looked smilingly serious.

Lo! how they murmur, laugh, and smile, and weep:
Some with upholden hand and mouth severe;
Some with their faces muffled to the ear
Between their arms; some, clear in youthful bloom,
Go glad and smilingly athwart the gloom;
Some looking back, and some with upward gaze;
Yes, thousands in a thousand different ways
Flit onward […]

So Amelia gave Dobbin her little hand as she got out of the carriage, and rebuked him smilingly for not having taken any notice of her all night.

1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 27, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC:

[…] Thorndyke, having unstrapped the hamper with as much care as if it contained a collection of priceless porcelain, bore it tenderly up to his bedroom; whence he appeared, after a considerable interval, smilingly apologetic for the delay.

1909, R. Austin Freeman, “The Man with the Nailed Shoes”, in John Thorndyke’s Cases:

"Don't tell me, Daddy, that you with all your complex brain and wonderful self are a thing with no more life hereafter than a broken clock!" "Four buckets of water and a bagful of salts," said Challenger as he smilingly detached his daughter's grip.

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:


wigwag

From wig (“to wag, waggle”) + wag (“to swing”). The noun is derived from the verb.


wretchedly

en-adv

wretchedly (comparative more wretchedly, superlative most wretchedly)

more wretchedly (comparative)
most wretchedly (superlative)

From Middle English wrecchedly; equivalent to wretched + -ly.

Tell my page to ask him to walk with you, for you look wretchedly, and to be sure you have been on your knees a long time rubbing that foot, I must say.

1842, [anonymous collaborator of Letitia Elizabeth Landon], chapter XLII, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 241:

I felt wretchedly old, and worn out, and unfit for my place—and began to wonder, for the first time in my life, when it would please God to take me.

1868 January 4 – June 6, [William] Wilkie Collins, “First Period. The Loss of the Diamond (1848). […]”, in The Moonstone. A Romance. […], volume I, London: Tinsley Brothers, […], published 1868, →OCLC, chapter XVI, page 268:


rheumatically

rheumatically (comparative more rheumatically, superlative most rheumatically)

more rheumatically (comparative)
most rheumatically (superlative)

`Trew ter Gord may He blind me eternally, I see her I tell yew, lyin' dead on the floor,' he vociferated, trembling rheumatically in the desire to carry conviction.

1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1965, →OCLC, page 49:


two-facedly

two-facedly (comparative more two-facedly, superlative most two-facedly)

more two-facedly (comparative)
most two-facedly (superlative)


rhetorically

From Middle English retorycally; equivalent to rhetorical + -ly.

Bronx councilmember Rev. Wendell Foster rhetorically asked city council president Andrew Stein if he could cast two votes, being of "divided mind."

1986 April 5, Bruce-Michael Gelbert, “NYC Grants Rights Bill to Lesbians, Gay Men”, in Gay Community News, page 3:


rhythmically

rhythmically (comparative more rhythmically, superlative most rhythmically)

more rhythmically (comparative)
most rhythmically (superlative)

Her hips swayed rhythmically.

These songs are rhythmically complex.


editorially

editorially (comparative more editorially, superlative most editorially)

more editorially (comparative)
most editorially (superlative)


earthward

earthward (comparative more earthward, superlative most earthward)

more earthward (comparative)
most earthward (superlative)

From Middle English erthewarde, erþewarde, equivalent to earth + -ward.

Towards or in the direction of the Earth.


morosely

morosely (comparative more morosely, superlative most morosely)

more morosely (comparative)
most morosely (superlative)

"Oh, dry up,' said Arnold morosely.

1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1965, →OCLC, page 168:


day for night

The Sandcrawler scene in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was shot day for night.

(cinematography) In the daytime, with a blue filter, causing the scene to look as if it were shot in moonlight.


bionically

bionically (comparative more bionically, superlative most bionically)

more bionically (comparative)
most bionically (superlative)


raucously

raucously (comparative more raucously, superlative most raucously)

more raucously (comparative)
most raucously (superlative)


haply

Inherited from Middle English happely, hapliche, happeliche; equivalent to hap + -ly.

But as soon as her son espied her, bowl in hand, he thought that haply something untoward had befallen her, but he would not ask of aught until such time as she had set down the bowl, when she acquainted him with that which had occurred[…]

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

"O my lord the Sultan," said the other [the Wazir], "verily women be weakly of wits, and haply this goodwife cometh hither to complain before thee against her goodman or some of her people."

"Ha," quoth he to himself, "I will go and inquire into this business, for it may haply be that yonder black knight shall not find it to be so easy to deal with a knight of the Round Table as with those other three knights."

1905, Howard Pyle, The Story of the Champions of the Round Table, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, page 28:


biologically

Working with a concept formulated in New Jersey, Open Marsh Water Management, techniques were developed that controlled mosquitoes biologically, rather than chemically, resulting in minimal physical impacts to the treated marshes, […]

1985, Technologies to Benefit Agriculture and Wildlife: Workshop Proceedings, page 101:

... and have built vast greenhouses dedicated to breeding and harvesting ladybirds to control pests biologically rather than chemically.

2017, David B. Grant, Chee Yew Wong, Alexander Trautrims, Sustainable Logistics and Supply Chain Management: Principles and Practices for Sustainable Operations and Management, Kogan Page Publishers, →ISBN, page 55:


rankly

rankly (comparative more rankly, superlative most rankly)

more rankly (comparative)
most rankly (superlative)

From Middle English rankli, ronkly, from Old English ranclīċe (“showily; boldly”), equivalent to rank + -ly. Cognate with Icelandic rakklega (“boldly; valiantly”).

cog

Certainly no pages could seem to the censor more rankly blasphemous.

1907, James George Frazer, Adonis, Attis, Osiris, page 22:


centrifugally

en-adv

centrifugally (comparative more centrifugally, superlative most centrifugally)

more centrifugally (comparative)
most centrifugally (superlative)


choreographically

choreographically (comparative more choreographically, superlative most choreographically)

more choreographically (comparative)
most choreographically (superlative)


ruthlessly

ruthlessly (comparative more ruthlessly, superlative most ruthlessly)

more ruthlessly (comparative)
most ruthlessly (superlative)

Standing on the mountain above Caerphilly, one may reflect upon the gap where once stood Llanbradach Viaduct, and look near at hand upon the restored ruins of Caerphilly Castle; man labours to rebuild the mediaeval whilst he ruthlessly scraps the modern.

1939 September, D. S. Barrie, “The Railways of South Wales”, in Railway Magazine, page 165:

Southgate's side kept their nerve and discipline in the unsettling, intimidating surroundings of Budapest, with the behaviour of Hungary's fans leaving much to be desired, to turn up the heat and punish their opponents ruthlessly once they had gone ahead.

2021 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Hungary 0-4 England”, in BBC:

In a ruthless manner; with cruelty; without pity or compassion.


close to

close to (comparative closer to, superlative closest to)

closer to (comparative)
closest to (superlative)

It lasted close to an hour.

It rained for close to forty days and forty nights.

The project is close to finished.


till death do us part

Originates from the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. The original wording is "till death us depart" (using the obsolete “to separate, part” sense of depart).

nb...

and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Churche: After the Use of the Churche of England.

Colophon: Imprinted at London in Fleetstrete, at the signe of the Sunne ouer against the conduyte, by Edvvarde VVhitchurche

(duration, idiomatic) Until death separates us; a common phrase said between the bride and the groom at a Christian wedding, indicating commitment to their union.

حَتَّى الْمَوْت عَلَيْنَا الْجُزْء

phrase said as part of wedding vows indicating commitment

죽음이 두 사람을 갈라 놓을 때까지

jugeumi du sarameul galla no'eul ttaekkaji


romantically

en-adv

romantically (comparative more romantically, superlative most romantically)

more romantically (comparative)
most romantically (superlative)


ravishingly

ravishingly (comparative more ravishingly, superlative most ravishingly)

more ravishingly (comparative)
most ravishingly (superlative)


roomer

From room + -er (agent noun suffix) or + -er (measurement suffix) (sense 2).

The Captaine in a Shippe of warre, is a iollie fellowe, and thinketh himselfe a lyttle God, because hee speaketh prowdlie to the Souldiors, and maketh them quayle at the shaking of his lockes: […] If any be vnrulie, hee casteth him ouerboorde, or if any be fearefull, hee bindes him to the Maste: if hée crie aloofe, the Helmes man dares not goe roomer: and if hée bidde shoote, the gunner dares not but giue fyre.

1581, Richard Madox, A Learned and a Godly Sermon, to be read of all men, but especially for all marryners, captaynes and passengers, which trauell the seas, London:

1607, John Harington (translator), Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto, London: John Norton and Simon Waterson, Book 41, stanza 17, p. 343,
Yet did the master by all meanes assay,
To steare out roomer, or to keepe aloofe,
Or at the least to strike sailes if they may,
As in such danger was for their behoofe.

w:Webster's Dictionary#Webster's New International Dictionary 1909

(obsolete) At a greater distance; farther off.


ruinously

ruinously (comparative more ruinously, superlative most ruinously)

more ruinously (comparative)
most ruinously (superlative)

The ruinously high interest we agreed to will bankrupt us in a year if the economy doesn't improve quickly.


nor'-nor'-west

(nautical) Alternative form of north-northwest


nor'-nor'-east

(nautical) Alternative form of north-northeast


nor'-west

nor'-west (not generally comparable, comparative more nor'-west, superlative most nor'-west)

more nor'-west (comparative)
most nor'-west (superlative)

(nautical) Alternative form of northwest


nor'-east

nor'-east (not generally comparable, comparative more nor'-east, superlative most nor'-east)

more nor'-east (comparative)
most nor'-east (superlative)

(nautical) Alternative form of northeast


sou'-sou'-east

(nautical) Alternative form of south-southeast


sou'-west

sou'-west (not generally comparable, comparative more sou'-west, superlative most sou'-west)

more sou'-west (comparative)
most sou'-west (superlative)

(nautical) Alternative form of southwest


sou'-east

sou'-east (not generally comparable, comparative more sou'-east, superlative most sou'-east)

more sou'-east (comparative)
most sou'-east (superlative)

(nautical) Alternative form of southeast


downwind

downwind (comparative more downwind, superlative most downwind)

more downwind (comparative)
most downwind (superlative)

... the aftermath of the dust-storm came up and caught us both, and drove us downwind like pieces of paper.

1888, Rudyard Kipling, Plain Tales from the Hills:

in the same direction as the wind is blowing

alatuuleen

I don't want to live downwind from a pig farm.

(followed by from) positioned relative to something in such a way that it can be smelled in the wind

alatuulessa

(aviation) in the direction opposite that of landing in a traffic pattern


skilfully

skilfully (comparative more skilfully, superlative most skilfully)

more skilfully (comparative)
most skilfully (superlative)

British standard spelling of skillfully.


sou'-sou'-west

(nautical) Alternative form of south-southwest


west-northwest

We are travelling west-northwest at the moment.

Towards or in the direction of the west-northwest; west-northwestwards.


west-southwest

We are travelling west-southwest at the moment.

Towards or in the direction of the west-southwest; west-southwestwards.


south-southeast

We are travelling south-southeast at the moment.

Towards or in the direction of the south-southeast; south-southeastwards.


east-northeast

We are travelling east-northeast at the moment.

Towards or in the direction of the east-northeast; east-northeastwards.


south-southwest

We are travelling south-southwest at the moment.

Towards or in the direction of the south-southwest; south-southwestwards.


tew

bollywood was tew good this year it was refreshing that it made it to my top genres

2023 November 29, @Rateekification, Twitter:


east-southeast

We are travelling east-southeast at the moment.

Towards or in the direction of the east-southeast; east-southeastwards.


aphoristically

aphoristically (comparative more aphoristically, superlative most aphoristically)

more aphoristically (comparative)
most aphoristically (superlative)


antithetically

antithetically (comparative more antithetically, superlative most antithetically)

more antithetically (comparative)
most antithetically (superlative)


antiseptically

antiseptically (comparative more antiseptically, superlative most antiseptically)

more antiseptically (comparative)
most antiseptically (superlative)


argumentatively

argumentatively (comparative more argumentatively, superlative most argumentatively)

more argumentatively (comparative)
most argumentatively (superlative)


apocryphally

apocryphally (comparative more apocryphally, superlative most apocryphally)

more apocryphally (comparative)
most apocryphally (superlative)

Isaac Newton apocryphally discovered his second law – the one about gravity – after an apple fell on his head.

2022 January 9, Laura Spinney, “Are we witnessing the dawn of post-theory science?”, in The Guardian:


appositely

appositely (comparative more appositely, superlative most appositely)

more appositely (comparative)
most appositely (superlative)


apprehensively

apprehensively (comparative more apprehensively, superlative most apprehensively)

more apprehensively (comparative)
most apprehensively (superlative)

in an apprehensive manner; with apprehension


endlong

From Old English andlang ( > along), re-formed by popular etymology in Middle English as end + long; partly from Old Norse cognate endlangr.

The rest he leaves in ground: So takes in hond
To seeke her endlong both by sea and lond

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


aristocratically

aristocratically (comparative more aristocratically, superlative most aristocratically)

more aristocratically (comparative)
most aristocratically (superlative)


architecturally

architecturally (comparative more architecturally, superlative most architecturally)

more architecturally (comparative)
most architecturally (superlative)

The Accountant had brought out already a box of dominoes, and was toying architecturally with the bones.

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 193:

an architecturally important work


archly

archly (comparative more archly, superlative most archly)

more archly (comparative)
most archly (superlative)

Phoebe lay down by me, and ask'd me archly if, now that I had seen the enemy, and fully considered him, I was still afraid of him?

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:

Though he intends it destructively, Rothbard is right that there are relations between the millennial hope for justice he archly calls KGE—Kingdom of God on Earth—and communism.

2022, China Miéville, chapter 6, in A Spectre, Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto, →OCLC:


archly

My eyebrows recently plucked archly.

1984 April 14, Freddie Greenfield, “Spoiling the View”, in Gay Community News, page 19:


transparently

transparently (comparative more transparently, superlative most transparently)

more transparently (comparative)
most transparently (superlative)

They conducted their business transparently, solely in public meetings.

in a transparent manner; with nothing hidden.

(manner) So as to admit light without distortion.

Transparently to all, he had nothing of substance to say.

(modal) So as to be readily perceived and understood.


complexly

complexly (comparative more complexly, superlative most complexly)

more complexly (comparative)
most complexly (superlative)

It’s not that Lynch is somehow “above” being manipulative; it’s more like he’s just not interested. Lynch’s movies are about images and stories in his head that he wants to see made external and complexly real.

1997, David Foster Wallace, “David Lynch keeps his head”, in A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again, Kindle edition, Little, Brown Book Group:

(mathematics) Involving complex numbers.


peaceably

peaceably (comparative more peaceably, superlative most peaceably)

more peaceably (comparative)
most peaceably (superlative)

From Middle English pesibly; equivalent to peaceable + -ly.

For, if (ſaid he) you throw among five Yahoos as much Food as would be ſufficient for fifty, they will, inſtead of eating peaceably, fall together by the ears, each ſingle one impatient to have all to itſelf; […]

1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author’s Great Love of His Native Country. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part IV (A Voyage to the Houyhnhnms), page 258:

Men in helmets have divided that, with swords; men in wigs, with quill and inkhorn, to divide it: and even more hateful these latter, if more peaceably; for the wig-method is at once irresistibler and baser.

1837, Thomas Carlyle, chapter V, in The French Revolution: A History […], volume I (The Bastille), London: Chapman and Hall, →OCLC, book III (The Parliament of Paris), page 85:

All the buck-passing shows a healthy reluctance to shut down free speech, which unlike the right to eat dinner, is explicitly cited in the Constitution, along with the right to peaceably assemble.

2022 July 11, Joan Vennochi, “For a Supreme Court justice, it can’t be ‘privacy for me’ and no right of protest for thee”, in The Boston Globe:


communally

communally (comparative more communally, superlative most communally)

more communally (comparative)
most communally (superlative)

Affecting, by, or on behalf of, a community or group of people,

komunume

affecting, by, or on behalf of, a community or group

Crucial sections like 153 A, 153B, 295 A, and 505 of the IPC [Indian Penal Code] that specifically look at hate crimes and communally- charged^([sic]) offences are missing from the FIR [first information report].

2023 August 1, Sukanya Shantha, “Police Focuses on RPF [Railway Protection Force] Constable's 'Mental Illness', Erases Mention of Possible Hate Crime from FIR”, in The Wire, archived from the original on 2023-08-02:


marginally

marginally (comparative more marginally, superlative most marginally)

more marginally (comparative)
most marginally (superlative)

/ˈmɑɹd͡ʒɪnəli/

/ˈmɑːd͡ʒɪnəli/

A similar situation saw Gervinho play in Van Persie rather than going for goal himself, only for the Dutchman to drift marginally offside.

2011 December 10, David Ornstein, “Arsenal 1 - 0 Everton”, in BBC Sport:

In a marginal manner, or to a marginal extent; barely sufficiently; slightly.


progressively

progressively (comparative more progressively, superlative most progressively)

more progressively (comparative)
most progressively (superlative)

/pɹəˈɡɹɛsɪvli/


prudently

prudently (comparative more prudently, superlative most prudently)

more prudently (comparative)
most prudently (superlative)

Which statement Louis prudently let slide.


elliptically

elliptically (comparative more elliptically, superlative most elliptically)

more elliptically (comparative)
most elliptically (superlative)


regretfully

regretfully (comparative more regretfully, superlative most regretfully)

more regretfully (comparative)
most regretfully (superlative)

So after learning a great deal about iron founding and much more about pike fishing, one regretfully took leave of a shop full of kindly characters and proceeded to a worse lot of odours in the brass foundry.

1944 November and December, A Former Pupil, “Some Memories of Crewe Works—II”, in Railway Magazine, page 343:

(proscribed) Unfortunately, in a manner inspiring or deserving regret; used only as a sentence adverb (to introduce and modify an entire sentence).


religiously

religiously (comparative more religiously, superlative most religiously)

more religiously (comparative)
most religiously (superlative)

It is odd he gets so many cavities since he brushes his teeth religiously, every night, rain or shine.

“My wife and I use Notion religiously to manage our day-to-day life,” he wrote on X. “I turned this into a template, let me know if you’d like to see it!”

2024 May 12, Erin Griffith, quoting Ben Lang, “Honey, I Love You. Didn’t You See My Slack About It?”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:

(figurative) Always; passionately or diligently.


peremptorily

peremptorily (comparative more peremptorily, superlative most peremptorily)

more peremptorily (comparative)
most peremptorily (superlative)

He was peremptorily summoned to see the commanding officer.

1597, Francis Bacon, Essays, New York: T.Y. Cromwell, 1901, LVII, "Of Anger", p. 233, https://archive.org/details/essaysoffrancisb00baco
[…] that you doe not peremptorily break off, in any Businesse, in a Fitt of Anger: But howsoever you shew Bitternes, do not Act any thing, that is not Revocable.

I shall not peremptorily deny, that from most of such mixt bodies as partake either of animal or vegetable nature, there may by the help of the fire be actually obtained a determinate number […] of substances, worthy of differing denominations.

1661, Robert Boyle, The Sceptical Chymist, London: J.M. Dent & Sons, published 1911, page 34:

How have I offended you? Twice have I called this morning, and each time you have been peremptorily denied.

1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Discovery”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 165:

[…] the door-bell jingled peremptorily, and the girl left waiting on the table to go and answer it.

1885, William Dean Howells, chapter XIII, in The Rise of Silas Lapham:

"Never mind that!" here peremptorily broke in the superior, his face altering with anger […]

1888–1891, Herman Melville, “[Billy Budd, Foretopman.] Chapter XVI.”, in Billy Budd and Other Stories, London: John Lehmann, published 1951, →OCLC:

In a peremptory manner; in a commanding tone, brooking no delay.


masterfully

masterfully (comparative more masterfully, superlative most masterfully)

more masterfully (comparative)
most masterfully (superlative)

From Middle English maysterfully, maisterfullich, equivalent to masterful + -ly.

In a masterful manner; in an extremely confident and competent manner.


anecdotally

anecdotally (comparative more anecdotally, superlative most anecdotally)

more anecdotally (comparative)
most anecdotally (superlative)

As it was an informal hearing, the evidence was presented anecdotally.

Anecdotally, demand has held up - rather than cancelling, people are asking when they might be able to travel. There is a sense of some pent-up demand.

2020 July 15, Tony Streeter, “Charters return to running... but in an uncertain environment”, in Rail, page 35:

In an anecdotal manner; by means of a recounted incident.


mayhaps

“The kindly man chuckled. “He is a man like any other, with light in him and darkness. It is not for you to judge him.” That gave her pause. “Have the gods judged him?” “Some gods, mayhaps. What are gods for if not to sit in judgment over men?"

2011, George R. R. Martin, “The Ugly Little Girl”, in A Dance with Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire; 5), London: Voyager Books, published 2019, →ISBN, page 975:


fixedly

fixedly (comparative more fixedly, superlative most fixedly)

more fixedly (comparative)
most fixedly (superlative)

From fixed (“not changing; not able to be changed, staying the same”) + -ly (suffix forming adverbs from adjectives).

suffix

And ſhall not the vvant of Reaſon and Speech, be a ſign to us of different real Conſtitutions and Species, betvveen a Changeling, and a reaſonable Man? And ſo of the reſt, if vve pretend, that the diſtinction of Species is fixedly eſtabliſhed by the real Frame, and ſecret Conſtitutions of Things.

1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], “Of the Names of Substances”, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book III, § 22, page 216:

It vvas his manner in the Morning to meditate very ſeriouſly and fixedly upon ſome Truth, or ſome Text, for a good part of an Hour together.

1702, Cotton Mather, “[Book IV (Sal Gentium. […]).] The Life and Death of Mr. Nathanael Mather.”, in Magnalia Christi Americana: Or, the Ecclesiastical History of New-England, from Its First Planting in the Year 1620. unto the Year of Our Lord, 1698. […], London: […] Thomas Parkhurst, […], →OCLC, section II (His Piety), page 217, column 1:

But the difficulty of the circumstances in which he was placed was so great, that it was almost impossible for him to make up his mind fixedly to any purpose in reference to Clara.

1865 May 15 – 1866 January 1, Anthony Trollope, “Miss Amedroz is Pursued”, in The Belton Estate. […], volume III, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published December 1865 (indicated as 1866), →OCLC, page 150:

I am by no means sure that it [the rhinoceros] had fixedly hostile intentions, and indeed with my present experience I think it likely that if I had not fired it would have flinched at the last moment and either retreated or gone by me.

1913, Theodore Roosevelt, “The Vigor of Life”, in An Autobiography, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, →OCLC, page 41:

That is my view of the position, but if the Under-Secretary will agree with me we will certainly take the opportunity of discussing this in the course of conferring with the noble Lords who raised the point. I do not suppose anybody has made up his mind fixedly.

1945 May 30, John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon, Lord Chancellor, “Treason Bill [Second Reading]”, in Parliamentary Debates (Hansard): House of Lords Official Report (House of Lords), volume 136, London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, →ISSN, →OCLC:

A consultation has been held in the corridor or in the washroom. Rhonda is smiling fixedly. Lonnie H. is looking wise and sad.

1989, Carol Shields, “Chemistry”, in Various Miracles, London: Fourth Estate, published 1994, →ISBN, page 219:

Without changing one's expression; unchangingly.

She look'd as if ſhe vvould devour me vvith her eyes, ſtaring at me from head to foot, vvithout the leaſt regard to the confuſion and bluſhes her eyeing me ſo fixedly put me to, and vvhich vvere to her, no doubt, the ſtrongeſt recommendation, and marks of my being fit for her purpoſe.

1749, [John Cleland], “[Letter the First]”, in Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure [Fanny Hill], volume I, London: […] [Thomas Parker] for G. Fenton [i.e., Fenton and Ralph Griffiths] […], →OCLC, pages 18–19:

But when I turn away, / Thou, willing me to stay, / Wooest not, nor vainly wranglest; / But, looking fixedly the while, / All my bounding heart entanglest, / In a golden-netted smile; […]

1830 June, Alfred Tennyson, “Madeline”, in Poems. […], volume I, London: Edward Moxon, […], published 1842, →OCLC, stanza 3, page 19:

The old man [William Kiffin] looked fixedly at the king [James II of England], burst into tears, and made answer, "Sir, I am worn out; I am unfit to serve your Majesty or the City. And, sir, the death of my poor boys broke my heart. That wound is as fresh as ever. I shall carry it to my grave."

1849, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter VII, in The History of England from the Accession of James II, volume II, London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC, page 230:

Did you fixedly gaze, too, upon that ribbed and dented brow; there also, you would see still stranger foot-prints—the foot-prints of his one unsleeping, ever-pacing thought.

1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Quarter-deck”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 177:

He felt alone in the room and looked up, and there, grey and dim, was the bandaged head and huge blue lenses staring fixedly, with a mist of green spots drifting in front of them.

1897, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “Mr. Teddy Henfrey’s First Impressions”, in The Invisible Man: A Grotesque Romance, New York, N.Y., London: Harper & Brothers Publishers, →OCLC, pages 17–18:

By looking fixedly at the page, he hoped to make him move on; by pointing his finger at a word, he hoped to recall his mother's attention, which, he knew angrily, wavered instantly his father stopped.

1927 May, Virginia Woolf, chapter 7, in To the Lighthouse (Uniform Edition of the Works of Virginia Woolf), new edition, London: Leonard and Virginia Woolf at the Hogarth Press, […], published 1930, →OCLC, part I (The Window), page 61:

Without shifting one's gaze; intently, steadily.


conclusively

en-adv

conclusively (comparative more conclusively, superlative most conclusively)

more conclusively (comparative)
most conclusively (superlative)

Once the final experiment had been performed, the theory was conclusively proved.


eventfully

eventfully (comparative more eventfully, superlative most eventfully)

more eventfully (comparative)
most eventfully (superlative)

In an eventful manner; with much activity.


meekly

meekly (comparative more meekly, superlative most meekly)

more meekly (comparative)
most meekly (superlative)

From Middle English mekely, mekeliche, equivalent to meek + -ly. Compare Old Norse mjúkliga.

When Faith and Love which parted from thee never
Had ripen'd thy just soul to dwell with God,
Meekly thou did'st resign this earthly load
Of Death, call'd Life; which us from Life doth sever.

1673, John Milton, When Faith and Love which parted from thee never:


hereto

* Pronominal adverb formed by here and to

I, A. B., do solemnly swear and attest that the account hereto annexed is true and right...

1697, Daniel Defoe, An Essay upon Projects:

Which the rather / We shall be bless'd to do, if he remember / A kinder value of the people than / He hath hereto priz'd them at.

Lords had not been frequent among her acquaintance hereto.

1861, Anthony Trollope, Framley Parsonage:

c. 1980, Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens), How I Came to Islam
I realized that everything belongs to God, that slumber does not overtake Him. He created everything. At this point I began to lose the pride in me, because hereto I had thought the reason I was here was because of my own greatness.


cheerily

cheerily (comparative more cheerily, superlative most cheerily)

more cheerily (comparative)
most cheerily (superlative)

Having already dismissed the story as a heap of piffle, he cheerily advised the reporters to go for a run.

Matters stood thus in the Castle of Avenel, when a winded bugle sent its shrill and prolonged notes from the shore of the lake, and was replied to cheerily by the signal of the warder.

1820, [Walter Scott], chapter III, 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 50:

What, perhaps, with other things, made Stubb such an easy-going, unfearing man, so cheerily trudging off with the burden of life in a world full of grave peddlers, all bowed to the ground with their packs; […]

1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “Knights and Squires”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 129:

In a cheerful manner; with a cheery demeanour.


unfrequently

unfrequently (comparative more unfrequently, superlative most unfrequently)

more unfrequently (comparative)
most unfrequently (superlative)

She not unfrequently stopped at the Parsonage, and had a few minutes' conversation with Charlotte, but was scarcely ever prevailed upon to get out.

1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter 30, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC:

Near to the jail, and by consequence near to Smithfield also, and the Compter, and the bustle and noise of the city; and just on that particular part of Snow Hill where omnibus horses going eastward seriously think of falling down on purpose, and where horses in hackney cabriolets going westward not unfrequently fall by accident, is the coach-yard of the Saracen's Head Inn;

1838 March – 1839 October, Charles Dickens, chapter 4, in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1839, →OCLC:

Hurry had all the prejudices and antipathies of a white hunter, who generally regards the Indian as a sort of natural competitor, and not unfrequently as a natural enemy.

1841, James Fenimore Cooper, “chapter 3”, in The Deerslayer:

Kings and free states not unfrequently maintained a troupe of professional singers and dancers, ready to undertake at the shortest notice the performance of the most elaborate Ode.

1879, F. D. Morice, Pindar, chapter 2, pp. 12-13:


en bloc

The nation's 50 million smokers remain at liberty to vote en bloc for a fussbudget-free Congress. Are the polls ready to accommodate smokers?

2010, Naomi Oreskes, Erik M. Conway, quoting Russell Seitz, chapter 5, in Merchants of Doubt:


reciprocally

reciprocally (comparative more reciprocally, superlative most reciprocally)

more reciprocally (comparative)
most reciprocally (superlative)

In a reciprocal manner; by way of returning (e.g. a favour, insult, etc).


summarily

summarily (comparative more summarily, superlative most summarily)

more summarily (comparative)
most summarily (superlative)

They were fired summarily at a single plant-wide meeting.

[…] and any offender found with firearms in his possession contrary to this Ordinance, shall be deemed to be guilty of a misdemeanor, and being thereof summarily convicted before any one or more Justice or Justices of the Peace, of being so illegally at large as aforesaid, shall be kept to hard labour on any of the Roads or Public Works of the said colony, for any time not exceeding three calendar months.

1849, Charles Fitzgerald, Ordinance enabling transportation of convicts to Western Australia:

[…] but in July 1745 he was summarily ordered by the secretary of state, the Duke of Newcastle, to return to England.

c. 1885-1900, John Knox Laughton, “Rowley, William (1690?-1768)”, in Dictionary of National Biography:

It is true that contempt committed in a trial courtroom can under some circumstances be punished summarily by the trial judge.

1955, Hugo Black, In re Murchison: Opinion of the Court, Supreme Court of the United States:

And it [bribery and fraud] didn't stop there. Both Sir Winston Churchill and later Labour leader Michael Foot were allegedly regular recipients of private cheques that would have seen them summarily sacked in this present age of transparency.

2023 March 8, Howard Johnston, “Was Marples the real railway wrecker?”, in RAIL, number 978, page 52:

He covered the topic summarily in an answer to a question.

After this mention of the closing persecution, he summarily indicates all that the devil, and the city of which he is the prince, shall suffer in the last judgment.

1950, Marcus, transl. Dods, chapter 14, in The City of God, book XX, translation of original by Augustine of Hippo:

They didn't get shot to death in hold-ups, strangled to death in rapes, stabbed to death in saloons, bludgeoned to death with axes by parents or children or die summarily by some other act of God.

1961 November 10, Joseph Heller, “The Soldier in White”, in Catch-22 […], New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster, →OCLC, page 168:

(duration) Over a short period of time, briefly.


sagely

sagely (comparative more sagely, superlative most sagely)

more sagely (comparative)
most sagely (superlative)

In the manner of a sage, with wisdom, wisely.


saliently

saliently (comparative more saliently, superlative most saliently)

more saliently (comparative)
most saliently (superlative)

In a salient manner, relevantly, germanely.


overmuch

From Middle English overmuche, overmuchel, equivalent to over- + much.

Some readers do not care overmuch for poetry.

O, he hath kept an evil diet long, / And overmuch consumed his royal person:

c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ecclesiastes 7:16:

"[…] Do you be humble, and tempt you the Big Man not overmuch. He is quick to anger."

1915, Caradoc Evans, “The Blast of God”, in My People: Stories of the Peasantry of West Wales, New York: Boni & Liveright, published 1918, page 267:

yet what am i that such and such / mysteries very simple touch / me,whose heart-wholeness overmuch / Expects of your hair pale, / a terror musical?

1922, E. E. Cummings, “Songs, III”, in George J. Firmage, editor, Complete Poems, 1904-1962, New York: Liveright, published 1991, page 13:

All of us were being paid regularly, wined and dined overmuch and had the whole theater world of Moscow for our enjoyment.

1956, Langston Hughes, chapter 3, in Joseph McLaren, editor, I Wonder as I Wander, Columbia: University of Missouri Press, published 2003, page 115:

прекалено много

Being too much, or too often, or in excess


germanely

germanely (comparative more germanely, superlative most germanely)

more germanely (comparative)
most germanely (superlative)

In a manner that is germane, relevantly.


sadistically

sadistically (comparative more sadistically, superlative most sadistically)

more sadistically (comparative)
most sadistically (superlative)

In a particularly horrible or brutal manner, as painfully as possible.


hereabout

/ˌhɪəɹəˈbaʊt/

I am sure my grandmother lived hereabout.


relevantly

relevantly (comparative more relevantly, superlative most relevantly)

more relevantly (comparative)
most relevantly (superlative)


sanely

sanely (comparative more sanely, superlative most sanely)

more sanely (comparative)
most sanely (superlative)

Gloating silently, she laved handfuls of hot sand over her, her mind alternating sanely and insanely.

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 296:

In a sane manner; sensibly; logically; rationally.


masterly

masterly (comparative more masterly, superlative most masterly)

more masterly (comparative)
most masterly (superlative)

From Middle English maisterli (“artistically; skilfully; in the manner of a conqueror or master; overconfidently”), from maister (see etymology 1) + -li (suffix forming adverbs); analysable as master + -ly (suffix forming adverbs).

inh

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

At length the sound of a flute broke upon mine ear; it was not played masterly, but the tones were very sweet; and what is more correct, perhaps, they harmonized with my feelings.

1818 January, “The Flute-player.—A Hint to the Discontented.”, in La Belle Assemblée; being Bell’s Court and Fashionable Magazine (New and Improved Series), volume XVII, number 106, London: […] John Bell, […], →OCLC, page 21, column 1:

(archaic) In a masterful manner; competently, masterfully.

ма́йсторски

in a masterful manner — see also masterfully


sagaciously

en-adv

sagaciously (comparative more sagaciously, superlative most sagaciously)

more sagaciously (comparative)
most sagaciously (superlative)

Who could forbear smiling, to see my charmer, like a farcical dean and chapter, choose what was before chosen for her; and sagaciously (as they go in form to prayers, that God would direct their choice) pondering upon the different proposals, as if she would make me believe, she has a mind for some other?

1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter [HTTP://NAME.UMDL.UMICH.EDU/004835420.0001.003 LETTER 37]”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume III, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; […], →OCLC, pages 189-190:

But if these suspicions were really his, he sagaciously refrained from verbally expressing them, however his actions might seem to hint them.

1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “Chapter 130”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:

“Introduce me, now there’s a good fellow,” he said,
“If we happen to meet it together!”
And the Bellman, sagaciously nodding his head,
Said “That must depend on the weather.”

1876, Lewis Carroll, The Hunting of the Snark […] , London: Macmillan, Fit the Fourth. The Hunting:

At present Joseph Stalin, astute, sagaciously “conservative,” has seen fit to squelch such activities.

1926 November 8, “Flame but no Fire”, in Time:

In a sagacious manner, in a way that is clever, shrewd, observant, keen of intellect or discernment, cunning or with ability and aptitude; sagely.


satanically

satanically (comparative more satanically, superlative most satanically)

more satanically (comparative)
most satanically (superlative)

But on the occasions that he did do something actively nasty, he was satanically good at insinuating himself so sneakily into your most sensitive spots that if you did not know him well you could end up thinking you were being unfair to him when he annoyed you.

1988, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Nervous Conditions, Faber & Faber Limited (2021), page 76:


sacrilegiously

sacrilegiously (comparative more sacrilegiously, superlative most sacrilegiously)

more sacrilegiously (comparative)
most sacrilegiously (superlative)

1970, Stendhal, Translated by Richard N. Coe, New York: Orion Press, Chapter XXII, p. 286,
Every Friday, in fact, the priests send out spies into the back-gardens of all the palazzi to hunt for chicken-bones on the rubbish-heaps; the chamber-maid cannot receive absolution at her Easter confession unless she denounces secret carcass-hoards of sacrilegiously-consumed fowls […]

In a sacrilegious manner; done without proper respect.


flatly

flatly (comparative more flatly, superlative most flatly)

more flatly (comparative)
most flatly (superlative)

He bent over the old woman again, with his ear turned flatly to her lips and then to the region of her heart.

1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 214:

Rabbit country, the working man's uncultivable terrain. Half a mile away, square open patches of yellow sand flatly glittered, and far on the horizon cranes and vast silver cylinders stood about, ghostly shining inhabitants of the marsh.

1980, Margaret Drabble, The Middle Ground:

It was an accusation that he flatly denied.

In 2017 in Zimbabwe, a military takeover brought Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule to and end. But one of the leaders, Maj Gen Sibusiso Moyo, appeared on television at the time, flatly denying it was a military takeover.

2023 August 30, “Gabon coup: The latest in a serious of military takeovers on the continent”, in BBC:

In a definite manner; in a manner showing complete certainty.

He replied flatly to the policeman's questions.

"Sure you never heard of him?" he asked incredulously. "Never," I said flatly.

1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 119:

"It's barbarous, Norsus." "It's Rome," said the giant flatly.

1966, James Workman, The Mad Emperor, Melbourne, Sydney: Scripts, page 65: