stunningly

stunningly (comparative more stunningly, superlative most stunningly)

more stunningly (comparative)
most stunningly (superlative)

She was stunningly beautiful. I couldn't take my eyes off her.

a stunningly expensive gift

stunningly awful ideas


studiously

en-adv

studiously (comparative more studiously, superlative most studiously)

more studiously (comparative)
most studiously (superlative)

besonnen

in a manner given to thought, contemplation, etc.


wilfully

wilfully (comparative more wilfully, superlative most wilfully)

more wilfully (comparative)
most wilfully (superlative)

From Old English wilfullīċe, corresponding to wilful + -ly.

Why then dost thou, O man, that of them all / Art Lord, and eke of nature Soueraine, / Wilfully make thy selfe a wretched thrall [...]?

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

(obsolete) Willingly, of one's own free will.

Troponym: maliciously


co-operatively

co-operatively (comparative more co-operatively, superlative most co-operatively)

more co-operatively (comparative)
most co-operatively (superlative)


cooperatively

cooperatively (comparative more cooperatively, superlative most cooperatively)

more cooperatively (comparative)
most cooperatively (superlative)

Google Drive enables users to edit documents and interactive notes cooperatively.

2017, Di Zou, James Lambert, “Feedback methods for student voice in the digital age”, in British Journal of Educational Technology, volume 48, number 5, page 1083:

In a cooperative manner; working with others on a task as part of a team.


slavishly

slavishly (comparative more slavishly, superlative most slavishly)

more slavishly (comparative)
most slavishly (superlative)

Although the words were not slavishly borrowed, the expressions partook of the simple dignity of the liturgy to which she had been accustomed, and was probably as worthy of the Being to whom they were addressed as they could well be made by human powers.

1840, James Fenimore Cooper, The Pathfinder:

"Railways seldom slavishly followed styles to be seen in the mainstream of contemporary architecture," HE [Historic England] explains.

2021 October 20, Dr Joseph Brennan, “A key part of our diverse railway heritage”, in RAIL, number 942, page 55:


subconsciously

subconsciously (comparative more subconsciously, superlative most subconsciously)

more subconsciously (comparative)
most subconsciously (superlative)

Sophia broke down here. Even at this moment she was subconsciously comparing her rendering of the part of the forlorn bride with Miss Marie Lohr's.

1921, Ben Travers, chapter 6, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:


sickeningly

sickeningly (comparative more sickeningly, superlative most sickeningly)

more sickeningly (comparative)
most sickeningly (superlative)

The punch was sickeningly sweet; if it had had any more sugar I would have wanted to rinse my mouth with vinegar.

(sometimes figurative) In a manner to sicken.


divinely

divinely (comparative more divinely, superlative most divinely)

more divinely (comparative)
most divinely (superlative)


may be

The presence of potato starch in arrow root may be discovered by the microscope.

1845, Andrew Ure, “ARROW ROOT”, in Recent Improvements in Arts, Manufactures, and Mines: […], London: […] Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, […], →OCLC, page 10:

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see may, be.


conscientiously

conscientiously (comparative more conscientiously, superlative most conscientiously)

more conscientiously (comparative)
most conscientiously (superlative)

STORES and tobacco were running out; it was time for a trip to the township. Also for a conscientiously taken holiday.

1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 58:

Others who conscientiously attended the Technical College at night often drooped over their desks in a doze, and one does not wonder at it.

1944 September and October, A Former Pupil, “Some Memories of Crewe Works—I”, in Railway Magazine, page 285:


unmistakably

In an unmistakable manner; unquestionably.


intelligently

intelligently (comparative more intelligently, superlative most intelligently)

more intelligently (comparative)
most intelligently (superlative)


conspicuously

conspicuously (comparative more conspicuously, superlative most conspicuously)

more conspicuously (comparative)
most conspicuously (superlative)


manifestly

manifestly (comparative more manifestly, superlative most manifestly)

more manifestly (comparative)
most manifestly (superlative)

Folk lore, legends, myths and fairy tales have followed childhood through the ages, for every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous and manifestly unreal.

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

He draws eclectically on studies of baboons, descriptive anthropological accounts of hunter-gatherer societies and, in a few cases, the fossil record. With this biological framework in place, Corning endeavors to show that the capitalist system as currently practiced in the United States and elsewhere is manifestly unfair.

2012 March-April, John T. Jost, “Social Justice: Is It in Our Nature (and Our Future)?”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 2012-02-13, page 162:


punctually

punctually (comparative more punctually, superlative most punctually)

more punctually (comparative)
most punctually (superlative)

To understand that he is not punctually right, nor those from whom he differs absolutely wrong.

1887, Robert Louis Stevenson, Books which Influenced Me:


glutinously

glutinously (comparative more glutinously, superlative most glutinously)

more glutinously (comparative)
most glutinously (superlative)


erratically

erratically (comparative more erratically, superlative most erratically)

more erratically (comparative)
most erratically (superlative)

When I saw the other driver weaving erratically across the road, I decided to keep my distance.

In an erratic manner; unsteadily or randomly, unpredictably.


pathetically

pathetically (comparative more pathetically, superlative most pathetically)

more pathetically (comparative)
most pathetically (superlative)


achingly

achingly (comparative more achingly, superlative most achingly)

more achingly (comparative)
most achingly (superlative)

achingly beautiful

So as to cause aching, especially heartache.


gluttonously

gluttonously (comparative more gluttonously, superlative most gluttonously)

more gluttonously (comparative)
most gluttonously (superlative)

From Middle English glotenously, gloutonnously; equivalent to gluttonous + -ly.


piteously

piteously (comparative more piteously, superlative most piteously)

more piteously (comparative)
most piteously (superlative)

From Middle English piteuously, pitously; equivalent to piteous + -ly.

He had been quite familiar with one old ghost, in a white waistcoat, with a monstrous iron safe attached to its ankle, who cried piteously at being unable to assist a wretched woman with an infant, whom it saw below, upon a door-step.

1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave I. Marley’s Ghost.”, in A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, pages 36–37:

Across her mind, and bowing over him,
Low to her own heart piteously she said:

1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 5:

Little Sea and Desire would wail piteously over my body for a day, and then I should be quickly forgotten.

1929, Robert Dean Frisbee, The Book of Puka-Puka, Eland, published 2019, page 194:

Adam himself bewildered and Eveless outside the garden; a Minotaur howling piteously in a labyrinth of money-worries.

1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 132:

In a piteous manner; pathetically; plaintively.


eloquently

eloquently (comparative more eloquently, superlative most eloquently)

more eloquently (comparative)
most eloquently (superlative)

From Middle English eloquently, eloquentely, equivalent to eloquent + -ly.

There they were before us, mother and babe, the white memories of a forgotten human history speaking more eloquently to the heart than could any written record of their lives.

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

Does she speak eloquently? / And would she have your baby? / I'm sure she'd make a really excellent mother

1995, “You Oughta Know”, in Jagged Little Pill, performed by Alanis Morissette:


mortally

mortally (comparative more mortally, superlative most mortally)

more mortally (comparative)
most mortally (superlative)

From Middle English mortally, equivalent to mortal + -ly.

The king was mortally wounded in the battle.

Fatally; in such a way as to cause death.

And all the depth of rightfull doome was taught / By faire Astræa with great industrie, / Whilest here on earth she lived mortallie […]

1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:


solidly

solidly (comparative more solidly, superlative most solidly)

more solidly (comparative)
most solidly (superlative)

And Trippier's measured penalty was another indication of his growing maturity at this level, the Spurs full-back having again performed solidly down England's right.

2018 July 3, Phil McNulty, “Colombia 1 - 1 England”, in BBC Sport:


tighter

We need to pull that rope tighter.


stickily

stickily (comparative more stickily, superlative most stickily)

more stickily (comparative)
most stickily (superlative)


stingily

stingily (comparative more stingily, superlative most stingily)

more stingily (comparative)
most stingily (superlative)


stormily

stormily (comparative more stormily, superlative most stormily)

more stormily (comparative)
most stormily (superlative)

Long before the energy crisis the debate over deregulation of natural gas prices raged stormily, stirring high emotions, demagogueries and mutual deceptions, and with literally billions of dollars at stake.

1976 April 2, “Gas Deregulation”, in The New York Times:

In a stormy manner. Often used figuratively for noisily.


stockily

stockily (comparative more stockily, superlative most stockily)

more stockily (comparative)
most stockily (superlative)


midships

midships (comparative more midships, superlative most midships)

more midships (comparative)
most midships (superlative)

With the design allowing the engine to be placed so far forward the holds are more midships and this gives a better trim.


veloce

(music) (To be played) with great rapidity.


steeply

steeply (comparative more steeply, superlative most steeply)

more steeply (comparative)
most steeply (superlative)

The two characteristic Italian villages which slumber on its banks, and the equally Italian palazzo whose terraced gardens descend steeply to the lake, hardly break the stillness and even the solitariness of the scene.

1894, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough:

The descent continues, still more steeply to Dundee (Tay Bridge), and approaching from the bridge itself this sharp descent gives the curious appearance that the station is below the level of the firth.

1947 January and February, O. S. Nock, “"The Aberdonian" in Wartime”, in Railway Magazine, page 7:

The station's style included two curved passenger walkways sweeping pierside and a steeply pitched verandah roof running along its inner side.

2023 March 22, Dr Joseph Brennan, “Grand buildings on the list... and lost: Greenock Princes Pier”, in RAIL, number 979, page 52:


infallibly

infallibly (comparative more infallibly, superlative most infallibly)

more infallibly (comparative)
most infallibly (superlative)

The pope speaks infallibly ex cathedra.


tooth and nail

From the Middle English phrase (with) nayles and teþ (“viciously, ferociously”, literally “(with) nails and teeth”).

For a century, the two families fought tooth and nail over control of the land.

I shall fight tooth and nail for international copyright and stage-right, […] .

a. 1884, Charles Reade, 1887, Charles L. Reade, Compton Reade, Charles Reade, Dramatist, Novelist, Journalist: A Memoir Compiled Chiefly from His Literary Remains, Volume 2, page 229

At that time, I was young in the Lord, stood firm on what I believed, and I fought tooth and nail for what I thought was right in my mind and with God.

2007, Patrick Bentley, The Birth of a Song, page 76:

The women struggle tooth and nail to gain office skills so they don't have to make Jell—O or pencils forever.

2008, Laura Schenone, The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken: A Search for Food and Family:

Jeremy DeLongpre: Yeah, about that Tony nomination. Richard DeLongpre: Yeah, apparently they don't nominate plays that are staged in our living room. Not over, fighting 'em tooth and nail on it.

2011 Allen Gregory, "Pilot" (season 1, episode 1)

In a second term Mr Obama’s administration is likely to press ahead with its struggle to hold for-profit colleges more accountable for their results: something the industry is fighting tooth and claw.

2012 October 6, “Education: Class Warfare”, in The Economist:

We are striving tooth and nail to kill anything remotely suggestive of the hulas of ancient Hawaii.

2012 November 29, Christine Skwiot, The Purposes of Paradise: U.S. Tourism and Empire in Cuba and Hawai'i:

"Ministers cannot continue to sit on their hands, hoping this dispute will go away. Our members are fully prepared to fight tooth-and-nail for a negotiated settlement," RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch has warned.

2023 March 8, Mel Holley, “TSSA accepts offer, but RMT sets new strike dates”, in RAIL, number 978, page 10:

(figurative) Viciously; with all one's strength or power; without holding back.


straightly

straightly (comparative more straightly, superlative most straightly)

more straightly (comparative)
most straightly (superlative)

From Middle English streightly, streightli, streiȝtli, equivalent to straight + -ly.

In a straight manner; without curve or bend.

𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍄𐌰𐌱𐌰

agreeably; correspondingly; suitably; in a manner conformable

[…] I was directing my course towards it, as straightly and as speedily as the windings of a very indifferent road would permit, […]

1817 December 31 (indicated as 1818), [Walter Scott], chapter V, in Rob Roy. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co. […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 92:

After an hour or so the veil lifted and discovered beneath it fifty horsemen, ravening lions to the sight, in steel armour dight. We observed them straightly, and lo! they were cutters-off of the highway, wild as wild Arabs.

1885, Richard F. Burton, chapter XII, in The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, volume I, The Burton Club, page 114:


cursorily

cursorily (comparative more cursorily, superlative most cursorily)

more cursorily (comparative)
most cursorily (superlative)


unbelievably

unbelievably (comparative more unbelievably, superlative most unbelievably)

more unbelievably (comparative)
most unbelievably (superlative)

He gestured unbelievably. Everyone knew he was faking his illness.

Almost unbelievably, some authors have formed the erroneous conception that ‘Hobson-Jobson’ is actually the double-barrelled surname of the dictionary’s editor.

2018, James Lambert, “Setting the Record Straight: An In-depth Examination of Hobson-Jobson”, in International Journal of Lexicography, volume 31, number 4, →DOI, page 488:

(manner) In a manner that one does not or cannot believe.

His face turned unbelievably blue. We realized he was actually choking.

(degree) To an extent not to be believed.

Unbelievably, Rudy saved the man's life but got sued for breaking two of his ribs.

(evaluative) Contrary to expectations, amazingly.

շշմեցուցիչ

ššmecʻucʻičʻ


skeptically

skeptically (comparative more skeptically, superlative most skeptically)

more skeptically (comparative)
most skeptically (superlative)

(American spelling) In a skeptical manner, with skepticism.


in camera

Borrowed from Latin in camerā (“in the chamber”).

In secret or in private (in an enclosed room, behind closed doors).

The trial was held in camera because the accused was a minor.

Ma'am, I must protest most strongly your decision to conduct this inquest in camera.

2011, M. R. Hall, The Disappeared: A Jenny Cooper Mystery, →ISBN, page 309:

Any transcription of the proceedings at the in camera hearing, as well as any physical evidence presented at the hearing, shall be ordered sealed by the court, and only a court may have access to its contents.

2014, John Snape, California Evidence Code 2014, →ISBN, page 43:

An inquest in camera and they would all be vindicated.

2018, Kate Atkinson, Transcription, →ISBN, page 293:

(law) Without the presence of the public or the media (in court)

i gcúirt iata

without the presence of the public or the media


nimbly

nimbly (comparative more nimbly, superlative most nimbly)

more nimbly (comparative)
most nimbly (superlative)

And now, in ſtead of mounting Barbed Steeds, / To fright the Soules of fearfull Aduersaries, / He capers nimbly in a Ladies Chamber, / To the laſcivious pleaſing of a Lute.

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], page 173:

“Nimbly” quoth he, “do the fingers move / If a man be but used to his trade.”

1834 [1799], Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Robert Southey, “The Devil's Thoughts”, in The Poetical Works of S. T. Coleridge, volume II, London: W. Pickering, page 85:

"The bee belongs to the one who caught it! If you catch it, it's your bee!" he said, nimbly jumping up and snatching a bee out of the air. "Yow! This one's mine!"

2000, Eiji Yoshikawa, translated by William Scott Wilson, Taiko: An Epic Novel of War and Glory in Feudal Japan, →ISBN:


saddle-backed

(of riding a horse) with a saddle, rather than bare-backed


far and away

Their coffee is far and away the best in town.

(idiomatic) By a large degree or margin; greatly.


bidirectionally

/ˌbaɪdɪˈɹɛkʃənəli/

The whole of the South Shields branch passed to the Tyne & Wear Metro in 1984 under the Tyneside Metropolitan Rail Act 1973, apart from a short section that was divided into two bi-directionally signalled lines (although interconnected by a series of loops that allow Metro trains to pass each other).

2023 November 29, Richard Foster, “Tyne & Wear Metro goes with the flow”, in RAIL, number 997, page 32:


jist

'Mister Muntlehiney,' said the man. 'Wot's come on him? Is he at home?'
'He is above stairs, I believe,' replied Kate, a little reassured by this inquiry. 'Do you want him?'
'No,' replied the visitor. 'I don't ezactly want him, if it's made a favour on. You can jist give him that 'ere card, and tell him if he wants to speak to ME, and save trouble, here I am; that's all.'

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

They get all their chawing by borrowing—they say to a fellow, "I wisht you'd len' me a chaw, Jack, I jist this minute give Ben Thompson the last chaw I had"—which is a lie pretty much every time;

1884 December 10, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter XXI, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: (Tom Sawyer’s Comrade) […], London: Chatto & Windus, […], →OCLC, page 210:

The world 'as got me snouted jist a treat; Crool Forchin's dirty left 'as smote me soul.

1915, C.J. Dennis, The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke, published 1916, page 13:

Throth they wor tarra; jist the five months oul".

1983, William Forbes Marshall, John the Liar:

(Mid-Ulster, others) Nonstandard spelling of just.


hoarsely

hoarsely (comparative more hoarsely, superlative most hoarsely)

more hoarsely (comparative)
most hoarsely (superlative)

From Middle English hosely; equivalent to hoarse + -ly.

She spoke hoarsely because of her cough.

`Say, hast thou seen enough!' `I have looked on beauty, and I am blinded,' I said hoarsely, lifting my hand to cover up my eyes.

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


pretentiously

pretentiously (comparative more pretentiously, superlative most pretentiously)

more pretentiously (comparative)
most pretentiously (superlative)

In a manner with unwarranted claim to importance or distinction.

pretensiosament

in a manner with unwarranted claim to importance or distinction

Little disappointed, then, she turned attention to "Chat of the Social World," gossip which exercised potent fascination upon the girl's intelligence. She devoured with more avidity than she had her food those pretentiously phrased chronicles of the snobocracy—[…]—distilling therefrom an acid envy that robbed her napoleon of all its flavor.

1914 November, Louis Joseph Vance, “An Outsider […]”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LIII, number II, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company, […], published 1915, →OCLC, chapter I (Anarchy), page 373, column 2:

Ostentatiously; in a manner intended to impress others.

In a manner demanding of skill or daring.


preëmptively

preëmptively (comparative more preëmptively, superlative most preëmptively)

more preëmptively (comparative)
most preëmptively (superlative)


ceremoniously

ceremoniously (comparative more ceremoniously, superlative most ceremoniously)

more ceremoniously (comparative)
most ceremoniously (superlative)


censoriously

censoriously (comparative more censoriously, superlative most censoriously)

more censoriously (comparative)
most censoriously (superlative)


celestially

In a celestial manner; concerning the heavens


centrally

centrally (comparative more centrally, superlative most centrally)

more centrally (comparative)
most centrally (superlative)

The tubes being filled with distilled water, the light from an electric lamp was directed toward the central glass of the refractometer and the latter adjusted by screws till the light passed centrally down both tubes, and then the right angled prism at the further end adjusted till the light returned and was reflected into the telescope, where generally two images were observed.

1886, Albert A. Michelson, Edward W. Morley, “Influence of Motion of the Medium on the Velocity of Light”, in American Journal of Science, Series 3, Volume 31, Number 185, pages 377-386:

Hence for the rain to centrally traverse the tube, this must be inclined at an angle BAD to the vertical;

1911, “Aberration”, in Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition:

The labium is prolonged centrally into a “tongue,” which is glandular at the tip; the paraglossae are linear.

1911, “Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition”, in Wasp:

Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big Four European nations.

2004, Central Intelligence Agency, “Hungary”, in The World Factbook:

(location) In a central manner or situation; at, to, through or from the centre.


manfully

manfully (comparative more manfully, superlative most manfully)

more manfully (comparative)
most manfully (superlative)

From Middle English manfully; equivalent to manful + -ly.

[…] Apollyon wounded him in his head, his hand and foot; this made Chriſtian give a little back: Apollyon therefore followed his work amain, and Chriſtian again took courage, and reſiſted as manfully as he could.

1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 72:

She manfully struggled on, however - womanfully would perhaps be a stronger and more appropriate word. She had to calculate not only how to play her own hand correctly, but she had to calculate on her partner's probable errors.

1859, Anthony Trollope, The Bertrams, page 264:

One (ant) struggled manfully by with a dead spider five times as big as itself in its arms.

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

"Whilst he was sawing the beam, however, a fire broke out among the debris around him, and though he persevered most manfully, and continued until he was himself badly scorched, it was impossible for him to save Beale, who probably died from suffocation."

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:

YOUR SON WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED WHEN SHOT DOWN IN HANOI BUT HAS MADE FINE RECOVERY AND NOW, ACCORDING THIS GROUP, LOOKS "QUITE WELL." HE HAS BEEN EVERYTHING YOU WANT YOUR SON TO BE AND HAS STOOD UP MANFULLY AGAINST ALL EFFORTS TO PERSUADE HIM TO UTTER TRAITOROUS STATEMENTS.

1999, John McCain, Faith of My Fathers, New York: Random House, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 285:

In a manful manner; with the characteristics considered typical of a man, such as strength, courage, and determination.


certifiably

certifiably (comparative more certifiably, superlative most certifiably)

more certifiably (comparative)
most certifiably (superlative)

Was the accused at the time of the commission of the act with which he is charged, and before that time, laboring under such mental disease as to render him certifiably insane? […] He goes on to ask, How is a jury to determine whether a man is " certifiably insane?" How is any man to attach a definite meaning to "certifiably insane?" "The phrase can only mean that a couple of doctors can be found to certify that in their opinion the man is insane."

1894, The Medical and Surgical Reporter, volume 71, page 583:

Must such a neighborhood or district maintain a certain percentage of certifiably ethnic residents to maintain its eligibility?

1997, Robert E. Stipe, Antoinette Josephine Lee, The American Mosaic: Preserving a Nation's Heritage, page 277:

One or two were hurriedly fetching ropes and yelling contradictory orders, from which I deduced that Mr. Brown had indeed fallen into the gorge, but was not yet certifiably dead.

2007, Diana Gabaldon, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, page 320:

Further, the infrastructure core software, the Plugin modules and configuration information are all designed to be certifiably intact and secure.

2012, Mike Hinchey, Lorcan Coyle, Conquering Complexity, page 384:

The main purpose for California Certified Organic Farmers is to certify that the products that growers are selling are certifiably organic

1990 June, Orange Coast Magazine, volume 16, number 6, page 114:

He is certifiably nuts

Due mostly to his latest creation, the whacked-out Guggenheim branch that opened this fall in Bilbao, Spain, the 68-year-old Gehry has gone from being tagged the scary cousin in architecture's dysfunctional family to being certifiably huge.

1998 January, SPIN, volume 14, number 1, page 42:

I don't think the numbers are quite that high today; still, we're glad to be up, up and away and soon over the top— headed for the North Face, Mount Snow's hidden cache of bumped-up, certifiably scary steeps.

2002 November, “Ski”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume 67, number 3, page 191:

It is brought up when we gather, often voiced by some of the most physically attractive men there, many of whom are objectively gorgeous, certifiably buff.

2003, David Nimmons, The Soul Beneath the Skin:

The Tofu Cheesecake Bake-Off, which ten daring bakers had entered, was a special event held mid-week. It was, certifiably, the world's first such tofu pie contest

1981 December, Vegetarian Times, number 52, page 74:

You can get a long way into the Presley or Lennon mythology before you have to worry about the way these certifiably electric personalities dealt with the vocal problems of a particular phrase

1981 February 23, New York Magazine, volume 14, number 8, page 47:

Besides that, Mir was certifiably loaded ... she didn't need my Mom to buy her squat ... but apparently Mom had insisted.

2007, Mitch Reed, Blessings of the Father: Book One, page 44:

Now that you're certifiably — albeit temporarily — unemployed, you can explore places you've never before had the time, or the inclination, to explore.

2008, Nicholas J. Nigro, No Job? No Prob!:


obdurately

obdurately (comparative more obdurately, superlative most obdurately)

more obdurately (comparative)
most obdurately (superlative)

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

1907, Barbara Baynton, edited by Sally Krimmer and Alan Lawson, Human Toll (Portable Australian Authors: Barbara Baynton), St Lucia: University of Queensland Press, published 1980, page 216:

In an obdurate manner; stubbornly, intractably or inflexibly.


caddishly

caddishly (comparative more caddishly, superlative most caddishly)

more caddishly (comparative)
most caddishly (superlative)


cagily

cagily (comparative more cagily, superlative most cagily)

more cagily (comparative)
most cagily (superlative)


cardinally

cardinally (comparative more cardinally, superlative most cardinally)

more cardinally (comparative)
most cardinally (superlative)


captiously

captiously (comparative more captiously, superlative most captiously)

more captiously (comparative)
most captiously (superlative)


carnally

carnally (comparative more carnally, superlative most carnally)

more carnally (comparative)
most carnally (superlative)


caustically

caustically (comparative more caustically, superlative most caustically)

more caustically (comparative)
most caustically (superlative)


carnivorously

carnivorously (comparative more carnivorously, superlative most carnivorously)

more carnivorously (comparative)
most carnivorously (superlative)


capaciously

capaciously (comparative more capaciously, superlative most capaciously)

more capaciously (comparative)
most capaciously (superlative)

But my Leech—a leech
Fit to suck blood, with lubricous round rings,
Capaciously expatiative, which make
His little body like a red balloon,
As full of blood as that of hydrogene,
Sucked from men’s hearts

1820, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Oedipus Tyrannus; Or, Swellfoot The Tyrant: A Tragedy in Two Acts:


causally

Sometimes the attempt was made to reduce the inner to the outer world (Condillac, Mach, Avenarius, materialism); sometimes the outer to the inner world (Descartes, Berkeley, Fichte); sometimes the sphere of the absolute to the others (e.g., by trying to infer causally the essence and existence of something divine in general);

2014, Volker Meja, Nico Stehr, Knowledge and Politics:


capitalistically

capitalistically (comparative more capitalistically, superlative most capitalistically)

more capitalistically (comparative)
most capitalistically (superlative)


caudally

However, articulated specimens reveal that in hadrosaurids the radius articulates with the lateral condyle of the humerus, as in other vertebrates, and the palms face caudomedially, though more medially than caudally.

2012, Phil Senter, Forearm orientation in Hadrosauridae (Dinosauria: Ornithopoda) and implications for museum mounts, Palaeontologia Electronica, abstract:

In a caudal manner; with regard to a tail


cantankerously

cantankerously (comparative more cantankerously, superlative most cantankerously)

more cantankerously (comparative)
most cantankerously (superlative)


stiflingly

stiflingly (comparative more stiflingly, superlative most stiflingly)

more stiflingly (comparative)
most stiflingly (superlative)

The air was stiflingly hot.

In a stifling manner; so as to suffocate.


canonically

canonically (comparative more canonically, superlative most canonically)

more canonically (comparative)
most canonically (superlative)

For example, once the child is able to parse (i.e. grammatically analyse) an adult utterance such as Help Daddy and knows that it contains a verb phrase comprising the head verb help and its complement Daddy, then (on the assumption that the language faculty specifies that all heads of a given type behave uniformly with regard to whether they are positioned before or after their complements), the child will automatically know that all verbs in English are canonically (i.e. normally) positioned before their complements.

2004, Andrew Radford, Minimalist Syntax: Exploring the structure of English, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, §1.7, page 23:


catastrophically

catastrophically (comparative more catastrophically, superlative most catastrophically)

more catastrophically (comparative)
most catastrophically (superlative)

In a catastrophic manner, or to a catastrophic extent; disastrously.


preclusively

preclusively (comparative more preclusively, superlative most preclusively)

more preclusively (comparative)
most preclusively (superlative)


calculatingly

calculatingly (comparative more calculatingly, superlative most calculatingly)

more calculatingly (comparative)
most calculatingly (superlative)


calamitously

calamitously (comparative more calamitously, superlative most calamitously)

more calamitously (comparative)
most calamitously (superlative)


capably

capably (comparative more capably, superlative most capably)

more capably (comparative)
most capably (superlative)


cattily

cattily (comparative more cattily, superlative most cattily)

more cattily (comparative)
most cattily (superlative)


changelessly

changelessly (comparative more changelessly, superlative most changelessly)

more changelessly (comparative)
most changelessly (superlative)


categorically

categorically (comparative more categorically, superlative most categorically)

more categorically (comparative)
most categorically (superlative)

a welfare scheme for the categorically needy

(modal) Absolutely, by all means; truly.


charily

charily (comparative more charily, superlative most charily)

more charily (comparative)
most charily (superlative)


choppily

choppily (comparative more choppily, superlative most choppily)

more choppily (comparative)
most choppily (superlative)


cheerlessly

cheerlessly (comparative more cheerlessly, superlative most cheerlessly)

more cheerlessly (comparative)
most cheerlessly (superlative)


chauvinistically

chauvinistically (comparative more chauvinistically, superlative most chauvinistically)

more chauvinistically (comparative)
most chauvinistically (superlative)

In a chauvinistic manner; with excessive patriotism or unwarranted bias.


churlishly

churlishly (comparative more churlishly, superlative most churlishly)

more churlishly (comparative)
most churlishly (superlative)

How churlishlyI chid Lucreatia hence, / When willingly I would have had her here.

1598?, Two Gentlemen of Verona Act I, scene II, line 57-8


chidingly

chidingly (comparative more chidingly, superlative most chidingly)

more chidingly (comparative)
most chidingly (superlative)

"You shouldn't have stayed up so long," she said chidingly.


clemently

clemently (comparative more clemently, superlative most clemently)

more clemently (comparative)
most clemently (superlative)


capitally

capitally (comparative more capitally, superlative most capitally)

more capitally (comparative)
most capitally (superlative)

We enjoyed ourselves capitally.


clangorously

clangorously (comparative more clangorously, superlative most clangorously)

more clangorously (comparative)
most clangorously (superlative)


chorally

chorally (comparative more chorally, superlative most chorally)

more chorally (comparative)
most chorally (superlative)


ringingly

ringingly (comparative more ringingly, superlative most ringingly)

more ringingly (comparative)
most ringingly (superlative)


eer

(poetic) Unpunctuated contraction of ever.


chivalrously

chivalrously (comparative more chivalrously, superlative most chivalrously)

more chivalrously (comparative)
most chivalrously (superlative)


cockily

cockily (comparative more cockily, superlative most cockily)

more cockily (comparative)
most cockily (superlative)


colonially

colonially (comparative more colonially, superlative most colonially)

more colonially (comparative)
most colonially (superlative)


cogently

cogently (comparative more cogently, superlative most cogently)

more cogently (comparative)
most cogently (superlative)


collectedly

collectedly (comparative more collectedly, superlative most collectedly)

more collectedly (comparative)
most collectedly (superlative)


charitably

charitably (comparative more charitably, superlative most charitably)

more charitably (comparative)
most charitably (superlative)


subserviently

subserviently (comparative more subserviently, superlative most subserviently)

more subserviently (comparative)
most subserviently (superlative)


cold-bloodedly

cold-bloodedly (comparative more cold-bloodedly, superlative most cold-bloodedly)

more cold-bloodedly (comparative)
most cold-bloodedly (superlative)


cold-heartedly

cold-heartedly (comparative more cold-heartedly, superlative most cold-heartedly)

more cold-heartedly (comparative)
most cold-heartedly (superlative)


colorlessly

colorlessly (comparative more colorlessly, superlative most colorlessly)

more colorlessly (comparative)
most colorlessly (superlative)


cheekily

cheekily (comparative more cheekily, superlative most cheekily)

more cheekily (comparative)
most cheekily (superlative)

The time passed. The two mice, careering wildly, scampered cheekily over his slippers. He had not moved a muscle.

1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “chapter 15”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC:


cliquishly

cliquishly (comparative more cliquishly, superlative most cliquishly)

more cliquishly (comparative)
most cliquishly (superlative)


coherently

coherently (comparative more coherently, superlative most coherently)

more coherently (comparative)
most coherently (superlative)


clammily

clammily (comparative more clammily, superlative most clammily)

more clammily (comparative)
most clammily (superlative)

These are swept aside and rise clammily through the air.

1934, Henry G. Lamond, An Aviary on the Plains, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 169:


classically

classically (comparative more classically, superlative most classically)

more classically (comparative)
most classically (superlative)

In a classical manner; according to the manner of classical authors.

In the manner of classes; according to a regular order of classes or sets.


colorfully

colorfully (comparative more colorfully, superlative most colorfully)

more colorfully (comparative)
most colorfully (superlative)

Put slightly more colorfully, if a player left a strategy with his or her lawyer before the game began, the lawyer could play the game for the player without ever needing further instructions as to how to play.

1992, Robert Gibbons, A Primer in Game Theory, Prentice-Hall, page 92:


climatically

In a climatic manner; regarding the climate.


chromatically

chromatically (comparative more chromatically, superlative most chromatically)

more chromatically (comparative)
most chromatically (superlative)

"Let's focus on the ones you can see, if your delicate sensibilities will allow it." Lillihammer leaned on the wall, next to a pair of figures frozen mid-gyration who bore, even in their chromatically-reduced state, a striking resemblance to Chelsea Smits and the late, unlamented Sergey Vanchev.

2022 October 7, HarryBlank, “A Clean Break”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 2024-05-25:


charmingly

charmingly (comparative more charmingly, superlative most charmingly)

more charmingly (comparative)
most charmingly (superlative)

How charmingly sweet you sing.

1871, Edward Lear, The Owl and the Pussycat:

This does not take into account the tens of thousands of New Yorkers who are harmlessly and charmingly insane in a peculiarly Manhattanite manner.

1946, George Johnston, Skyscrapers in the Mist, page 52:


coincidentally

coincidentally (comparative more coincidentally, superlative most coincidentally)

more coincidentally (comparative)
most coincidentally (superlative)

Perfect for The Railway Children, which coincidentally was first serialised in 1905 in The London Magazine, being subsequently published in book form (1906).

2021 August 11, Stephen Roberts, “Beeching to Brief Encounter... in a heartbeat”, in RAIL, number 937, page 52:


clerically

clerically (comparative more clerically, superlative most clerically)

more clerically (comparative)
most clerically (superlative)

This reverend man, with countenance so demurely benign, with robes so glossy and so clerically flowing, with wig so minutely powdered, so rigid and so vast,—-could this be he who, of late, with sour visage, and in snuffy habiliments, administered, ferule in hand, the Draconian laws of the academy?

Among the black and breaking groups in that distance was one especially black which did not break—a group of two figures clerically clad.

1911, G. K. Chesterton, “The Blue Cross”, in The Innocence of Father Brown:

His plump hands were transparent against the clerically black vest.

1942, Emily Carr, “The Bishop and the Canary”, in The Book of Small, Toronto, Ont.: Oxford University Press, →OCLC:


collaterally

collaterally (comparative more collaterally, superlative most collaterally)

more collaterally (comparative)
most collaterally (superlative)

These pulleys […] placed collaterally.

1648, John Wilkins, Mathematical Magick:

The will hath force upon the conscience collaterally and indirectly.

1660, Jeremy Taylor, Ductor Dubitantium, or the Rule of Conscience in All Her General Measures; […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] James Flesher, for Richard Royston […], →OCLC:

In an indirect or subordinate manner; indirectly.


childishly

I knew, of course, it was but an innocent game on her part, a bit of backfisch foolery in imitation of some simulacrum of fake romance, and since (as the psychotherapist, as well as the rapist, will tell you) the limits and rules of such girlish games are fluid, or at least too childishly subtle for the senior partner to grasp—I was dreadfully afraid I might go too far and cause her to start back in revulsion and terror.

1955, Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: G[eorge] P[almer] Putnam’s Sons, published August 1958, →OCLC, part 1, page 115:


chattily

chattily (comparative more chattily, superlative most chattily)

more chattily (comparative)
most chattily (superlative)


coaxingly

coaxingly (comparative more coaxingly, superlative most coaxingly)

more coaxingly (comparative)
most coaxingly (superlative)

She drew her arm coaxingly through the old man’s, and whispered something in his ear; and do what he would, old Lobbs couldn’t help breaking out into a smile, while a tear stole down his cheek at the same time.

1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “Chapter 17”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC:

Now Barbie took her arm, and said coaxingly, 'You could at least tell me how much of what they say is true.'

1956 [1880], Johanna Spyri, Heidi, translation of original by Eileen Hall, page 10:

Badger puffed coaxingly for a second or two, and then let out a roguish cloud of smoke.

2004, Alan Hollinghurst, chapter 5, in The Line of Beauty […], 1st US edition, New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN:


staunchly

staunchly (comparative staunchlier or more staunchly, superlative staunchliest or most staunchly)

staunchlier (comparative)
more staunchly (comparative)
staunchliest (superlative)
most staunchly (superlative)


statically

a statically charged film

a software application that is statically linked to its libraries


stammeringly

stammeringly (comparative more stammeringly, superlative most stammeringly)

more stammeringly (comparative)
most stammeringly (superlative)

In a stammering manner, done with a stammer or stutter.


starchily

starchily (comparative more starchily, superlative most starchily)

more starchily (comparative)
most starchily (superlative)


comme ci comme ça

Borrowed from French comme ci comme ça (literally “like this like that”).

bor

How did he do at the tryouts? Oh, comme ci comme ça.


spotlessly

en-adv

spotlessly (comparative more spotlessly, superlative most spotlessly)

more spotlessly (comparative)
most spotlessly (superlative)


spinelessly

spinelessly (comparative more spinelessly, superlative most spinelessly)

more spinelessly (comparative)
most spinelessly (superlative)


spryly

spryly (comparative more spryly, superlative most spryly)

more spryly (comparative)
most spryly (superlative)

But now an express had rolled up and the old man was disappearing quite spryly inside one of its doors.

1952, Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, Penguin Books (2014), page 579:


sportingly

sportingly (comparative more sportingly, superlative most sportingly)

more sportingly (comparative)
most sportingly (superlative)

In a sporting manner, demonstrating good sportsmanship.


spottily

spottily (comparative more spottily, superlative most spottily)

more spottily (comparative)
most spottily (superlative)


spitefully

spitefully (comparative more spitefully, superlative most spitefully)

more spitefully (comparative)
most spitefully (superlative)

Tuc[ca]. […] Can thy Author doe it impudently enough? / Hiſt[rio]. O, I warrant you, Captaine: and ſpitefully inough too; he ha's one of the moſt ouerflowing villanous wits, in Rome. He will ſlander any man that breathes; If he diſguſt him. / Tucca. I'le know the poor, egregious, nitty Raſcall; and he haue ſuch commendable Qualities, I'le cheriſh him: […]

1601, Ben Jonson, Poetaster or The Arraignment: […], London: […] [R. Bradock] for M[atthew] L[ownes] […], published 1602, →OCLC, Act III:


hermetically

hermetically (comparative more hermetically, superlative most hermetically)

more hermetically (comparative)
most hermetically (superlative)

With a hermetic seal; so as to be airtight.

Too often, this interchange of knowledge is thwarted, one way or another: the entropic leanings of the workplace foster hermetically isolated patterns of behavior.

2001, Timothy J. Lenz, James K. McDowell, “Knowledge management for the strategic design and manufacture of polymer composite products”, in Rajkumar Roy, editor, Industrial Knowledge Management: A Micro-Level Approach, →ISBN, page 379:


anticonstitutionally

anticonstitutionally (comparative more anticonstitutionally, superlative most anticonstitutionally)

more anticonstitutionally (comparative)
most anticonstitutionally (superlative)


mannerly

mannerly (comparative more mannerly, superlative most mannerly)

more mannerly (comparative)
most mannerly (superlative)

From Middle English manerly, equivalent to manner + -ly.


soggily

soggily (comparative more soggily, superlative most soggily)

more soggily (comparative)
most soggily (superlative)


sinfully

sinfully (comparative more sinfully, superlative most sinfully)

more sinfully (comparative)
most sinfully (superlative)

They sinfully committed adultery.

a sinfully delicious dessert


supernaturally

supernaturally (comparative more supernaturally, superlative most supernaturally)

more supernaturally (comparative)
most supernaturally (superlative)

From Middle English supernaturaly; equivalent to supernatural + -ly.

You are supernaturally kind . . kindestest, bestestest . . . and, so, dearestest by the merest justice; only, to think of your hastening home, as if you were under an obligation to write to me in the face of the seven worlds, . . that is too much, and shall not be again — now see that it shall not.

1898, Elizabeth Barrett, “The” Letters of Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett:


superlatively

superlatively (comparative more superlatively, superlative most superlatively)

more superlatively (comparative)
most superlatively (superlative)

We may form judgments of Italy widely different, according to circumstances. Sometimes the evil that has been said of it accords with what we see, and at others it appears superlatively unjust.

1807, [Germaine] de Staël Holstein, translated by D[ennis] Lawler, “[Book XIX. Oswald’s return to Italy.] Chap[ter] VII.”, in Corinna; or, Italy. […], volume V, London: […] Corri, […]; and sold by Colburn, […], and Mackenzie, […], →OCLC, page 216:

In a superlative manner; in the greatest possible way.


semplice

(music) (To be played) simply, without embellishments.


shoddily

shoddily (comparative more shoddily, superlative most shoddily)

more shoddily (comparative)
most shoddily (superlative)

In a shoddy manner; lacking quality and done poorly, usually in a cheap and low quality way.


as per

The monument is just Poseidon being lazy, as per, and not keeping his city in order. You cannot be destroyed.

2024 August 29, Charlie Covell, 23:06 from the start, in Georgi Banks-Davies, director, Kaos, season 1, episode 1, spoken by Prometheus (Stephen Dillane), via Netflix:


banally

banally (comparative more banally, superlative most banally)

more banally (comparative)
most banally (superlative)


meaningfully

meaningfully (comparative more meaningfully, superlative most meaningfully)

more meaningfully (comparative)
most meaningfully (superlative)


vertiginously

vertiginously (comparative more vertiginously, superlative most vertiginously)

more vertiginously (comparative)
most vertiginously (superlative)

He walked through the world vertiginously, as if on a tightrope.

2019, Chigozie Obioma, An Orchestra of Minorities, Abacus (2019), page 17:


sobbingly

sobbingly (comparative more sobbingly, superlative most sobbingly)

more sobbingly (comparative)
most sobbingly (superlative)


somberly

somberly (comparative more somberly, superlative most somberly)

more somberly (comparative)
most somberly (superlative)


solicitously

solicitously (comparative more solicitously, superlative most solicitously)

more solicitously (comparative)
most solicitously (superlative)


soddenly

soddenly (comparative more soddenly, superlative most soddenly)

more soddenly (comparative)
most soddenly (superlative)

Mature women desired to give, provided, of course, you gave yourself first; frankly, honourably, sincerely, soddenly.

1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 148:


blankly

blankly (comparative more blankly, superlative most blankly)

more blankly (comparative)
most blankly (superlative)

His face was a fair weakness, his chin retreated, and his hair lay in crisp, almost flaxen curls on his low forehead; his eyes were rather large, pale blue, and blankly staring.

1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 111:

Whitely (that is, purely, blankly, and voidly), the moon cleanses the world of human industry — almost.

2008, Clayton Eshleman, The Grindstone of Rapport: A Clayton Eshleman Reader, page 417:

in a blank manner, especially showing no emotion or expression.


sonorously

sonorously (comparative more sonorously, superlative most sonorously)

more sonorously (comparative)
most sonorously (superlative)

Now old Falkenmeyer's fiddle feelingly quavered a few notes, then sonorously heralded the preliminary bass of the first set. Daddy Stein, standing in the middle of the room, clapped his hands for attention.

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 241:

Cox’s thing is defending flimsy cases, and as he strode round the platform declaiming sonorously, like Rumpole on a particularly outrageous brief, it was easy to see why they pay him so well.

2018, Anne Perkins, “A Dad’s Army-style Brexit looms. ‘Don’t panic!’”, in Guardian:


soldierly

soldierly (comparative more soldierly, superlative most soldierly)

more soldierly (comparative)
most soldierly (superlative)


overland

To prevent this, he practised that none of the Companies servauntes shuld be suffered to goe overland with letters.

1589, Jerome Horsey, manuscript reproduced in Edward Augustus Bond (ed.), Russia at the Close of the Sixteenth Century, T. Richards (1856), page 317

The packet that was coming to us overland, and that left England in July, was cut off by the wild Arabs between Aleppo and Bussora.

1786, Earl Cornwallis, letter to Viscount Brome, reproduced in Charles Ross (ed.), Correspondence of Charles, First Marquis Cornwallis, volume 1, second edition, John Murray (1859), page 247

Riding overland from Sydney to Brisbane, along the beautiful North Coast district of New South Wales, I tied my neddy up on the roadside and investigated a bark-shanty some little distance off in the Bush.

1919, Kilroy Harris, Outback in Australia […] , Garden City Press, page 3:

It is unclear whether the Peshin sayyid traveled overland or by ship to Bombay from where he accompanied the goods by sea to Karachi or one of the smaller ports in Sind, then overland to Bela, Kelat, Qandahar, Kabul, and Bukhara.

2008, Shah Mahmoud Hanifi, Connecting Histories in Afghanistan, Stanford University Press, published 2011, →ISBN, page 57:


confusedly

confusedly (comparative more confusedly, superlative most confusedly)

more confusedly (comparative)
most confusedly (superlative)

He wanted Pikes to ſet before his Archers: / Inſtead whereof, ſharpe Stakes pluckt out of Hedges / They pitched in the ground confuſedly, / To keepe the Horſemen off, from breaking in.

1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 97, column 1:

Iohnson [i.e., Ben Jonson] they say 's turned Epigrammatist, / Soe think not I, believe it they that list. / Peruse his booke, thou shalt not find a dram / Of witt befitting a true Epigram. / Perhaps some scraps of play-bookes thou maist see, / Collected heer & there confusedlie, / Which piece his broken stuffe; if thou but note, / Iust like soe many patches on a cote.

1614–1616, R. C., “Scribimus indocti doctique epigrammata passim”, in J[oseph] M[eadows] Cowper, editor, The Times’ Whistle: Or A Newe Daunce of Seven Satires, and Other Poems: … Now First Edited from MS. Y. 8. 3. in the Library of Canterbury Cathedral; […], London: Published for the Early English Text Society, by N[icholas] Trübner & Co., […], published 1871, →OCLC, part II (Certaine Poems, Comprising Things Naturall, Morrall, & Theologicall), page 132, lines 1–7:

Now ye have the Kingis letter and this ſupplicatioun both coppeit; read and conſidder both the ane and the uther, with the Counſallis anſuer ſent to the ſaid ſupplicatioun, quhilk is ſo ſtrangelie and confuſedlie ſet down that I can not wnderſtand the ſamen perfectlie weill.

1642, John Spalding, edited by James Skene, The History of the Troubles and Memorable Transactions in Scotland and England, from M.DC.XXIV. to M.DC.XLV. … In Two Volumes (Publications; no. 25), volume II, printed at Edinburgh: Bannatyne Club; printed by Ballantyne and Co., published 1829, page 51:

After the prayer, Mr. Byfield the ſcribe, reads the propoſition and the Scriptures, whereupon the Aſſemblie debates in a moſt grave and orderlie way. No man is called up to ſpeak; bot who ſtands up of his own accord, he ſpeaks ſo long as he will without interruption. If two or three ſtand up at once, then the divines confuſedlie calls on his name whom they deſyre to hear firſt: On whom the loudeſt and manieſt voices calls, he ſpeaks.

1643 December 17, R. Baylie [i.e., Robert Baillie], “[Letter to Mr. William Spang, 7 December 1643 [Julian calendar]]”, in The Letters and Journals of Robert Baillie, A.M. Principal of the University of Glasgow. M.DC.XXXVII.–M.DC.LXII. In Three Volumes (Publications; no. 73), volume II, Edinburgh: Bannatyne Club; [printed by Alexander Lawrie & Co. […]], published 1841, →OCLC, pages 108–109:

A Svveet diſorder in the dreſſe / Kindles in cloathes a vvantonneſſe: / […] / A Cuffe neglectfull, and thereby / Ribbands to flovv confuſedly: / […] / Do more bevvitch me, than vvhen Art / Is too preciſe in every part.

1648, Robert Herrick, “Delight in Disorder”, in Hesperides: Or, The Works both Humane & Divine […], London: […] John Williams, and Francis Eglesfield, and are to be sold by Tho[mas] Hunt, […], →OCLC, page 29:

The womb of Nature, and perhaps her Grave, / Of neither Sea, nor Shore, nor Air, nor Fire, / But all theſe in their pregnant cauſes mixt / Confus’dly, and which thus muſt ever fight, [...]

1667, John Milton, “Book II”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 911–914:

There were women weeping around—I hung over it, and joined my sad tears to theirs—all this time no distinct idea presented itself to my mind; but my thoughts rambled to various subjects, reflecting confusedly on my misfortunes, and their cause.

1816 June – 1831 October 31, Mary W[ollstonecraft] Shelley, chapter XXIII, in Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus (Standard Novels; IX), 3rd edition, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 176:

She heard confusedly the busy, indifferent voices around her, and wished her mind could flow into that easy, babbling current.

1860, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “Charity in Full-dress”, in The Mill on the Floss […], volume III, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book VI (The Great Temptation), pages 141–142:

And though I have turned the talk by hook or crook / Until her praise should be the uppermost theme, / A woman spoke of some new tale she had read, / A man confusedly in a half dream / As though some other name ran in his head.

1919 March, W[illiam] B[utler] Yeats, “Her Praise”, in The Wild Swans at Coole, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, →OCLC, page 48:


ad referendum

Borrowed from Latin ad referendum (“subject to reference”).

bor

The United Nations New Agenda for the Development of Africa in the 1990s was adopted by consensus ad referendum and recommended for approval by the Assembly later this year.

Subject to agreement by others and finalization of details, especially an ad referendum contract.


headfirst

Sheffield was not going to stop being Sheffield just because he had dived headfirst into the lusts of the flesh.

2016, Kerry Greenwood, Murder and Mendelssohn, Sydney: Allen and Unwin, page 245:

Rashly; precipitately; without deliberation; hastily.


structurally

After the hurricane, the building was structurally sound but aesthetically displeasing.

Harringay: The station booking office has been permanently closed, after it was declared structurally unsafe.

2022 April 20, Howard Johnston, “Regional News: Eastern”, in RAIL, number 955, page 30:


brick by brick

Created or built in a steady, step-by-step fashion.


de die in diem

The workers are paid de die in diem.

She received her salary de die in diem.


crossed fingers

Alternative spelling of fingers crossed (“hopefully, wishfully”)


catty-cornered

(US, Canada) Alternative form of catty-corner: cater-corner.


stolidly

en-adv

stolidly (comparative more stolidly, superlative most stolidly)

more stolidly (comparative)
most stolidly (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:


hands down

hands down (comparative more hands down, superlative most hands down)

more hands down (comparative)
most hands down (superlative)

The origin of this colloquialism seems to have its roots in mid-19th century horseracing. When a horse jockey is nearing the finish line far ahead of the competition, "with victory certain", he could drop his hands, relaxing his hold on the reins, and "still win the race". By the late 19th century the phrase was being used in non-racing contexts to mean 'with no trouble at all.'

(idiomatic) by a large margin (in a game or contest)

That is a rather difficult task, hands down.

(idiomatic) without question; undoubtedly

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see hands, down.


soullessly

soullessly (comparative more soullessly, superlative most soullessly)

more soullessly (comparative)
most soullessly (superlative)


sprucely

sprucely (comparative more sprucely, superlative most sprucely)

more sprucely (comparative)
most sprucely (superlative)

'Ah ! Hawk,' said one very sprucely dressed personage in a Newmarket coat, a choice neckerchief, and all other accessories of the most unexceptionable kind.

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

In a spruce manner; neatly and elegantly.


papally

papally (comparative more papally, superlative most papally)

more papally (comparative)
most papally (superlative)


sorrowfully

sorrowfully (comparative more sorrowfully, superlative most sorrowfully)

more sorrowfully (comparative)
most sorrowfully (superlative)

They sent a pleasant and refreshing fragrance far around, and shook sorrowfully the leaves of their white flowers over the reflected picture of the landscape in the mirror of the lake, which on all sides was surrounded by pine trees and mossy cliffs.

1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 280:

Sorrowfully Dorothy left the Throne Room and went back where the Lion and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman were waiting to hear what Oz had said to her. "There is no hope for me," she said sadly, "for Oz will not send me home until I have killed the Wicked Witch of the West; and that I can never do."

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

In a sorrowful manner; with sorrow and regret.

apesaradament

in a sorrowful manner; with sorrow and regret


benignantly

benignantly (comparative more benignantly, superlative most benignantly)

more benignantly (comparative)
most benignantly (superlative)

The Dominus Rex, benignantly receiving our Thirteen with their obeisance, and graciously declaring that he will strive to act for God’s honour, and the Church’s good, commands […]

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

Kavanaugh benignantly suggests the majority has “succumbed to ‘the natural desire that beguiles judges along with other human beings into imposing their own views of goodness, truth, and justice upon others.’”

2020 July 10, Ben Williams, “The U.S. Supreme Court and sexual orientation”, in The Mississippi Business Journal:


soundlessly

soundlessly (comparative more soundlessly, superlative most soundlessly)

more soundlessly (comparative)
most soundlessly (superlative)

Hassan kneed himself up, over, in, soundlessly, feet on floor, knife out, eyes like blunter knife trying to cut darkness.

1959, Anthony Burgess, Beds in the East (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 489:


changeably

changeably (comparative more changeably, superlative most changeably)

more changeably (comparative)
most changeably (superlative)


effetely

effetely (comparative more effetely, superlative most effetely)

more effetely (comparative)
most effetely (superlative)


simplistically

simplistically (comparative more simplistically, superlative most simplistically)

more simplistically (comparative)
most simplistically (superlative)

He explained relativity, but very simplistically.

Natural questions to ask are: 'What counts as data? How do you collect data?' There are two different types of data which linguists typically work with in formulating grammars. The first is a recorded sample of speech or text (such a sample is known technically as a corpus of utterances); we assume (perhaps simplistically) that in general people speak and write well-formed sentences. […]

1988, Andrew Radford, Transformational Grammar, Cambridge: University Press, →ISBN, page 24:

Simplistically, he was fired with pay.

Used to announce or excuse an oversimplified explanation or description. (Compare with in a nutshell.)


ad valorem

Borrowed from Latin ad valorem (“by value”).

bor+

"'I forgot to tell you, boys,' says he, 'that Nicaragua slapped an import duty of 48 per cent. ad valorem on all bottled goods last month.

[…]the medical attaché is known among the shrinking upper classes of petro-Arab nations as the DeBakey of maxillofacial yeast, his staggering fee-scale as wholly ad valorem.

1996, David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest […], Boston, Mass., New York, N.Y.: Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, page 33:


literatim

From Medieval Latin litterātim, from littera (“letter”). First known use: 1643.

In order to give its Scots flavor to the eye, as I cannot to the ear, I shall transcribe its beginning literatim.

1903, The Friends’ Historical Society, The Journal of the Friends’ Historical Society, page 1:

(of the copying of text) Letter by letter.


gradatim

Attested in English since 1575–1585: from Latin gradātim, from gradus (“step”).

This trend of thought and preaching and practice resulted gradatim in the junior certificate, to mark the distinction between university and secondary…

1928, JUNE: W J Cooper, The School Review: The Junior-College Movement in California, vol. 36, № 6, pp409–422

(obsolete) step by step; gradually and methodically.


methodically

en-adv

methodically (comparative more methodically, superlative most methodically)

more methodically (comparative)
most methodically (superlative)

He felt his teeth methodically, one after the other, with a vibrato movement of finger and thumb.

1959, Anthony Burgess, Beds in the East (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 429:


plene

From Latin plēnus (“full”) (adjective) or plēnē (“fully”) (adverb).

In the Mishnah (according to the Kaufmann Codex), this vowel is nearly consistently written plene (about 10,000 occurrences); most exceptions are in the tractate Avot.

2013, Gregor Geiger, Plene Writing of the Qōṭēl Pattern in the Dead Sea Scrolls:

(chiefly of abjad script) With matres lectionis (letters indicating vowels) written out.


inbye

From Middle English [Term?], equivalent to in + by.

An upcast fault is when the seam is thrown up; to counteract this a "canch" of top stone must be taken down outbye over from the fault, and a "canch" of bottom stone taken up inbye over from the fault, then level up to the bottom of your "canch" at the foreside of the hitch outbye over until you have a regular gradient to the seam on the hitch.

1879, William Bailes, Student's Guide to the Principles of Coal & Metal Mining, page 17:

(mining) pertaining to the direction towards the coal face.

When above ground, pertaining to the direction towards the house.


inimically

inimically (comparative more inimically, superlative most inimically)

more inimically (comparative)
most inimically (superlative)


dissuasively

dissuasively (comparative more dissuasively, superlative most dissuasively)

more dissuasively (comparative)
most dissuasively (superlative)


outbye

From Middle English outby, outbi, equivalent to out (adverb) + by (adverb).

(mining) In the direction away from the coal face.


sordidly

sordidly (comparative more sordidly, superlative most sordidly)

more sordidly (comparative)
most sordidly (superlative)

In a sordid manner; in a way that is dirty or morally low.


fallaciously

fallaciously (comparative more fallaciously, superlative most fallaciously)

more fallaciously (comparative)
most fallaciously (superlative)

In a fallacious manner, erroneously, illogically.


speechlessly

speechlessly (comparative more speechlessly, superlative most speechlessly)

more speechlessly (comparative)
most speechlessly (superlative)

He stood there speechlessly. The surprise had rendered him unable to make an intelligible reply.

That afternoon they stood at the foot of Mrs. Civil's bed. She was propped up by pillows, and through the little window looking westward the afternoon sun blazed unsparingly on the discoloured face of the sick woman, speechlessly rigid.

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 206:

His eyes grew round and he pointed speechlessly into space.

1971, Richard Carpenter, Catweazle and the Magic Zodiac, Harmondsworth: Puffin Books, page 35:

In a speechless manner; without speaking.


speculatively

speculatively (comparative more speculatively, superlative most speculatively)

more speculatively (comparative)
most speculatively (superlative)


spectacularly

spectacularly (comparative more spectacularly, superlative most spectacularly)

more spectacularly (comparative)
most spectacularly (superlative)

Obsessed only with cost, 'Sir Humphrey' saw that Transport for London 'got away' with ticket office closures on the Tube with only minor public pushback and miscalculated that it could do the same on the national network. This assumption backfired spectacularly.

2023 August 9, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Disinterested and dishonest”, in RAIL, number 989, page 3:

In a spectacular manner, extraordinarily, amazingly.


illogically

illogically (comparative more illogically, superlative most illogically)

more illogically (comparative)
most illogically (superlative)

Is the person acting in a strange manner, behaving illogically and seemingly out of touch with reality?

2012, René F. W. Diekstra, Keith E. Hawton, Suicide in Adolescence, page 178:

In an illogical manner, without following methods of sane and correct reasoning, in a manner lacking thought or logic.


post-haste

From the former instruction on letters "haste, post, haste," later reinterpreted as a compound of post + haste.


chastely

chastely (comparative more chastely, superlative most chastely)

more chastely (comparative)
most chastely (superlative)

From Middle English chasteliche, chastliche, chastely; equivalent to chaste + -ly.

Let lasses of a silly mind / Refuse what maist they're wanting / Since we for yielding were designed / We chastely should be granting.

In holy orders no one is better loved than he who lives chastely, because chastity is the first principle for any cleric as well as the foundation of his life.

2004, Theo Clemens, Wim Janse, The Pastor Bonus:

Of the group, Max (Room’s Jacob Tremblay) is the most nominally mature, at least biologically speaking; unlike his childhood companions, he’s entered the early throes of puberty, and spends a lot of his waking hours pining, rather chastely, for a classmate (Millie Davis).

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:

In a chaste manner. (either specifically virginal, or in a modest, unsexy and unrisqué manner)


severally

I will diſpatch you ſeuerally. You to Lord Lucius, to Lord Lucullus you, I hunted with his Honor to-day; [...]

c. 1605–1608, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 85, column 1:

For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 12:8–11:

The policemen severally presented him with a pipe, a tin of tobacco, two boxes of matches and a dictionary, and then they withdrew leaving him to his own devices.

1912, James Stephens, The Crock of Gold, New York: MacMillan, published 1926, Book V, p. 229:

As it was, they were unable to discuss the details severally as they would have done had murder not become thus wholesale.

1938, Xavier Herbert, chapter X, in Capricornia, New York: D. Appleton-Century, published 1943, page 162:

It tells them that those rules can be broken; and certainly they will break them, not once or twice but severally.

2012 November 12, Business Daily, Kenya, archived from the original on 2012-11-18:

It was at the point of confronting Alaba, who had been warned severally along with other tenants, that Ogunyemi met her demise.


cuz

Informal spelling of 'cause (“because”).


speciously

speciously (comparative more speciously, superlative most speciously)

more speciously (comparative)
most speciously (superlative)

Exasperated, as he might speciously allege, by the injuries of a similar nature, he hastened with a few followers to join the standard, and to betray the confidence, of his too credulous friend.

1781, Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume II, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC:

And thus his jealous soul speciously argued to excuse the separation of father and child.

1886 May, Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Smith, Elder & Co., […], →OCLC:

Once viewed—however speciously—as an escape from the wider world, American sports and politics have been explicitly entwined since athletes began protesting civil rights injustices, prodding their organisations to take a stance amid the polarising rise to power of Donald Trump.

2023 June 12, Tom Dart, “US culture wars come to baseball as MLB celebrates Pride month”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

In a specious manner; fallaciously and erroneously, but seeming superficially to be correct.

I will do what I can for them all three, for so I haue promisd, and Ile bee as good as my word, but speciously for M. Fenton.

c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], page 52:


nem con

Abbreviation of Latin nemine contradicente.

So I then moved that we supported the TUC call for a general strike and this was also carried nem con.

1988, Tony Benn, Office Without Power: Diaries:

nemine contradicente
nemine contradicente#English

Abbreviation of nemine contradicente (“with nobody contradicting, without dissent”).


all the time

The public does not wish to be outraged in this way all the time.

1889 September 11, Mark Twain, “Last Words of Great Men”, in Buffalo Express:

Afore we got to the shanty Colonel Applegate stuck his head out of the door. His temper had been getting raggeder all the time, and the sousing he got when he fell overboard had just about ripped what was left of it to ravellings.

1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VIII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

I couldn't live without your love
Now, I know you′re really mine
I gotta have you all the time

1966, Tony Hatch, Jackie Trent, Petula Clark (vocalist), I Couldn't Live Without Your Love, I Couldn't Live Without Your Love (album)

The study found that there had been as many patent applications for artificial intelligence since 2013 as there were in all the time since the term AI was first used in the 1950s.
Audio (US): (file)

2019 February 3, “UN Study: China, US, Japan Lead World AI Development”, in Voice of America, archived from the original on 2019-02-07

(set phrase, duration) Always; constantly; for the complete duration.

I have never been this excited about having an album. I play it all the time.

2008 June 26, Joel Stein, “Pirating Axl Rose's Record”, in Time:

(set phrase, frequency) Very often; frequently.

set phrase; frequency; set phrase; frequency


indefinably

indefinably (comparative more indefinably, superlative most indefinably)

more indefinably (comparative)
most indefinably (superlative)


nem. con.

He hoped that such a system would be framed as might render this recourse unnecessary, and moved that the clause be postponed. This motion was agreed to nem. con.

1787, James Madison, Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787:

The Vote of Thanks to Sir Hyde Parker was then put, and carried, nem. con.

1845, Nicholas Harris Nicolas, The Dispatches and Letters of Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson:

On 14 January, the deputies voted, nem. con., the guilt of the king, and rejected by roughly a two-thirds majority the appel au peuple.

2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 467:

nemine contradicente
nemine contradicente

Abbreviated form of nemine contradicente.


chummily

chummily (comparative more chummily, superlative most chummily)

more chummily (comparative)
most chummily (superlative)


healthily

healthily (comparative more healthily, superlative most healthily)

more healthily (comparative)
most healthily (superlative)


chronically

chronically (comparative more chronically, superlative most chronically)

more chronically (comparative)
most chronically (superlative)

In a chronic manner, or to a chronic degree.

They have established themselves as the greatest story of Euro 2016 and it feels almost like a trick of the imagination that it is only four years since they were ranked 133rd in the world. That, however, will not lessen the embarrassment for England, their departing manager and a set of players who chronically under-performed after Wayne Rooney’s early penalty.

2016 June 27, Daniel Taylor, “England humiliated as Iceland knock them out of Euro 2016”, in The Guardian, London:


nemine contradicente

From Latin nemine contradicente (“with nobody contradicting”).

uder

The patents of 9, 13, The 2 proclamations, the Indenture and proclamations of 16 et 18, both in the creation, makynge, grantyng, and execution, by question (nemine contradicente) found greevances.

1621, The House of Commons of the Great Britain Parliament, Commons Debates, 1621, page 279:

75. On the 11ᵗʰ of May, 1759, the Lords amend a turnpike road Bill, by inſerting a clauſe, “That no gate ſhall be erected within a mile of Enſham Ferry”. The conſideration of this amendment is reſolved, nemine contradicente, to be put off for a month.

1796, John Hatsells, Precedents of Proceedings in the House of Commons: With Observations, page 102:

It was so evident that even now he had everything to learn. He did not know there were physical laws and economic laws, quantities and reactions that all humanity voting nemine contradicente cannot vote away, and that are disobeyed only at the price of destruction.

1904, H. G. Wells, The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth:

Near twelve millions have been granted this year, not only nemine contradicente, but nemine quicquid dicente.

1912, Charles Stokes Carey, Letters Written by Lord Chesterfield to His Son, page 306:

Under the patronage of Titus and Jones the vote of the previous House was now read, and passed nemine contradicente for the first time.

2002, Jonathan Scott, Algernon Sidney and the Restoration Crisis, 1677–1683, page 67:

(law, archaic) With nobody contradicting; by consensus; without dissent.


brainlessly

en-adv

brainlessly (comparative more brainlessly, superlative most brainlessly)

more brainlessly (comparative)
most brainlessly (superlative)

in a brainless manner; stupidly; foolishly


splashily

splashily (comparative more splashily, superlative most splashily)

more splashily (comparative)
most splashily (superlative)


blissfully

blissfully (comparative more blissfully, superlative most blissfully)

more blissfully (comparative)
most blissfully (superlative)

From Middle English blisfully, blisfulliche, blisvolliche, equivalent to blissful + -ly.

What changes will be wrought in the character and condition of mankind, as the millennium advances and rolls blissfully away.

1834, Heman Humphrey, Miscellaneous Discourses and Reviews:

I walked the blissfully painful path of human love with intoxication and tears, always knowing that love's essence was elsewhere, hidden and yet addictively present.

2000, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, Love Is a Fire: A Sufi's Mystical Journey Home:


affettuoso

affettuoso (comparative more affettuoso, superlative most affettuoso)

more affettuoso (comparative)
most affettuoso (superlative)

Borrowed from Italian affettuoso. Doublet of affectuous.

(music) With feeling; in a loving, tender way.


rearwardly

rearwardly (comparative more rearwardly, superlative most rearwardly)

more rearwardly (comparative)
most rearwardly (superlative)

Extending in a rearward manner. Positioned to the rear of an object.


spaciously

spaciously (comparative more spaciously, superlative most spaciously)

more spaciously (comparative)
most spaciously (superlative)


sparely

sparely (comparative more sparely, superlative most sparely)

more sparely (comparative)
most sparely (superlative)

Except that the house had an immensely large rambling loft at top, I made no other discoveries. It was moderately well furnished, but sparely.

1859, Charles Dickens, The Haunted House:

In a spare manner; sparsely or frugally.


spatially

With reference to space or arrangement in space.


insanely

insanely (comparative more insanely, superlative most insanely)

more insanely (comparative)
most insanely (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:

That ramp is insanely difficult to jump.

Disney has some insanely fun roller coasters.

The way you made this look like the trans flag is actually insanely clever got^([sic]) damn

2022 June 29, DXL44_, “Comment on 'Get in we're going to the trans lake (SCP-6113)'”, in r/SCP, Reddit, archived from the original on 2023-01-03:


not half

"So you fancy that girl then?" "Not half!"

"You bet she wouldn't like fer me to be killed—not 'arf!..."

1902, The Windsor Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly for Men and Women, Vol. XVI June to November 1902:

(British, slang) Greatly; to a considerable extent.


en banc

From French en banc, literally "on a bench".

(law) As a group, particularly with respect to a legal decision rendered by all of the judges sitting on a court, rather than by a smaller panel of judges from that court.


concurrently

For the next four years Mr. Johnson continued building 2-4-0 express passenger engines, thus continuing the Kirtley practice, but from 1882 onwards he built all his express engines with the 4-4-0 or the 4-2-2 wheel arrangement, the two types being put in service concurrently between the years of 1887 and 1900.

1934 February, H. C. Casserley, “A Veteran Midland Locomotive”, in Railway Magazine, page 86:

Concurrently with the St. Pancras-Bedford service, diesel trains have now taken over that between Kentish Town and Barking, on an even-interval basis at half-hourly intervals.

1960 February, “The dieselised St. Pancras suburban service”, in Trains Illustrated, page 95:

In many instances, the military was quite unable to distinguish right away between the Red Guard and Revolutionary organizations led by Maoist activists and those organized by Party officials whom Mao wished to topple, since both sides claimed to be dedicated to Mao’s policy. Furthermore, many military commanders were concurrently local administrators such as those in Tibet and Hsinchiang.

1986, Nien Cheng, Life and Death in Shanghai, published 1995, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 160:

In a concurrent manner; at the same time.

concurrentment

in a concurrent manner; at the same time


big-time

‘To clarify, what I meant, Your Excellency, our spending numbers definitely need to come down big-time, and this is one very easy way of doing it.’

2022, NoViolet Bulawayo, Glory, Chatto & Windus, page 259:


foretime

foretime (comparative more foretime, superlative most foretime)

more foretime (comparative)
most foretime (superlative)


cravenly

cravenly (comparative more cravenly, superlative most cravenly)

more cravenly (comparative)
most cravenly (superlative)


blithely

blithely (comparative more blithely, superlative most blithely)

more blithely (comparative)
most blithely (superlative)

From Middle English blythely, blyþely, bliþeliche, from Old English blīþelīċe (“gladly, blithely”), from Proto-West Germanic [Term?]; compare Dutch blijdelijk. By surface analysis, blithe + -ly.

inh

As the bombs fell on the city, the woman blithely continued with her chores.

[…] and now was hardly the time, as Stephen pointed out, to be worried about cleaning up his act, and eliminating the chemical additives and other pollutants that we’re all blithely or not so blithely feasting on, blithely since we’re healthy, healthy as we can be; so far, Ira said.

1986 November 24, Susan Sontag, “The Way We Live Now”, in The New Yorker:

The episode also opens with an inspired bit of business for Homer, who blithely refuses to acquiesce to an elderly neighbor’s utterly reasonable request that he help make the process of selling her house easier by wearing pants when he gallivants about in front of windows, throw out his impressive collection of rotting Jack-O-Lanterns from previous Halloweens and take out his garbage, as it’s attracting wildlife (cue moose and Northern Exposure theme song).

2012 May 27, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club:

So I carried on, blithely ignorant. And by the time I saw the stats, there was a 100% chance I’d got it.

2023 February 6, Hilary Osborne, “I thought knowing I had the ‘cancer gene’ would cast a shadow over my life. Now I have it, I realise how wrong I was”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Without care, concern, or consideration.


one at a time

Used other than figuratively (canonical)
idiomatically: see one (canonical)
at a time . (canonical)

He ate the peas on his plate one at a time.

One at a time, please! I can't hear you if you all talk at once.


oftentime

Inherited from the Middle English oftyntyme; equivalent to often + time. Compare oftentimes.

(chiefly US, uncommon) (elsewhere, archaic) Synonym of oftentimes


every time

Every time I see you, it makes me happy.

You can keep your wine — give me beer every time!

If I had the choice between going to work and staying at home, I'd pick staying at home every time.

(informal, idiomatic) Used to express a strong preference for one thing over another.


pro tanto

If 'making explicit' conveys this, then pro tanto it is a bad term.

1962, J. L. Austin, "How To Do Things With Words" (OUP paperback edition, p.69)


unkindly

en-adv

unkindly (comparative more unkindly, superlative most unkindly)

more unkindly (comparative)
most unkindly (superlative)

From Middle English unkyndely; equivalent to un- + kindly (adverb) or unkind + -ly. Compare Old English unġecyndelīċe.

Good master, take it not unkindly, pray, / That I have been thus pleasant [i.e. joking] with you both.

c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:

[…] I had over-heard them ſeveral times talking very Unkindly about me; […]

1722 (indicated as 1721), [Daniel Defoe], The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, &c. […], London: […] W[illiam Rufus] Chetwood, […]; and T. Edling, […], published 1722, →OCLC, page 34:

If she and John love one another, they can wait, and test the love by doing so. She is conscientious, and I have no fear of her treating him unkindly.

1868–1869, Louisa M[ay] Alcott, Little Women: […], (please specify |part=1 or 2), Boston, Mass.: Roberts Brothers, →OCLC:

Chester and Prideaux were dragged firmly but not unkindly down the stairs and out through the door.

1918, Rose Macaulay, chapter 11, in What Not, London: Constable, page 222:

All th’ unaccomplisht works of Natures hand, / Abortive, monstrous, or unkindly mixt, / Dissolvd on earth, fleet hither, and in vain, / Till final dissolution, wander here,

1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 455-458:


proverbially

proverbially (comparative more proverbially, superlative most proverbially)

more proverbially (comparative)
most proverbially (superlative)

The bee is a proverbially busy creature.

In a manner that uses proverbs; in proverbs.


elsewhen

From Middle English ellys whan; corresponding with else + when.

And thus for this time I will take my leave of your mastership, purposing elsewhen to trouble you with the talk of longer letters, if I may learn that your gentleness will warrant my boldness therein.

1552 July 22, Roger Ascham, [John Allen] Giles, “CXXXIX.—To Sir W[illiam] Cecil, (E, 7: and M, 1). Mostly about Sir John Cheke’s Recovery from Sickness. Villach July 12, 1552 [Julian calendar].”, in The Whole Works of Roger Ascham, Now First Collected and Revised, with a Life of the Author; by the Rev. Dr. Giles (Library of Old Authors), volumes I, part I (Life, &c., and Letters), London: John Russell Smith, […], published 1865, →OCLC, page 330:

On the Saturday following, her [Alice Benden's] husband [Edward Benden] willed her to go to church; which she both then and elsewhen refused to go.

1563, John Foxe, “The Order of the Imprisonment and Tragical Handling of Alice Benden, Wife of Edward Benden, of the Parish of Staplehurst, in the County of Kent; for the Testimony of Christ’s Gospel”, in Josiah Pratt, editor, The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe. […] (The Church Historians of England. Reformation Period.; volume VIII, part I), London: George Seeley, […], published 1868, →OCLC, book XII, page 326:

Never, elsewhen, from heaven when all serene / Fell there more levin-bolts; nor flamed so oft / Comets with curses fraught.

1854, Virgil, “The First Georgic”, in W[illiam] Sewell, transl., The Georgics of Virgil, Literally and Rhythmically Translated, […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: J. H. Parker, →OCLC, pages 20–21:

The first person singular present indicative active may be used in a way similar to the 'historic' present. It may be used to describe my own performances elsewhere and elsewhen: [...]

1955, J[ohn] L[angshaw] Austin, “Lecture V”, in J[ames] O[pie] Urmson, Marina Sibsà, editors, How to Do Things with Words: The William James Lectures Delivered at Harvard University in 1955, 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire, New York, N.Y.: Clarendon Press, published 1975, →OCLC, page 64; republished Oxford, Oxfordshire, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, 2011, →ISBN, page 64:

For it can be argued that what SF [science fiction] calls the future—its quest for alien contacts and worlds elsewhere and elsewhen—is an infosphere.

1992, George Slusser, “Introduction: Fiction as Information”, in George Slusser, Tom Shippey, editors, Fiction 2000: Cyberpunk and the Future of Narrative, Athens, Ga.: University of Georgia Press, →ISBN, page 3:

Any spacetime point in this boundary, which is distinct from the origin point, is both elsewhere and elsewhen from it. There are no privileged directions in the elsewhere or the elsewhen.

1994, Graham Nerlich, Andrew Westwell-Roper, “What Ontology Can Be About”, in Graham Nerlich, What Spacetime Explains: Metaphysical Essays on Space and Time, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, New York, N.Y.: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, part 1 (Ontology and Methodology in Relativity), section 5 (Studying Structure), page 55:

(archaic) At some other time or times; somewhen else.


mano a mano

Borrowed from Spanish mano a mano (literally “hand-to-hand”); on equal footing, neither of two participants having any distinct advantage.

bor

The newcomer brashly engaged the veteran player mano a mano.

Baz: 'BAD NEWS, BUD. I NEVER WANTED TO FIGHTCHA, BUT IF WE WANT OUT, WE GOTTA SCRAP! YOU 'N ME, MANO A MANO.'

2019 December 10, Yacht Club Games, "Story" (Reize), in Shovel Knight Showdown (version 4.1), Nintendo Switch

Characterized by head-to-head competition or conflict.


in pari materia

Furthermore, we seem to derive some assistance from the special nature of acts saying something by contrast with ordinary physical actions: for with these latter even the minimum physical action, which we are seeking to detach from its consequences, is, being a bodily movement, in pari materia with at least many of its immediate and natural consequences, whereas, whatever the immediate and natural consequences of an act of saying something may be, they are at least not normally other further acts of saying something, whether more particular on the speaker's own part or even on the part of others.

1962, J. L. Austin, How To Do Things With Words (OUP paperback edition, page 113)

Dealing with the same matter or subject.

canon of construction
canon of construction

(law) A canon of construction holding that the meaning of an ambiguous law can be determined in light of other statutes on the same subject matter.


negligibly

Thus if the spherical surface beings are living on a planet of which the solar system occupies only a negligibly small part of the spherical universe, they have no means of determining whether they are living in a finite or in an infinite universe.

1920, Albert Einstein, Relativity: The Special and General Theory:

To a degree that is negligible; so small or slight that it may be ignored.


ritually

en-adv

ritually (comparative more ritually, superlative most ritually)

more ritually (comparative)
most ritually (superlative)


sorrily

sorrily (comparative more sorrily, superlative most sorrily)

more sorrily (comparative)
most sorrily (superlative)

From Middle English soryly, from Old English sāriġlīċ; equivalent to sorry + -ly.

Thy pipe, O Pan, shall help, though I sing sorrily.

a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:


uncritically

uncritically (comparative more uncritically, superlative most uncritically)

more uncritically (comparative)
most uncritically (superlative)


as soon as possible

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-as soon as possible.wav

As soon as is possible; at one's earliest convenience; at the earliest possible time.

якомо́га шви́дше (jakomóha švýdše, literally “as quickly as possible”)

якнайшви́дше (jaknajšvýdše, literally “as quickly as possible”)

якомо́га рані́ше (jakomóha raníše, literally “as early as possible”)


reprovingly

reprovingly (comparative more reprovingly, superlative most reprovingly)

more reprovingly (comparative)
most reprovingly (superlative)


dead on

The train arrived dead on 2 o'clock.


predictively

predictively (comparative more predictively, superlative most predictively)

more predictively (comparative)
most predictively (superlative)

The computer program predictively scheduled the number of employees we'd need each day of the year based on past workloads.

In the manner of something that attempts to or succeeds in predicting, anticipating or expecting.


sneakingly

sneakingly (comparative more sneakingly, superlative most sneakingly)

more sneakingly (comparative)
most sneakingly (superlative)

"Do they not sneakingly bestow on me their crass inability to do anything with their own misbegotten progeny, a subterfuge which I scornfully fub off on text-books?"

1930, Norman Lindsay, Redheap, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1965, →OCLC, page 82:

In the manner of one who is sneaking or sneaky; slyly, covertly.


predictably

predictably (comparative more predictably, superlative most predictably)

more predictably (comparative)
most predictably (superlative)

Predictably he returned to the scene of his crime, where the police were waiting to arrest him.

The wholesale slaughter of thousands of pigs has predictably drawn the protests of animal welfare and rights groups.

2006, Michael Pollan, The Omnivore's Dilemma, The Penguin Press, →ISBN, pages 324–325:

Capello was keen to use Phil Jones, normally a defender, in central midfield - but it was hard work for the Manchester United teenager and his England colleagues in the first half as Spain predictably dominated possession.

2011 November 12, Phil McNulty, “International friendly: England 1-0 Spain”, in BBC Sport:

In a manner that can be expected or anticipated.


slantwise

slantwise (comparative more slantwise, superlative most slantwise)

more slantwise (comparative)
most slantwise (superlative)

[…] he had received a cut slantwise along one temple and cheek, leaving a long scar like a streak of dawn's light falling athwart the dark visage.

1924, Herman Melville, chapter 8, in Billy Budd, London: Constable & Co.:

Slantwise, a salamander-shaped sea came at them, growing.

diagonally, in a direction or orientation between cardinal axes


transitively

The verb 'walk' can be used transitively.