释义 |
desperately, adv.|ˈdɛspərətlɪ| [f. desperate a. + -ly2.] In a desperate manner. (See the adj.) †1. In despair, despairingly. Obs.
1552Huloet, Desperately, desperanter, insolabiliter. 1555Eden Decades 53 They had desperatly consecrated them selues to death. 1605Shakes. Lear v. iii. 292 Your eldest Daughters haue fore-done themselues, And desperately are dead. 1615G. Sandys Trav. 45 Taken at length by Tamberlaine..hee desperately brained himselfe. 1634Canne Necess. Separ. (1849) 133 All these died desperately. †2. In a desperate condition, wretchedly. rare.
1630R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw. 233 The descendants of them, that have..beene condemned by the Inquisition..live in Spaine most desperately. 3. Hopelessly, irretrievably, incurably.
1570–6Lambarde Peramb. Kent (1826) 171 A young Child..lay desperately sicke in a cradle. 1611Bible Jer. xvii. 9 The heart is deceitfull aboue all things, and desperately wicked [R.V. desperately sick]. 1683Burnet tr. More's Utopia (1684) 187 The excluding of Men that are desperately wicked from joining in their Worship. 1766Goldsm. Vic. W. xxviii, I wounded one who first assaulted me, and I fear desperately. a1808Hurd Wks. VI. xvi. (R.) No man becomes at once desperately and irretrievably wicked. 4. Recklessly; with utter disregard of risks or consequences, or of how far one goes; with extreme energy or violence: cf. desperate a. 4, 5.
a1547Surrey æneid ii. (R.), Whom when I saw..So desperately the battail to desire. 1632Lithgow Trav. iii. 130 Foure French Runnagats..hearing these words, fell desperatly upon me. Ibid. v. 188, 20 gallies..desperatly adventured to tow her away against the wind. 1724De Foe Mem. Cavalier (1840) 179 The foot on both sides were desperately engaged. 1885Manch. Even. News 23 June 2/2 The..seats for which they have fought so desperately. 5. To a desperate degree; extremely, excessively. (Cf. desperate a. 7.) Chiefly colloq.
1653H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. lxviii. 277 She was desperately in love with him. 1697Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. ii. (1709) 136 He looks so desperately Pale and Thin. 1709Strype Ann. Ref. I. xiii. 183 They were desperately afraid the people should have too much knowledge. 1843Foster in Life & Corr. (1846) II. 463 How desperately rapid the flight of time. 1872Black Adv. Phaeton xxxi. 418 She pretends to be desperately concerned about the horses. |