α. see common adj. and -ly suffix2.
β. late Middle English comunally, late Middle English comynyally, 1600s (1800s– nonstandard) commonally; Scottish pre-1700 commonaly, pre-1700 commounaly, pre-1700 comownaly, pre-1700 comwnaly.
commonlyadv.
/ˈkɒmənli/, U.S. /ˈkɑmənli/ΘΚΠ
society > communication > manifestation > manifestness > openness or unconcealedness > [adverb]
barelyc950
beforeOE
openlyOE
nakedly?c1225
in a person's bearda1250
opelyc1275
apertly1297
commonlya1325
opena1325
overtlyc1325
pertlya1375
plainc1380
in (also on) opena1382
in apertc1384
plainlyc1390
in open (also general) audiencea1393
aperta1400
in commonaltya1400
outa1400
without laina1400
in commonc1400
publishlyc1400
pertc1410
in publicc1429
on higha1450
in pert1453
to a person's facea1470
into heightc1480
forthward?1504
but hidel?1507
publicly1534
uncolouredly1561
roundly1563
famously1570
vulgarly1602
above board1603
round1604
displayedly1611
on (also upon) the square?1611
undisguisedly1611
broadly1624
discoveredly1659
unveiledly1661
under a person's nose1670
manifestly1711
before faces1762
publically1797
overboard1834
unashamedly1905
upfront1972
a1325 Statutes of Realm (2011) xii. 65 Þat te notes ant te fins..ben communeliche ant sollempneliche iradde.
1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xvii. 799 That nycht thai spak al comonly [1489 Adv. commonaly] Of thame within.
1569 R. Grafton Chron. II. 611 Thys rumour openly spoken and commonly published.
1685 R. Baxter Paraphr. New Test. Mark ix. 29 Men were to discern who he was by his works: and he would not have it commonly proclaimed, till his Resurection and Spirit had compleated those works and evidences by which it was to be proved.
1797 Tatler No. 55 38 When Dr. Taswell's..refusal to sign the certificate of the pretended cure, came to be well-known, and commonly talked of, the modern oculist continued notwithstanding to republish and re-republish the forged testimonial.
2. † a. In one group; in one community; unitedly; together. Obsolete (rare after 16th cent.).
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social relations > association, fellowship, or companionship > [adverb] > in common with others
commonlyc1330
society > society and the community > social relations > association, fellowship, or companionship > a company or body of persons > [adverb]
commonlyc1330
in companya1393
in handa1400
in suit withc1440
along1600
in consort1611
socially1621
in the swim with1885
in tow (with)1907
c1330 (?a1300) Arthour & Merlin (Auch.) (1973) l. 6447 Our men boþe gret and lite Togider gaderd hem comonliche.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 12065 Þe grete lauerdinges..ras again iesu alle bidene, And plaint on him made comminli.
a1500 (?c1450) Merlin vi. 96 Yef ye and alle the peple comynyally pray to oure lorde for his grete pite.
1563 2nd Tome Homelyes Com. Prayer, in J. Griffiths Two Bks. Homilies (1859) ii. 357 To pray commonly is for a multitude to ask one and the self thing with one voice.
1797 J. Abercrombie Universal Gardener & Botanist (ed. 2) at Lawn Planted with different sorts of the most ornamental trees and shrubs, not commonly in one continued close plantation, but rather having some in distinct separated compartments and clumps.
1854 tr. A. Herzen in Eclectic Rev. Aug. 224 They eat commonly at the same table, and they do very well together.
b. With reference to ownership: jointly, collectively.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > owning > [adverb] > in joint or communal ownership
in commona1325
over-anea1522
commonly1907
1907 Scotsman 16 Sept. 6/7 Socialism meant a condition of social existence in which all the material needs of life would be owned commonly by the people.
1928 W. T. Grenfell Labrador looks at Orient iv. 55 The land here is all owned commonly by the various villages.
2006 Social Anal. 50 220 I have referred to the Appalachian commons as predominantly agrarian in origin, to the shared use of land individually and commonly held.
3. After a fashion or in a manner common to all; in general, generally, universally; without reference to individuals or particulars.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adverb] > prevalently > among people at large
openly?a1160
commonly?c1335
vulgarly?1507
popularly1576
vulgarily1655
publiclya1729
?c1335 in W. Heuser Kildare-Gedichte (1904) 109 Þat communelich hi ne wer forlor.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 9659 (MED) Noght him allan, bot all his kin..He did þam misdo communli.
1502 tr. Ordynarye of Crysten Men (de Worde) i. i. sig. a.vi Adam & Eue us bynde all by lawe comonly to synne and dampnacyon.
1574 E. Hellowes tr. A. de Guevara Familiar Epist. 345 Speaking commonly of all [gentlewomen], I saye, that they haue more abilitie to breede children, then to keepe secrets.
1583 A. Nowell et al. True Rep. Disput. E. Campion sig. C.iii. This of Saint Iames, for that it was written commonly to all the tribes of the Iewes dispersed, was called Catholike or generall.
a1656 Bp. J. Hall Shaking of Olive-tree (1660) ii. 371 Some take it to be Man indefinitely, and commonly considered.
1775 tr. N.-S. Bergier Deism Self-refuted I. i. 4 In your different works there is, commonly speaking, some little good with a great deal of bad.
1884 Brethren's Evangelist 9 Apr. 1/3 Commonly speaking the best people are the most kind and gentle.
2006 T. Yangdzom Aristocratic Families in Tibetan Hist. 1900–51 iv. 84 Commonly speaking, they [sc. the aristocratic class] inherit neither glory nor the rank of nobility from their forefathers.
4. Very often, frequently; usually, customarily; in most cases.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > customary or habitual mode of behaviour > [adverb] > usually or customarily > usually or in usual circumstances
commonly1340
commona1400
ordinarily1555
ordinarly1557
ordinary1614
formally1627
normally1843
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 56 (MED) Zuyche zennes arizeþ communliche ine tauerne.
a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) l. 5721 (MED) For comunlych aftyr wepe Fal men sone on slepe.
1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xv. 160 Schir Eduard, that wes comonly [1489 Adv. commonaly] Callit the kyng of Irland.
1549 Bk. Common Prayer (STC 16267) Firste Daie of Lente f. xxxi* heading The firste daie of lente commonly called Ashe-wednisdaye.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) ii. i. 111 I am not prone to weeping (as our Sex Commonly are). View more context for this quotation
1747 J. Wesley Primitive Physick 111 Beat up the Pulp of five or six roasted Apples with near a Quart of Water. Take it at lying down. It commonly cures before morning.
1875 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues (ed. 2) I. p. ix All the writings commonly attributed to Plato.
1988 Pope John Paul II Mulieris Dignitatem §18 It is commonly thought that women are more capable than men of paying attention to another person, and that motherhood develops this predisposition even more.
2017 New Scientist 22 July 14/3 These particular plants are commonly found in the landscape.
ΘΚΠ
society > society and the community > social relations > [adverb]
commonlya1450
sociably1573
socially1621
the mind > emotion > love > friendliness > [adverb] > intimately or familiarly
couthlyc900
wellOE
homelya1400
commonlya1450
familiarlyc1450
domestically1576
inwardly1584
intimately1645
particularly1680
arm-in-armly1743
hand in glove1788
pack1874
a1450 (?a1300) Richard Coer de Lyon (Caius) (1810) l. 1808 The Erle of Leycester, the Erle of Hertford, Ful comanly followed they their lord.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene i. x. sig. K5 He might see The blessed Angels to and fro descend. From highest heauen, in gladsome companee..As commonly as frend does with his frend.
6. In an ordinary manner; to a degree that is ordinary.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adverb] > in a commonplace manner
vulgarlyc1600
ordinarily1607
commonly1682
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > lack of wonder > [adverb]
commonly1682
unimpressively1832
unsurprisingly1961
1682 J. Whitfield Dreadfulness of Sin 7 The only cause why the feculent part of Mankind amongst us do so much sleight and thwart the Sovereign Powers, is their egregious and, as to some, stupendous ignorance, if they would but be so ingenuous, nay commonly honest, as to acknowledge it.
1776 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall I. 348 Carinus..was more than commonly deficient in those qualities.
1875 M. E. Braddon Hostages to Fortune I. iv. 135 I merely wish to be commonly civil when the Squire comes to London.
1923 Manch. Guardian Weekly 15 Aug. 3/4 The fact that Jessop's cut frequently was accomplished from a straight ball proves simply that he was more than commonly clever at it.
2010 Financial Times 3 Aug. 8/1 With a growth model partly built on being a tourist, business and financial hub, its economy is more than commonly vulnerable to crime.
7. With reference to dress or furnishings: plainly, cheaply; without anything special.
ΚΠ
1815 Military Reg. 4 Oct. 385 Apartments commonly furnished at 30 guineas a month, and unfurnished £70 per annum, must be taken for a year.
1843 G. Borrow Bible in Spain I. xiii. 237 He was dressed commonly enough, in a jacket and trousers of coarse cloth of a russet colour.
1944 San Antonio (Texas) Express 29 Oct. 23/5 Commonly furnished apartment. No children or pets.
2010 State Hornet (Sacramento) (Univ. Calif.) (Nexis) 13 Apr. 1 The play started with a commonly dressed young prince, Tamino.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2021; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adv.a1325