generallyadv.
/ˈdʒɛn(ə)rəli/, /ˈdʒɛn(ə)rl̩i/, U.S. /ˈdʒɛn(ə)rəli/ 1. In a general sense or manner; in general terms; without reference to individuals or particulars. Opposed to specially or particularly.
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the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adverb] > not specifically
generally1340
diffusedlya1641
generically1872
off-the-rack1920
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 94 (MED) Nou ich þe habbe aboue yssewed generalliche þe..worþ and þe guodnesse of uirtu.
1481 W. Caxton tr. Hist. Reynard Fox (1970) 112 Ther is no good man blamed herin, hit is spoken generally.
1526 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfection Pref. sig. Ai The first boke sheweth generally, how ye lyfe of euery christian, is as a pilgremage.
1528–30 tr. T. Littleton Tenures (new ed.) f. xliiv Yf he wyll pleade the release generally.
1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §525 Generally, wee would not haue those, that read this our Worke of Sylua Syluarum, account it strange..that wee haue set downe Particulars vntried.
1707 G. Keith Magick of Quakerism 23 As much mistaken, as those have been who attributed the Quakers quakings, to some diabolical Possession generally.
1806 W. Cruise Digest Laws Eng. Real Prop. VI. 255 He gave all his lands to Richard generally.
1867 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest (1876) I. vi. 559 The crime is attributed to the Danes generally.
1871 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues I. 14 In leaping and running, and bodily exercises generally, quickness and agility are good.
1884 Law Times 29 Nov. 79/2 Three [cheques]..were crossed generally ‘and Co.’, and three were uncrossed.
1925 Proc. National Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 11 359 Measures of light, or of energy generally, are among the most difficult and unreliable in the whole field of metrology.
1991 Gay Times Mar. (Advt. Insert) 11/2 Presentable man, 60... Enjoys walks, R3, opera, arts generally.
2. † a. Universally; with few or no exceptions; with respect to (almost) every individual or case. Obsolete.In certain negative constructions (as quot. 1583): with any exceptions, at all. Cf. at all at all adj., pron., n., adv., and conj. Phrases 8.
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the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adverb]
overheadOE
generally1340
overalla1393
largelya1398
altogether1566
roundly1584
liberally1708
broadly1856
überhaupt1875
the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > condition or state of being inclusive > [adverb] > comprehensively > with few or no exceptions
generally1340
universally?c1425
unexceptionably1719
unexceptionally1866
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 17 (MED) Voulhede generalliche is ine eche zenne, vor no zenne ne is wyþ-oute uoulhede.
1495 Trevisa's Bartholomeus De Proprietatibus Rerum (de Worde) xvi. xciv. sig. Miijv/1 Salte hath generally vertue to vndo, clense and waast rotyd humours.
a1530 W. Bonde Pylgrimage of Perfeccyon (1531) iii. f. CCxxvii Generally offryng for theyr satisfaccyon that was commaunded in the lawe.
1568 E. Tilney Brief Disc. Mariage (new ed.) sig. Cvjv Neyther speake I this nowe generally against all women..I do but touch some shrewde wyfes.
1583 T. Stocker tr. Tragicall Hist. Ciuile Warres Lowe Countries ii. 16 b Wee agree..not one forraine Souldier to remaine there generally.
c1600 (?c1395) Pierce Ploughman's Crede (Trin. Cambr. R.3.15) (1873) l. 575 And also þis myster men ben maysters icalled, Þat þe gentill Iesus generallyche blamed.
1623 W. Shakespeare & J. Fletcher Henry VIII ii. i. 48 This is noted (And generally) who euer the King fauours, The Cardnall instantly will finde imployment. View more context for this quotation
1653 R. Baxter Christian Concord 112 He is a rare man that is generally excellent.
b. With respect to the majority of individuals or cases; for the most part; widely, extensively.
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the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adverb] > for or in the most part
mosteOE
almostOE
mostwhata1200
generally1340
chiefly138.
mostc1390
chiefa1556
mostly1563
substantially1638
prevalently1709
feckly1768
mostlings1808
1340 Ayenbite (1866) 187 (MED) ‘Zel al þet þou hest and yef hit þe poure,’ þet is þe uirtue þet þe holy writinge ret more generalliche.
a1413 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (Pierpont Morgan) (1881) i. l. 86 It..generally was spoken That Calkas traytor fals fled was and allyed With hem of Grece.
?a1425 Mandeville's Trav. (Egerton) (1889) 144 (MED) Generally all þe men of þat ile..er trewer and riȝtwiser þan er in oþer cuntreez.
1658 F. Osborne Trad. Mem. Reign Elizabeth 77 in Hist. Mem. Reigns Elizabeth & Iames The Doctrine professed most generally in England bore in forraigne nations the name of Parliament-Faith.
1662 E. Stillingfleet Origines Sacræ iii. iv. §10 This is now the substance of the generally received account.
1791 H. More Estimate Relig. Fashionable World 39 Its weight is determined by some generally-allowed standard.
1808 S. Smith Wks. (1859) I. 115/2 The troops are generally disaffected.
1856 J. A. Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. i. 37 The people, not universally, but generally, were animated by a true spirit of sacrifice.
1872 J. Morley Voltaire i. 5 The plain men of the earth,..would generally approve the saying of Dr. Johnson.
1893 Leeds Mercury 17 May 5/3 The opinion of the meeting was generally favourable to the amendment.
1907 Wellsboro (Pa.) Agitator (Electronic text) 13 Nov. Now that the rancor of the campaign is over, we think the people generally, irrespective of party, feel this same confidence.
1954 T. Vickerstaff Physical Chem. Dyeing (ed. 2) vi. 168 A simple empirical but well-standardised method of carrying out such measurements is..now generally accepted and widely used as a criterion of serviceability in cellulosic textiles.
2006 D. Winner Those Feet 113 It's not even generally agreed when decline started. Some date it to the end of the Second World War, others to just after.
3. † a. So as to include every individual or particular; in a body, as a whole, collectively. Obsolete.
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the world > relative properties > wholeness > the whole or all > [adverb] > all taken collectively
whollyc1330
generallyc1350
riff and raff?a1400
overhead1483
collectively1597
accumulatively1645
aggregately1660
complexly1660
collectedlya1687
together1849
c1350 Ayenbite (1866) App. 263 (MED) Ich y-leue ine þe holy gost, holy cherche generalliche, Mennesse of halȝen.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) l. 29118 Generali nu haf i tald þe pointes þat ar for to hald.
1487 (a1380) J. Barbour Bruce (St. John's Cambr.) xi. 208 In hy gert he His men be summond generaly.
a1533 Ld. Berners tr. Arthur of Brytayn (?1560) xxix. sig. Fi Than generallye all the ladyes and damoyselles came to themwarde.
1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage 425 They embraced not the faith of Mahomet generally, but as everie man liked.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Taming of Shrew (1623) i. ii. 274 You must as we do, gratifie this Gentleman, To whom we all rest generally beholding. View more context for this quotation
b. With reference to a geographical area: as a whole, throughout.
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1851 Official Descriptive & Illustr. Catal. Great Exhib. I. 164 The metalliferous mineral wealth of Great Britain generally.
1886 J. Britten & R. Holland Dict. Eng. Plant-names 238 Hag-berry, Scotland generally, Cumb., Westm., N. Lancash., Yorksh.
1957 Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 806/2 The Lancashire style..known as ‘catch-as-catch-can’, is practised in Lancashire, throughout Great Britain generally, and is the most popular style in the United States.
1991 Eng. World-wide 12 305 Some features appear in Cardiff English which are rare in Britain generally.
4. In most instances; usually, commonly; on most occasions; with the greatest frequency.
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the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > [adverb] > as a general rule
generally1509
for (also in) the greatest part1604
1509 Longe Paruula sig. A.iiv Generally whan ye worde yt gooth before the verbe & the worde yt gooth after ye verbe longe bothe to one thynge, they shall be put both in one case.
1578 T. Rogers tr. P. Cæsar Gen. Disc. Damnable Sect Vsurers ix. 26 The minor is not generallie, or alwaies true.
1654 R. Whitlock Ζωοτομία 361 Preaching too generally being but the Art of flattery.
1717 tr. A. F. Frézier Voy. South-Sea 21 Brandy, a Liquor they are very fond of, tho' they generally drink nothing but Water.
a1732 F. Atterbury Serm. Several Occas. (1734) I. 18 And yet it so happens, that Popish Miracles are generally done at Home, before Believers.
1766 O. Goldsmith Vicar of Wakefield I. i. 7 The temper of a woman is generally formed from the turn of her features.
1850 J. McCosh Method Divine Govt. (1874) iii. iii. 425 Where there is hope, there will generally be some life.
1880 A. Geikie Elem. Lessons Physical Geogr. (new ed.) v. 352 Winds from the sea are usually moist, those from the land are generally dry.
1924 Railway Rev. 16 Feb. 294/1 Window sills and arm rests in all-steel passenger cars are generally made of wood.
1960 J. Mitford Hons & Rebels xxii. 159 You'll find people generally say, ‘I'll be seeing you’ instead of ‘goodbye’.
1998 N. Lawson How to Eat (1999) 468 I don't generally go in for making smiley faces and funny shapes out of food, as we're all supposed to do to lure a child to eat.
Phrases
generally speaking: in general (in various senses); esp. for the most part, in most instances.
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the world > relative properties > kind or sort > generality > in general [phrase] > in general terms or not in detail
in substancec1425
in gross1430
at large1533
generally speaking1549
in generality1563
in the general1584
as to the general1617
in general1621
by and large1707
in the vague1851
a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 77 For to speke generalliche, slepe is þe turnynge aȝen of spirit from þe lymes of felinge & meuynge to þe welle.]
1549 M. Coverdale et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. II. (2 Cor. x.) f. lviiv For a tyme I nothyng speake of false apostles, but generally speakyng this I saye: yf any man thynke that he is Christes,..lette hym agayne likewise remembre this wyth hymselfe, that as he is Christes so are wee Christes.
1654 Mercurius Politicus No. 216 3654 The Highlanders generally speaking Irish, and differing in manners and religion; if they have any, from the Lowlanders,..can agree against us.
1687 J. Dryden Hind & Panther To Rdr. sig. A3v Those who are driven into the Fold are, generally speaking, rather made Hypocrites then Converts.
1722 D. Defoe Jrnl. Plague Year 9 Men on Horseback, some alone, others with Servants, and generally speaking, all loaded with Baggage.
1815 W. H. Ireland Scribbleomania 223 Generally speaking..if a grand idea happens to strike any living architect, it is not the effect of study.
1862 J. Ruskin Unto this Last iv. 128 The persons who become rich are, generally speaking, industrious.
1922 Woman's Home Compan. Nov. 7/1 A gigolo, generally speaking, is a man who lives off women's money.
1958 Daily Express 11 Mar. 7/1 The order says that generally speaking the Vatican does not approve of co-education in Catholic schools.
1993 Empire Aug. 50/3 I tend to play characters that have more of a brain... Generally speaking I don't get the bimbo roles.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2009; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adv.1340