literallyadv.
/ˈlɪt(ə)rəli/, U.S. /ˈlɪdərəli/, /ˈlɪtrəli/ I. In a literal manner or sense.
1.
a. In a literal, exact, or actual sense; not figuratively, allegorically, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > [adverb] > in fact, actually
in, of feata1400
in effectc1405
effectually1420
really?a1425
literallyc1429
(by) matter in deed1447
indeed1535
in fact1592
merely1596
de facto1602
essentially1604
in point of fact1628
upon1644
in point of event1650
effectively1652
in matter of fact1709
absolutelya1712
substantially1753
actually1762
positively1800
in actual fact1824
factually1852
as matter of fact1871
fair dinkum1891
dinkum1894
'smatter of fact1922
basically1927
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > meaning of linguistic unit > literal meaning > [adverb]
literally1579
Nicodemically1647
technicallya1652
properly1674
strictly1764
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > plainness > [adverb] > literally
letterly?a1475
literally1579
literately1600
unmetaphorically1752
society > faith > aspects of faith > Bible, Scripture > text > criticism, interpretation > [adverb] > literal
literally1612
c1429 Mirour Mans Saluacioune (1986) l. 553 Litteraly haf ȝe herde this dreme and what it ment.
1494 W. Hilton Scala Perfeccionis (de Worde) ii. xliii. sig. rv Whan Ihesu is mayster it is expowned and declared litterally, morally, mystily, & heuenly yf the mater suffre it.
1533 J. Frith Bk. answeringe Mores Let. sig. Dii Allthough it were Literallye fulfillyd in the Childern of Israell..yet was it also mente and veryfyed in Chryst hym selfe.
1579 W. Fulke Heskins Parl. Repealed in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 105 They interprete literally, which the doctors did write figuratively.
1612 T. Taylor Αρχὴν Ἁπάντων: Comm. Epist. Paul to Titus i. 6 He expoundeth the same precept necessarily to be meant litterally.
1664 H. More Apol. in Modest Enq. Myst. Iniquity 481 All those Passages are not to be Literally understood.
1719 D. Defoe Farther Adventures Robinson Crusoe 311 This was a China-Ware-house indeed, truly and literally to be call'd so.
1783 Ld. Hailes Disquis. Antiq. Christian Church iv. 78 (note) It may be doubted, whether this was ever literally true.
1876 E. Mellor Priesthood iv. 161 Literally speaking, ‘this cup’ could never be ‘a new covenant’.
1895 Sir A. Kekewich in Law Times Rep. 73 663/1 It is found that the Act does not mean literally what it says.
1938 Lancet 26 Nov. 1229/2 Osteosclerosis literally means a hardening of bone, but the term is generally used..to signify bone which casts a dense shadow in a radiogram.
1973 H. Brodkey in New Yorker 17 Sept. 68/2 She often became very angry with me for taking her literally.
2002 M. Desai Marx's Revenge (2004) x. 169 The expression ‘class warfare’ was meant analogically, not literally, by Marx and Engels.
b. Used to indicate that the following word or phrase must be taken in its literal sense, usually to add emphasis.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > meaning of linguistic unit > literal meaning > [adverb] > applied to what follows
literally1670
1670 Earl of Clarendon Ess. in Tracts (1727) 198 He is literally felo de se, who deprives and robs himself of that which no body but himself can rob him of.
1687 J. Dryden Hind & Panther iii. 79 My daily bread is litt'rally implor'd.
1708 A. Pope Corr. 18 Mar. (1956) I. 42 Every day with me is litterally Another To-morrow; for it is exactly the same with Yesterday.
1761–2 D. Hume Hist. Eng. (1806) V. lxxi. 341 He had the singular fate of dying literally of hunger.
1769 ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra (1772) II. xxx. 6 What punishment has he suffered? Literally none.
1887 I. Randall Lady's Ranche Life Montana 76 The air is literally scented with them all.
1930 Nature Mag. Mar. 136/2 Two other diseases..have been added to the list of maladies that are spread by these literally pestiferous insects.
1963 I. Murdoch Unicorn ii. viii. 85 He must have fallen literally at her feet and lain there gasping.
2006 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 2 Nov. 20/2 Bloody Dionysian murders..in which a man, said to be a ‘rapist’, is literally torn into pieces.
c. colloquial. Used to indicate that some (frequently conventional) metaphorical or hyperbolical expression is to be taken in the strongest admissible sense: ‘virtually, as good as’; (also) ‘completely, utterly, absolutely’.Now one of the most common uses, although often considered irregular in standard English since it reverses the original sense of literally (‘not figuratively or metaphorically’).
ΚΠ
1769 F. Brooke Hist. Emily Montague IV. ccxvii. 83 He is a fortunate man to be introduced to such a party of fine women at his arrival; it is literally to feed among the lilies.
1801 Spirit of Farmers' Museum 262 He is, literally, made up of marechal powder, cravat, and bootees.
1825 J. Denniston Legends Galloway 99 Lady Kirkclaugh, who, literally worn to a shadow, died of a broken heart.
1863 F. A. Kemble Jrnl. Resid. Georgian Plantation 105 For the last four years..I literally coined money.
1876 ‘M. Twain’ Adventures Tom Sawyer ii. 20 And when the middle of the afternoon came, from being a poor poverty-stricken boy in the morning, Tom was literally rolling in wealth.
1906 Westm. Gaz. 15 Nov. 2/1 Mr. Chamberlain literally bubbled over with gratitude.
1975 Chem. Week (Nexis) 26 Mar. 10 ‘They're literally throwing money at these programs,’ said a Ford Administration official.
2008 Herald-Times (Bloomington, Indiana) 22 Oct. a8/1 ‘OMG, I literally died when I found out!’ No, you figuratively died. Otherwise, you would not be around to relay your pointless anecdote.
2.
a. With reference to a version of something, as a transcription, translation, etc.: in the very words, word for word.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > meaning > explanation, exposition > translation > [adverb] > word for word
fro word unto wordeOE
word by wordeOE
word for wordc1400
verbatim1563
metaphrastically1577
literally1591
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > truthfulness, veracity > [adverb] > so as to match truth, exactly > in words or text
after the lettera1425
letterly?a1475
verbatim?1503
verbatimly1587
literally1591
literatim1623
verbatim et literatim1642
au pied de la lettrea1739
textually1837
1591 A. Fraunce Countesse of Pembrokes Yuychurch ii. iii. sig. H The man..thought it a wondrous fault, that I did..not literally repeate euery word at large out of Saunders case in Plowden.
1616 H. Spelman De non Temerandis Ecclesiis App. 178 Wee following Genebrad, Caluin and Arias Montanus, translate it literally.
1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica iii. xvi. 145 Which are literally thus translated. View more context for this quotation
1712 R. Steele Spectator No. 521. ⁋5 Others repeat only what they hear from others as literally as their parts or zeal will permit.
a1753 R. Newton in tr. Theophrastus Characters (1754) p. viii I would..advise every Scholar..to translate his Author thus literally, word for word.
1843 J. W. Carlyle Lett. I. 238 Every word of this is literally as the men spoke it.
1880 W. G. Hammond in F. Lieber Legal & Polit. Hermeneutics (ed. 3) App., 290 Some of them [sc. rules] are repeated literally, while others appear under slightly different forms, but with substantially the same meaning.
1905 Chinese Recorder & Missionary Jrnl. July 326 Such a hymn as ‘Eternal Light, Eternal Light, how pure the soul must be’, could scarcely be rendered literally into intelligible mandarin.
2006 G. E. R. Haddock Crit. Introd. Philos. Frege iv. 72 In the second case..we do not reproduce literally what the other person said, but only the sense of the other person's words.
b. In extended use. With exact fidelity of representation; faithfully.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > representation > [adverb] > exactly
literally1816
society > leisure > the arts > the arts in general > [adverb] > qualities generally
strongly1642
artistly1664
correctlya1704
meretriciously1755
boldly1765
chastely1815
literally1816
airily1823
stylistically1889
decadently1892
1816 Ld. Byron (title) Churchill's Grave, a fact literally rendered.
1892 R. Blomfield & F. I. Thomas Formal Garden in Eng. viii. 170 They preserved some of its [sc. the formal garden's] worst features, among them the Palladian bridge, which was repeated literally both at Stowe and Prior Park.
1936 F. G. Moore Roman's World xi. 340 There is no misguided attempt to reproduce literally the texture of skin or garment [in a sculpture].
1984 N.Y. Mag. 10 Dec. 92/3 Physical passion is almost impossible to portray literally on the dance stage.
3.
a. With or by the letters (of a word). Obsolete. rare.
ΚΠ
1584 R. Scot Discouerie Witchcraft xvi. iii. 474 One T. of Canturburie, whose name I will not litterallie discouer.
1804 A. Murray Bruce's Trav. Source Nile (ed. 2) II. 29 These Shangalla..live under the shade of trees... [Note] Written literally in Ethiopic, Shankala; but pronounced Shangalla.
1885 School Educ. 4 103 Pupils should be required to spell words both literally and phonically... For instance, c-a-t is the literal spelling of the word cat.
b. In or with regard to letters or literature. Obsolete. rare.
ΚΠ
1593 R. Harvey Philadelphus 7 And yet I tell you me-thinkes you are very bookishly and literally wise.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.c1429- to come forth with
- to come forward
- to come forwards
- to come from behind
- to come from the shoulder
- to come full circle
- to come get a cropper
- to come go all unnecessary
- to come good
- to come good for
- to come good speed
- to come halfway
- to come hat in hand to
- to come home by unhappiness
- to come home by weeping cross
- to come home to
- to come home to oneself
- to come home to roost
- to come home with the milk
- to come in
- to come in a person's will
- to come in at
- to come in at the window
- to come in between
- to come in by the window