meticulouslyadv.
/mᵻˈtɪkjᵿləsli/, U.S. /məˈtɪkjələsli/ In a meticulous manner.† 1. Timidly. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > timidity > [adverb]
arghlyc1000
eislichec1175
faintly1297
fearedly1488
sheepishly1528
fearfully1548
timorously1548
tremblingly1552
sheepish1581
ghastly1589
frightfully1621
timidly1656
meticulouslya1682
fearingly1820
fearsomely1876
scarily1880
tremulously1886
mousily1910
a1682 Sir T. Browne Christian Morals (1716) i. 39 Move circumspectly not meticulously, and rather carefully sollicitous than anxiously sollicitudinous.
2. In a scrupulous or painstaking manner; punctiliously, precisely. In earlier use esp.: overscrupulously.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > good taste > refinement > fastidiousness > [adverb]
over-delicately1357
preciouslyc1430
daintethlyc1440
pickedlya1528
finely1542
nicely1547
fastidiously?1555
daintily1561
curiously1573
sizely?1578
fine1579
overnicely1582
squeamishly1606
finically1659
just so1683
superfinely1693
hypercritically1715
meticulously1900
the world > action or operation > manner of action > care, carefulness, or attention > [adverb] > with scrupulous care or attention to detail > excessively
superstitiously1531
meticulously1900
the world > action or operation > manner of action > care, carefulness, or attention > [adverb] > with scrupulous care or attention to detail
narrowlyeOE
narrowOE
wellOE
busilyc1225
inwardly?c1225
closely1509
nearly1540
near1560
searchingly1574
nicely1597
exactly1612
strictly1632
close1642
pressly1642
scrutinously1650
minutely1690
scrupulously1712
tightly1758
keenly1824
slippery1828
meticulously1961
1900 Academy 31 Mar. 275/1 A dish meticulously concocted upon a recipe.
1925 Times Lit. Suppl. 19 Nov. 774/3 The danger in the case of this meticulously careful author is not great, and the many kindly lecturers who will use the book will quickly enough announce any errors that have crept in.
1961 ‘J. Wyndham’ Consider her Ways 90 He had..a black felt hat meticulously brushed.
1974 Physics Bull. Mar. 104/2 With the aid of a meticulously detailed account of the formal basis of quantum mechanics, Professor Scheibe has provided a precise characterization of the orthodox interpretation of the theory.
1987 Mail on Sunday 9 Aug. (Colour Suppl.) 36/3 Every mother wipes the picnic-table meticulously.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adv.a1682