perceivablyadv.
/pəˈsiːvəbli/, U.S. /pərˈsivəbli/ Now rare.
Perceptibly; appreciably, to a noticeable extent. In quot. c1526: clearly, comprehensibly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > visibility > [adverb]
visiblyc1380
in semblancea1400
perceivablyc1526
seeably1548
observably1640
perceptibly1644
discernibly1645
perceivedly1659
viewably1680
distinguishably1704
perceptible1755
traceably1855
c1526 W. Rastell in E. V. Hitchcock Life T. More (1932) 245 Th[es wordes] spake he so distinctlie and perceyveablie, and also with suche a strong and very lowde voyce, þat it the people astoyned.
1660 Bp. J. Taylor Ductor Dubitantium I. i. v. 188 When the judgement of the man is discernably and perceivably little.
1726 J. Swift Gulliver II. iv. i. 16 I..found myself perceivably to improve every time.
1790 Coll. Voy. round World VI. xvi. 2023 They were now greatly surprized to find the distance scarce perceivably diminished.
1860 R. J. Breckinridge Knowl. God ii. 180 Even by such as hardly differed perceivably concerning the absolute nature of the subjects themselves.
1892 Mind 1 259 The intervals between pairs of disparate sensations are judged equal by the mind's estimating the number of perceivably different sensations which can be found in each interval.
1931–2 E. Pound in W. Cookson Sel. Prose (1973) ii. 57 In the confusion of falling Rome certain elements have however a face value, or offer at least perceivably data for study.
1997 Waikato Times (Hamilton, N.Z.) (Nexis) 16 May (Sport section) 10 We go out on a Saturday knowing in the back of our minds that Sunday's game for Waikato is perceivably more important.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.c1526