regretfullyadv.

1663 J. Heath Brief Chron. Late Intestine Warr (ed. 2) i. 186 I cannot so regretfully partake with that Loyal Garrison, as Mr. Sprig doth zealously with the Town.

a1682 Sir T. Browne Christian Morals (1716) iii. 122 Men who dye in deplorable days, which they regretfully behold.

1705 T. Greenhill Νεκροκηδεια 104 [Man] departs out of this world regretfully.

1776 tr. J. Racine Phedra iv. 35 While I regretfully Served his amorous designs.

1844 C. Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit xxxiii. 396 He spoke so regretfully, that his partner abandoned the theme, and was silent for a short time.

1869 ‘M. Twain’ Innocents Abroad xii. 114 I would wake up regretfully.

1880 ‘Ouida’ Moths I. vi. 179 ‘She is rude’, she added regretfully.

1922 A. Jekyll Kitchen Ess. 111 In those good old days people refer to regretfully, but are practically unwilling to recall.

1977 M. Babson Lord Mayor of Death xii. 82 Programme vendors..were..shaking their heads regretfully at would-be customers.

2003 P. Perkins in L. F. E. Moss Is Canada Post-colonial? iii. 156 He regretfully observed what he considered the feckless idleness of the local peasants.

1945 Times 4 July 4/1 All European countries are formally invited with the exception of Spain, Germany, and, regretfully, the Soviet Union.

1977 Jrnl. Royal Soc. Arts 125 336/2 Regretfully, however, the editorial staff may justifiably be thought to stand criticized for what has been omitted.

1991 Japan Forum 3 371 Such political figures regretfully have many counterparts in academic and cultural institutions in Japan and in outposts overseas.

2001 R. M. Bolen Child Sexual Abuse ii. iv. 49 Regretfully, many measures employed in the social sciences have important limitations that fundamentally affect the findings of the study.