ridiculouslyadv.
/rᵻˈdɪkjᵿləsli/, U.S. /rəˈdɪkjələsli/ In a ridiculous manner or to a ridiculous degree; absurdly. Later also simply as an intensifier.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > absurdity, incongruity > [adverb]
stultitiously1536
preposterously?c1550
absurdly1559
ridiculously1563
fore-backwardlya1586
nonsensically1648
ad absurdum1656
nonsensely1656
fancifully1664
laughably1763
ridiculous1827
laughingly1843
dottily1937
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > derision, ridicule, or mockery > fact or condition of being mocked or ridiculed > [adverb]
ridiculously1563
grotesquely1740
laughably1763
ridiculous1827
ludicrously1844
pathetically1937
α.
β. 1586 Treat. against Def. of Censure Bks. W. Charke & M. Hanmer To Rdr. 7 His shamefull ignoraunce in the learned tongues, which he sought most rediculouslie to couer and hide.1606 G. W. tr. Epit. Liues Emperors in tr. Justinus Hist. sig. Ff 6 Being redicolously left off, he followed swarmes of flies.1686 T. D'Urfey Banditti iv. ii. 47 (stage direct.) In these Spaces he thrums the Guittar rediculously.1701 T. Baker Humour of Age i. ii. 11 He's dress'd ten times more rediculously himself.1759 E. Goldney Scriptural Remedies 36, in Epist. to Deists & Jews In lying and cheating, out-witting of people, as they rediculously term it.1823 Emmet 1 302 He has written what is rediculously incorrect.1895 T. Hardy Jude ii. ii. 101 Jude, a rediculously affectionate fellow, promised nothing, put the photograph on the mantelpiece, kissed it..and felt more at home.1922 F. J. Eddy Is Christianity Failure? 36 The rate would be low, very low, so low that it would appear rediculously low to us of today.1985 Times 6 July 8/6 Shandy Hall in Coxwold in North Yorkshire is a rediculously eccentric medieval house.2001 Topeka (Kansas) Capital-Jrnl. (Nexis) 9 Jan. d2 Shouldn't they receive a fair piece of the pie, no matter how rediculously large that pie becomes?1563 J. Foxe Actes & Monuments 622/2 So foolyshly and ridiculously seekyng holes and corners to hyde them selues in.
1580 G. Harvey in E. Spenser & G. Harvey Three Proper & Wittie Lett. 46 To deuise any counterfaite fantasticall Accent of oure owne, as manye..haue corruptely and ridiculouslye done in the Greeke.
1601 R. Johnson tr. G. Botero Trauellers Breuiat 26 They most ridiculously pretend, that in the vniuersall deluge, mankind was preserued in their countrey.
a1670 J. Hacket Scrinia Reserata (1693) i. 169 These augustious preparations would be ridiculously disappointed.
1713 G. Berkeley Three Dialogues Hylas & Philonous iii. 122 Whether it be not ridiculously absurd, to misapply Names contrary to the common Use of Language?
1753 W. Hogarth Anal. Beauty viii. 40 In some it would be ridiculously losing time.
1823 W. Scott Peveril I. iii*. 74 If the Puritan was..ridiculously precise in his manners.
1885 Manch. Examiner 18 Feb. 3/3 The ridiculously high prices given for violins.
1902 Words of Eye-witness 324 Its modest hues and stature being ridiculously mis-seen as ‘purple-patched’ and ‘tall’.
1940 M. Dickens Mariana viii. 317 The gravel drive, where even a tired horse used to jog-trot because his stable was near, was ridiculously short.
2009 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 25 Jan. (Travel section) 12/1 You half expect a bereted Parisian to saunter out of one of the ridiculously cute, Euro-themed bistros.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.1563