senselesslyadv.
/ˈsɛnsləsli/, U.S. /ˈsɛnsləsli/ In a stupid or foolish manner; in an irrational, unintelligible, or meaningless manner. Formerly also: †in a senseless or unresponsive condition (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > [adverb]
unwiselyc897
dizzilyc1175
folly?c1225
canglichec1230
mazedlya1250
follilyc1330
unskilfully1340
unwittily1362
lewdlyc1380
nicelya1387
fondlya1450
nicea1450
foolishlyc1450
foliously1481
ineptly1523
peevishly?1529
simply1535
insipiently1536
senselessly1561
fonly1579
sillilyc1598
perperously1657
insipidly1699
daftly1724
silly1731
stupid?1757
dawkinly1763
fool-like1800
unsagely1801
spoonily1861
assishly1863
ill-advisedly1879
1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. iii. ii, f. 112v That firste sorte of men are farre worse then the Deuell, whiche do senslessly heare and vnderstand those thinges for knoweledge whereof the Deuells do tremble.
a1590 F. Walsingham Anatomizing of Honesty, Ambition & Fortitude in J. Howell Cottoni Posthuma (1651) 337 When they once perceived it unactive, and senselessly lying still, the wiser sort of Froggs began to despise it.
?1617 W. Alexander Suppl. Sidney's Arcadia sig. ¶3v He was lying downe senselesly on his senselesse friend, as in all estates striuing to be still like him.
1660 R. Coke Elements Power & Subjection 7 in Justice Vindicated Then most senselessly he confounds the offices of Command and Obedience.
1742 J. Wesley Jrnl. 26 June in Extract Jrnl. Sept. 1741–Oct. 1743 (1749) 54 A drunken man..was so senselesly impertinent, that even his comrades were quite ashamed of him.
1766 R. Price Nature & Dignity Human Soul 17 We can be sure that this opinion is as senselessly absurd, as it is miserably discouraging.
1842 ‘D. Hardcastle’ Banks & Bankers x. 405 The supply of silver which might have answered the purpose has been senselessly thrown out of use.
1860 G. A. Sala Lady Chesterfield's Lett. Pref. p.iii The most brilliant achievements of human genius have been impudently and senselessly caricatured.
1906 Med. Cent. 1 Nov. 329/1 He holds on senselessly to the soiled shirt which is being removed, and equally senselessly resists having another put on.
1945 P. Larkin Let. 20 Dec. in Sel. Lett. (1992) 112 The other day some of the proofs of Jill came...The original MS has been Blue-pencilled. Heavily and senselessly.
2011 N.Y. Times 7 June a31/2 He carried out attacks against the Hashid tribe, provoking widespread resentment and anger for senselessly spilling blood.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
adv.1561