spontaneouslyadv.
/spɒnˈteɪnɪəsli/, U.S. /spɑnˈteɪniəsli/ In a spontaneous manner.
1.
a. By natural impulse; of a free and unconstrained will; of one's own accord.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > free will > [adverb]
freelyeOE
wilfullyc1000
by one's willOE
of oneselfOE
self-willesOE
of one's own willOE
willyOE
with one's willc1175
voluntarilyc1374
wilfulc1380
of one's own heada1393
willea1400
willilya1400
of (free) voluntyc1402
of or at one's (own) voluntyc1402
of one's own motion1419
of (also by, with) one's (own) goodwill?a1425
on one's own heada1425
of (also by, on, upon) one's own accorda1450
activelyc1454
willinglyc1475
voluntary1480
liberallya1500
of one's own swinge1548
voluntariously1550
voluntarlyc1568
for favour1574
at voluntary1585
of, out of, upon, or at (a person's) own voluntary1585
selfly1595
motu proprio1603
ultroneously1627
unimposedly1647
spontaneously1660
needlessly1710
unmechanically1764
1660 R. Coke Justice Vindicated 7 Therefore Children..have will, and do things spontaneously.
1670 G. Havers tr. G. Leti Il Cardinalismo di Santa Chiesa iii. ii. 266 Considering the offers many had spontaniously made him.
1751 S. Johnson Rambler No. 175. ⁋10 He who is spontaneously suspicious, may be justly charged with radical corruption.
1794 R. J. Sulivan View of Nature I. 130 For what is power or energy? Is it not a disposition to act, either spontaneously, or in consequence of some impression?
1809 S. Smith Wks. (1859) I. 161/2 Monk spontaneously sent down some confidential letters, which turned the scale of evidence.
1856 P. E. Dove Logic Christian Faith i. §2. 37 This is correct so long as the mind acts..spontaneously.
1877 L. P. Brockett Cross & Crescent 456 The Sublime Porte spontaneously informed the prince..that it would spare no effort [etc.].
b. Without thought or premeditation.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > intention > unintentional or unplanned character > [adverb] > in unplanned manner
suddenly1340
of unwarninga1400
on, upon, rarely of, in (a) suddenty1469
casuallya1549
extemporea1556
of (upon) this sudden1572
extemporally1577
at (the or a) volley1578
on (or o') the volley1578
extrumpery1582
unpremeditately1607
extemporary1610
extempory1623
extemporarily1667
impromptu1669
ad aperturam libri1679
unpremeditatedly1694
impulsively1768
extemporaneously1791
promiscuously1791
spontaneously1799
on (also upon) the spur of the moment (or occasion, etc.)1801
spontaneous1810
promiscuous1826
improvisedly1851
off-handedly1876
at the first jet1878
off the cuff1927
off the top of one's head1939
off the wall1966
1799 H. Lee Canterbury Tales III. 162 [The apology] sprang spontaneously to his lips.
1831 D. E. Williams Life Sir T. Lawrence II. 383 In his letters, his opinions and sentiments are poured forth warmly and spontaneously as they arose.
1870 J. H. Newman Ess. Gram. Assent ii. viii. 331 Taste, skill, invention in the fine arts..are exerted spontaneously, when once acquired.
2.
a. By natural action; without apparent or obvious external cause or influence.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > [adverb] > operating independently or spontaneously
selfly1605
spontaneously1658
spontaneous1667
automatically1757
1658 J. Evelyn tr. N. de Bonnefons French Gardiner 85 The unripe Figs,..if they stay till they spontaneously quit the trees [etc.].
1664 H. Power Exper. Philos. ii. 143 You shall see the water spontaneously arise..in the Tube.
1764 T. Reid Inq. Human Mind vi. §24 Truth goes forth spontaneously if not held back.
1776 A. Smith Inq. Wealth of Nations I. ii. v. 438 If [the capital] was produced spontaneously, it would be of no value in exchange. View more context for this quotation
a1806 S. Horsley Serm. (1816) II. xvii. 68 As the inquiry is of the highest importance, and spontaneously presents itself, it is to this that I shall devote the remainder of the present discourse.
1825 J. Neal Brother Jonathan III. 188 A great bell..far below me, rang out, spontaneously, of itself.
1871 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues I. 198 If only wisdom can be taught, and does not come to man spontaneously.
b. spec. By natural chemical or physical change or development.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > change > [adverb] > by some change > by natural or spontaneous change
spontaneously1771
the world > matter > chemistry > chemical reactions or processes > [adverb] > by means of named chemical reactions or processes > by means of miscellaneous other processes
greedily1584
spontaneously1771
mercurially1881
reductively1931
1771 Encycl. Brit. II. 120/1 Some earths and stones abound so with nitre, that it effloresces spontaneously.
1794 G. Adams Lect. Nat. & Exper. Philos. I. x. 498 It takes fire spontaneously by the contact of air.
1804 J. Abernethy Surg. Observ. 91 It is no uncommon circumstance to meet with wens, that have burst spontaneously.
1837 P. Keith Bot. Lexicon 35 The nascent bulbs, which..spontaneously detach themselves from the parent plant.
1878 T. H. Huxley Physiography (ed. 2) xv. 251 In other cases the coral animal spontaneously splits in two halves.
1892 Photogr. Ann. II. 517 This remarkable group of crystals was produced..quite spontaneously.
3.
a. By natural growth; without being specially planted or cultivated.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > wild and cultivated plants > [adverb] > without cultivation
spontaneouslya1682
spontaneous1780
a1682 Sir T. Browne Certain Misc. Tracts (1683) 52 This same plant may grow naturally and spontaneously in several countries.
1733 W. Ellis Chiltern & Vale Farming 84 Young Oaks..that spontaneously grow up from the Acorns.
1765 Museum Rusticum 4 242 Common hay which is mixed with burnet growing spontaneously.
1832 W. Macgillivray Trav. & Researches A. von Humboldt xxv. 384 It is supposed by botanists, that it [sc. the potato] grows spontaneously in the mountainous regions.
b. By natural production; without tillage.
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > [adverb] > naturally or spontaneously
naturallyc1485
natively1672
spontaneously1700
the world > food and drink > farming > cultivation or tillage > [adverb] > without tillage
spontaneously1700
1700 J. Evelyn Diary (1955) V. 425 It represented rather some forrain Country, producing as it were spontaneously pines, fir, Cypresse, Yew, holly, Juniper.
1748 B. Robins & R. Walter Voy. round World by Anson i. v. 44 The soil of the Island is truly luxuriant, producing fruits of many kinds spontaneously.
1830 J. F. W. Herschel Prelim. Disc. Study Nat. Philos. 2 The coarse aliments which the earth affords spontaneously.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.1658