wrongfullyadv.
/ˈrɒŋfᵿli/, /ˈrɒŋfl̩i/, U.S. /ˈrɔŋfəli/, /ˈrɑŋfəli/ In a wrong or wrongful manner; wrongly.† 2.
1.
a. In a manner contrary to the principles of justice or equity; unjustly, unfairly.In very frequent use from c1400 to c1600.
ΘΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > unjustness > [adverb]
unevenc1000
unrightOE
unrightlyOE
wronga1250
falsely1303
wrongouslyc1325
unskilfully1338
unskilwiselya1340
wrongly1340
unrightfullyc1350
wrongfullyc1374
unevenly1382
unjustlyc1384
unduly1399
slanderously1429
injustly1502
undeservedly1549
slanderfully1550
unequallya1599
unequitably1649
unfairly1713
iniquitably1742
inequitably1857
society > morality > rightness or justice > wrong or injustice > [adverb]
unrightOE
unrightlyOE
wronga1250
mislichec1275
falsely1303
wrongouslyc1325
unskilfully1338
unskilwiselya1340
wrongly1340
unrightfullyc1350
wrongfullyc1374
unjustlyc1384
injustly1502
c1374 G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde i. 414 If þat I consente, I wrong~fully Compleyne i-wys.
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Luke iii. 14 He seith to hem, Smyte ȝe wrongfulli no man.
c1450 Jacob's Well (1900) 275 Þou seest gode lyuerys suffere wrongefully.
1474 W. Caxton tr. Game & Playe of Chesse (1883) i. ii. 12 He was dampned to deth wrongfully.
1494 R. Fabyan New Chron. Eng. (1811) 307 Wyllyam, which was..a defendor of ye pore people agayne extorcioners & wronge doers, was by them put wrongfully to deth.
a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) iii. xiv. sig. Qq6v Not to suffer such treasures to be wrongfully hidden.
1634 W. Tirwhyt tr. J. L. G. de Balzac Lett. 121 Justice so exact..that they will not condemn the Devil himself wrongfully.
1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis v, in tr. Virgil Wks. 340 Salius..pleads the Prize is wrongfully conferr'd.
1760 L. Sterne Life Tristram Shandy I. xix. 123 When once a vile name was wrongfully or injudiciously given.
1823 W. Scott Quentin Durward III. iii. 69 If he acted wrongfully, it was in no shape by my precept or example.
1893 M. Cholmondeley Diana Tempest iv When a man was wrongfully keeping possession of many thousands.
b. In an illegal or unlawful manner; contrary to the law; unlawfully, illegally, tortiously.
ΘΚΠ
society > law > rule of law > illegality > [adverb]
unlawlyc1175
unlawfullya1350
unleefullya1382
wrongfully1439
unlawful1477
unleesomely1528
illegally1628
illegitimatelya1634
unlegally1638
illicitly1812
viciously1880
1439 in F. J. Furnivall Fifty Earliest Eng. Wills (1882) 119 All maner land that is holden by me or yn my name wrongfully.
1480 Coventry Leet Bk. 446 Also the people..hurten the ffysshe in Swanneswel-pole be þeir wasshyng ther, which they don wrongfully.
1528–30 tr. T. Littleton Tenures (new ed.) f. xliiv Yf a man wrongfully take my goodes.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Edward IV f. ccxxxiv Possessions, which wer from you bothe torciously & wrongfully with holden.
1583 P. Stubbes Second Pt. Anat. Abuses sig. E5v If they posses them [sc. their lands] wrongfully, then ought they to surrender their tytle.
1651 T. Hobbes Leviathan ii. xxi. 113 A man might enter in to his own Land, (and dispossesse such as wrongfully possessed it,) by force.
1752–3 Act 26 Geo. II c. 19 §5 Where any such Goods..are wrongfully bought, sold, or concealed.
1768 W. Blackstone Comm. Laws Eng. III. 4 When [another]..wrongfully detains one's wife, child, or servant.
1810 W. Selwyn Abridgem. Law Nisi Prius (ed. 2) II. 1249 Plea, that..because the gate was wrongfully erected across the same, the defendant pulled it down.
1885 Law Rep.: Queen's Bench Div. 14 816 The sons' goods were in this case wrongfully seized.
a. In an improper fashion; incorrectly. Obsolete.
ΘΠ
society > morality > dueness or propriety > moral impropriety > [adverb]
wrongc1175
unworthlyc1200
unkindly?c1225
ungraithlya1300
wrongly1303
unconablya1340
unworthily1377
ungoodlyc1380
uncovenablya1382
improperly1390
falsely1393
unduly1399
unseemlya1400
unsittinglyc1412
unorderly1471
induly1483
unseemlily1483
ungainlya1500
uncomely?1518
unmeetly1533
unconveniently1538
wrongfully?1549
uncomelily1561
undecently1563
indecently1589
unproperly1604
unbeseemingly1617
viciously1617
unseemingly1619
misbecominglya1625
unbeseeming1645
unbecomingly1653
invalidly1705
naughty1892
?1549 in J. Pettus Fodinæ Regales (1670) 91 Where they find any Ground wrought wrongfully by any man, contrary to the right and custom of the Mine.
1551 T. Wilson Rule of Reason sig. Bijv Knotty Subtiltees that are bothe false, and wrongfully framed together.
b. Mistakenly; erroneously; falsely.
ΘΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > [adverb]
wrongc1175
miss?c1225
untruea1350
untrulyc1380
falselya1400
wilsomelyc1420
awrong1430
unpurelyc1460
fallibly1552
erroneously1578
sinistrously1581
wrongously1597
false1598
unproperly1604
incorrectly1611
fallaciously1612
mistakingly1652
foul1683
wrongfully1743
wrongly1755
erringly1815
1743 J. Bulkeley & J. Cummins Voy. to South-seas 180 The Governor was right in his Conjecture, and did not suspect them wrongfully.
1896 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. I. 123 I am forced to assume, perhaps wrongfully, that [etc.].
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1928; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adv.c1374