lit·er·al·ly
adv
\ˈli-tə-rə-lē, ˈli-trə-lē, ˈli-tər-lē\
Definition of LITERALLY
1
: in a
literal sense or manner
: actually <took the remark
literally> <was
literally insane>
2
: in effect : virtually <will
literally turn the world upside down to combat cruelty or injustice — Norman Cousins>
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See literally defined for English-language learners »
Usage Discussion of LITERALLY
Since some people take sense 2 to be the opposite of sense 1, it has been frequently criticized as a misuse. Instead, the use is pure hyperbole intended to gain emphasis, but it often appears in contexts where no additional emphasis is necessary.
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Examples of LITERALLY
- <LI class=always-visible>Many words can be used both literally and figuratively. <LI class=always-visible>He took her comments literally. <LI class=always-visible>He's a sailor who knows his ropes, literally and figuratively. <LI class=always-visible>The term “Mardi Gras” literally means “Fat Tuesday” in French. <LI class=always-visible>The story he told was basically true, even if it wasn't literally true.
- … make the whole scene literally glow with the fires of his imagination. —Alfred Kazin, Harper's, December 1968