What does literally mean?
Definitions for literally
ˈlɪt ər ə lilit·er·al·ly
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word literally.
Princeton's WordNet
literallyadverb
in a literal sense
"literally translated"; "he said so literally"
literallyadverb
(intensifier before a figurative expression) without exaggeration
"our eyes were literally pinned to TV during the Gulf War"
Wiktionary
literallyadverb
word for word; not figuratively; not as an idiom or metaphor
When I saw on the news that there would be no school tomorrow because of the snowstorm, I literally jumped for joy, and hit my head on the ceiling fan.
literallyadverb
used non-literally as an intensifier for figurative statements: virtually (often considered incorrect; see usage notes)
literallyadverb
Used as a generic downtoner: just, merely.
You literally put it in the microwave for five minutes and it's done.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Literallyadverb
Etymology: from literal.
That a man and his wife are one flesh, I can comprehend the meaning of; yet literally taken, it is a thing impossible. Jonathan Swift.
Endeavouring to turn his Nisus and Euryalus as close as I was able, I have performed that episode too literally; that giving more scope to Mezentius and Lausus, that version, which has more of the majesty of Virgil , has less of his conciseness. Dryden.
So wild and ungovernable a poet cannot be translated literally; his genius is too strong to bear a chain. Dryden.
Wikipedia
Literally
Literally is an English adverb. It has been controversially used as an intensifier for figurative statements.
ChatGPT
literally
Literally is an adverb which means in a literal manner or sense; exactly. It is used to emphasize the truth and accuracy of a statement or description, often to express surprise or to emphasize something that is really true and not metaphorical or hyperbolic.
Webster Dictionary
Literallyadverb
according to the primary and natural import of words; not figuratively; as, a man and his wife can not be literally one flesh
Literallyadverb
with close adherence to words; word by word
Suggested Resources
Literally
Literally vs. Figuratively -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Literally and Figuratively.
British National Corpus
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'literally' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2440
Adverbs Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'literally' in Adverbs Frequency: #291
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of literally in Chaldean Numerology is: 5
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of literally in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6
Examples of literally in a Sentence
I see it happen to friends, i see where the one spouse literally can't tell their own part in it, and is still competing with the other in some way and wants to destroy them and needs vindication by destruction, and just wasting years on that hatred. I don't want to live that way.
When I first left the Eagles, I said, 'That's it. I'm going to play golf.' After 10 days, it was like... there has to be more to life! I can still swing a golf club, and don't forget, Les Paul played until he literally passed away.
That's why I came from Southern California to be with you and to partner with you on this journey, i think what you're doing here with the community center will equip folks, and that in turn will bring businesses into this environment because they'll see the quality of the labor force that literally comes through the doors of what you're creating here.
I think it's amazing. It's a phenomenon. They are literally like a first family in this country.
It's never the law. It's somebody's idea of the way things would work. Even if you've signed a contract that says,' I understand I'm waiving my right to judicial relief.' Some states honor that, and there are other states in which you can not waive negligence that easily, you would literally have to go state by state to figure out : Is it really this easy to waive liability ?
Popularity rank by frequency of use
Translations for literally
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- letterlikAfrikaans
- حرفيArabic
- literalmentCatalan, Valencian
- doslovaCzech
- buchstäblich, wörtlichGerman
- laŭlitereEsperanto
- literalmenteSpanish
- kirjaimellisesti, sananmukaisestiFinnish
- texto, mot à mot, littéralementFrench
- בצורה מילולית, באופן מילוליHebrew
- सचमुचHindi
- letteralmenteItalian
- 文字通りJapanese
- bokstaveligNorwegian
- letterlijkDutch
- bokstavelegNorwegian Nynorsk
- dosłowniePolish
- literalmentePortuguese
- literalmenteRomanian
- буквально, дословноRussian
- doslovno, bukvalno, tacno takoSerbo-Croatian
- bokstavligenSwedish
- అక్షరాలాTelugu
- asıl itibariyle, harfi harfine, harfiyenTurkish
- لفظی معنیUrdu
- theo đúng nghĩa đenVietnamese
- 從字面上Chinese
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Translation
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"literally." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/literally>.
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