cruelly
English
Etymology
From Middle English cruelly; equivalent to cruel + -ly.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈkɹuːəli/, /ˈkɹuːli/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - Rhymes: -uːli
- Hyphenation: cru‧el‧ly
Adverb
cruelly (comparative more cruelly, superlative most cruelly)
- In a cruel manner.
- 1577, Raphaell Holinshed, “The Historie of Englande”, in The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, OCLC 55195564, page 26, columns 1–2:
- In the meane time it chaunced, that Marcus Papyrius ſtroke one of the Galles on the heade with his ſtaffe, because he preſumed to ſtroke his bearde: with whiche iniurie the Gaulle beeing prouoked, ſlue Papyrius (as he ſate) with hys ſworde, and therewith the ſlaughter being begun with one, all the reſidue of thoſe auncient fatherly men as they ſat in theyr Chayres were ſlaine and cruelly murthered.
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Translations
in a cruel manner
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Middle English
Alternative forms
- cruwelly, cruely, crewelly, cruelliche, crueli
Etymology
From cruel + -ly.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈkriu̯ɛliː/, /ˈkriu̯əliː/, /ˈkriu̯ɛliːtʃ(ə)/
Adverb
cruelly
- Ruthlessly, cruelly; in a cruel or sadistic way.
- Savagely, viciously; in a way displaying ferocity.
- (rare) Deleteriously, injurious; conducive to suffering.
- (rare) Strictly, unforgivingly, meanly, harshly.
Descendants
- English: cruelly
- Scots: cruelly
References
- “crūellī, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-09-12.