deeply - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Middle English deply, depely, from Old English dēoplīċe (“deeply”, adverb), from dēoplīc (“deep”), equivalent to deep +‎ -ly.

deeply (comparative more deeply or (rare) deeplier, superlative most deeply or (rare) deepliest)

  1. To a deep extent or degree; very greatly.
    I am deeply concerned about this matter.
    I deeply regret my behaviour.
    • 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto CXXVII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 199:
      Strange friend, past, present, and to be, / Loved deeplier, darklier understood; / Behold I dream a dream of good / And mingle all the world with thee.
    • 2016 January 25, Dan Merica, “In personal exchange, Clinton laments using faith to ‘judge so harshly’”, in CNN‎[1], archived from the original on 6 September 2022:
      The question, which visibly moved Clinton, delves into an area of the candidate’s life that is deeply personal but rarely discussed. Clinton’s friends and confidants describe the former first lady as a devout Methodist whose faith guides much of what she does.
  2. So as to extend far down or far into something.
    The surface of the planet was deeply cratered.
  3. At depth.
    In this part of the river salmon swim deeply.
  4. In a profound, not superficial, manner.
    I thought deeply about the problem.
  5. In large volume.
    breathe deeply, drink deeply
  6. (in relation to sleep) Soundly; so as to be hard to rouse.
  7. (of flavour, colour, etc.) Richly.
    a deeply flavoured curry
    • 1968, Carl Ruhen, The Key Club, Sydney: Scripts, page 12:
      Her deeply hennaed hair, almost black at the roots, straggled loosely down both sides of her long face.

to a deep extent

at depth

profoundly