mortally
/'mɔ:təli/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adverb:
- In a manner that causes or relates to death: Describes an action or condition that leads to or is connected with death.
- To an extreme degree; intensely: Used figuratively to describe a powerful, often negative, emotion or state, such as fear, hatred, or jealousy, as if it were fatal.
Examples of Usage
- Literal (relating to death):
- The soldier was mortally wounded in the battle. (He received injuries that would cause his death.)
- Figurative (extreme degree):
- She is mortally afraid of spiders. (She experiences an intense, profound fear of them.)
- The two rivals are mortally jealous of each other's success. (They feel an intense, deep-seated jealousy.)
Advanced Usage
- "mortally opposed": Intensely and irrevocably against something.
- He is mortally opposed to any changes in the traditional policy.
- "mortally insulted": Deeply and grievously offended.
- She felt mortally insulted by his casual remark.
Variants and Related Words
- Mortal (adjective):
- Subject to death: All humans are mortal.
- Causing death; fatal: He suffered a mortal blow.
- Extreme or intense: They were mortal enemies.
- Mortality (noun): The state of being subject to death; the death rate.
- The mortality rate from the disease has decreased.
Synonyms
- Fatally: In a manner leading to death.
- Deadly: Causing or likely to cause death.
- Profoundly: To a deep or intense degree.
- Intensely: With extreme strength or feeling.
Notes on Usage
- The figurative use of mortally to mean "extremely" is often applied to serious, grave, or negative emotions (e.g., ). It is less commonly used for positive feelings.
- In its literal sense, it is frequently paired with verbs like or .
Adverb
- in such a manner that death ensues (also in reference to hatred, jealousy, fear, etc.)
- a being of whom the forest Indians are said to be mortally afraid, with a hoof shaped like the heel of a bottle