wonderfully, adv.
(ˈwʌndəfʊlɪ)
[f. prec. + -ly2.]
In a wonderful manner.
1. So as to excite wonder; † miraculously; to a wonderful degree or extent; marvellously, astonishingly, surprisingly: often passing into a mere intensive = amazingly well or much; extraordinarily, exceedingly.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter xliv. [xlv]. 6 Þy pouste shal laden þe wonderfulliche. 13.. Cursor M. 11424 (Gött.) Þe stern went forwid þat þaim ledd, And wonþerfulli [Cott. ferlilic, Fairf., Trin. wondirly] þan war þai fedd. a 1340 Hampole Psalter xcvii. 1 God..þat wondirfully made man and wondirfullyere boght him. a 1400 Prymer (1891) 35 He was boren wonderfulliche of a mayde. a 1425 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula etc. 69 Ane emplastre of þe white of ane rawe ey and oile..is seid wonderfully for to be mitigatiue. a 1513 Fabyan Chron. vi. cc. (1533) 123 b/2 He arrered excedynge imposycyons of the people, and greued them wonderfully. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. iv. (S.T.S.) I. 237 Eugenie had ane onlie dauchtir,..quha wounderfullie was..mouet with effectione of a religious lyfe. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. i. 813 A chappell wonderfully built out of a rocke hewen hollow. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 23 The conversation of the English abroad, is wonderfullie pleasing unto strangers. 1642 Caldwell Papers (Maitl. Club) I. 94, I pray God send her safe hither; wee wonderfully want her. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 336, I wonderfully lik'd the Man. 1765 Museum Rust. IV. 258 The seed being exceeding small, and to be sown wonderfully thin. 1789 Mrs. Piozzi Journ. France I. 149 Their wonderfully-situated metropolis [sc. Venice]. 1839 Thackeray Fatal Boots Jan., It got through the measles wonderfully. 1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ Valerie's Fate iv, It was a capital play, too, and so wonderfully acted. |
† 2. With wonder or admiration. Obs. rare.
| c 1450 Merlin xiii. 200 Ther dide Gawein soche merveiles in armes that wondirfully was he be-holden of hem of logres. 1570 J. Dee Math. Pref. *j, How Immateriall..Number is, who doth not perceaue? yea, who doth not wonderfully wonder at it? 1821 Clare Vill. Minstrel I. 35 The crowd that wonderfully stares, To hear him talk of things in foreign land. |