naturally, adv.
(ˈnætjʊərəlɪ)
Also 6 -allye, 6–7 -allie.
[f. natural a. + -ly2. The earlier ME. form was naturelly.]
I. 1. By natural or inherent instinct, impulse, feeling or tendency.
| c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 79 The lark also ful naturally, Cristes ascencioune..Commendyd. c 1460 Fortescue Abs. & Lim. Mon. ix. (1885) 128 Manis corage is so noble, þat naturally he aspirith to high thinges. 1538 Starkey England ii. i. 159 Euery man naturally ys gyuen to folow plesure, quietnes, and ease. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 5 b, He whiche is a Germain him selfe wil naturally for the countrie sake..be helpfull to an other Germaine. 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 212 All of us naturally are too much in love with our owne workes. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xvii. 85 Men (who naturally love Liberty, and Dominion over others). 1711 Budgell Spect. No. 77 ¶1, I have naturally an Aversion to much Speaking. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xix, I naturally hate the face of a tyrant. 1797–1803 Foster in Life & Corr. (1846) I. xliii. 246 The sympathy which we naturally feel for our kind. 1876 L. Stephen Eng. Th. 18th C. II. xii. viii. 448 An antiquarian is naturally a conservative. |
b. Immediately qualifying an adj. or pple. denoting personal character. (Passing into next.)
| 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iv. iv. 732 Though I am not naturally honest, I am so sometimes by chance. 1632 Lithgow Trav. iii. 90 They are naturally inclined to singing. a 1687 Petty Pol. Arith. Pref. (1690) a 3 b, That many are naturally querulous and envious, is an Evil as old as the World. 1777 Watson Philip II (1839) 437 Philip was not naturally either bold or rash. 1877 E. R. Conder Bas. Faith i. 16 If a youth learn to sing and play easily and with pleasure,..we say he is naturally musical. |
2. In respect of natural constitution, character, or condition.
| 1526 Tindale 2 Pet. ii. 12 As brute beastes naturally made to be taken and destroyed. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 407 The chiefest castell..is situated..upon an hyghe hyll, naturally strong. 1615 W. Lawson Country Housew. Gard. (1626) 5 High grounds are not naturally fat. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. iv. x. 201 That Jews stinck naturally,..is a received opinion. 1683 Ray Corr. (1848) 131 Whether the Chondrilla..have naturally a full or double flower..? 1711 Steele Spect. No. 155 ¶4 A Woman is naturally more helpless than the other Sex. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xix, We have all naturally an equal right to the throne. 1815 Elphinstone Acc. Caubul (1842) I. 163 It is naturally fertile, and well watered. 1847 C. Brontë J. Eyre vii, Her face, naturally pale as marble. |
3. By natural endowment; by means of, or in virtue of, inherent knowledge or capacity; without special teaching or training. to come naturally to (one): see natural a. 9 c.
| 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. 312/2 The grayhounde hath this knowledge naturallye, therfore take hym to you. 1551 T. Wilson Logike (1580) 2 Euery man can geue a reason naturallie, and without Arte. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 100 Some have no religion, yet they hold naturally the immortality of the soul. 1691 Hartcliffe Virtues 357 For Men have naturally the Notions of good and evil within them. 1710 Lond. Gaz. No. 4764/4 [A horse] sets Head and Tail naturally well. 1878 Scribner's Mag. XV. 112/2 Statesmanship came so naturally to him. 1889 Mrs. J. H. Riddell P'cess Sunshine I. v. 87 It came naturally to him to bear and forbear. |
4. Spontaneously; by natural growth, etc.; without the aid of art or cultivation.
| 1563 T. Hill Art Garden. (1593) 6 That ground..which naturally bringeth forth of his own accord, both elms and wilde young springs. 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 98 A Collar or Chaine naturally wrought like to Sinople or Uermelon. 1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 45 The crown of his head was in his latter dayes somthing bald, as the forepart naturally curled. a 1661 Fuller Worthies (1840) III. 87, I have placed woad..in this county, because, as I am informed, it groweth naturally therein. 1687 A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 201 There is naturally upon a Marble Stone, a figure in red Colour of a Virgin on her Knees. 1721 Bradley Philos. Acc. Wks. Nat. 92 Where Elephants are naturally placed, they are of great Use after they are tamed. 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) XVIII. 581/1 Where it grows naturally is not known, but it is cultivated in Germany. 1847 C. Brontë J. Eyre vii, Julia's hair curls naturally. |
b. Without affectation, with ease.
| 1840 H. Rogers Ess. (1874) II. v. 259 Some men talk as if to speak naturally were to speak like a natural. 1863 Kinglake Crimea (1877) II. vi. 55 The Czar called his Empress so naturally by her dear homely title of wife. |
II. 5. In accordance with, by the operation of, natural laws or causes.
| 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 78 Sen naturaly thir unresonable bestis has sik contrarietee amang thame. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xxxv. (Percy Soc.) 112 Nature made the bodyes above,..That aboute the worlde naturallye do move. 1546 Langley tr. Pol. Verg. de Invent. ii. i. 35 We perceive in all kindes of liuing creatures naturally a certaine familiaritie of male and female. 1615 W. Lawson Country Housew. Gard. (1626) A 3 As when good ground naturally brings forth thistles. 1707 Floyer Physic. Pulse-Watch 385 The salt Limpha mixes naturally with the Blood. 1830 R. Knox Béclard's Anat. 301 The muscular actions which take place naturally in the body may be divided into two classes. 1869 H. F. Tozer Highl. Turkey II. 305 The changes which are naturally wrought by time. |
b. In the natural manner; through age or disease as opposed to violence, etc.
| 1552 Lyndesay Monarche 5136 Thocht sum de Naturally, throuch aige, Fer mo deis raiffand in one raige. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 199 marg., Tyrants..verie sildome or neuer are so blessed as to dye naturally. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 348 Widows, if their husbands died naturally, marry not again. 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe Italian iii, She did not seem to die naturally. |
c. As a natural result or consequence; as might be expected from the circumstances.
| 1641 J. Jackson True Evang. T. ii. 101 To gather that observation, or conclusion, which most naturally buddeth out of it. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 465 ¶2 Faith and Morality naturally produce each other. 1760–2 Goldsm. Cit. W. xxvii, Poverty naturally begets dependence. 1796 H. Hunter tr. St.-Pierre's Stud. Nat. (1799) II. 5 Those eyes whose balls are blue are naturally the softest. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. ii. I. 182 His situation naturally developes in him..a peculiar class of abilities. 1892 Gardiner Stud. Hist. Eng. 14 He naturally chose the latter alternative. |
† d. Simply, easily. Obs. rare—1.
| 1655 Marquis of Worcester Cent. Invent. c, A Childs force bringeth up..an incredible quantity of water..so naturally, that the work will not be heard even in the next Room. |
† 6. In the natural course of things. Obs.
| 1473 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 100/1 Yf the seid Countes were nowe naturally dede. 1495 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 30 §5 If he so longe hadde naturally lyved. 1589 Act 31 Eliz. c. 6 §1 As yf the saide person..then were naturallie deade. 1607 Statutes in Hist. Wakefield Gram. Sch. (1892) 60 As tho he were naturallie deade. |
† b. Normally, regularly. Obs. rare—1.
| 1526 Galway Arch. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. V. 401 No carpenter nor masson shall not have for his hyre..but ii.d. naturallie every daye, with meate and drincke. |
† 7. a. With born. (Cf. natural-born a.) Obs.
| 1523 Act 14 & 15 Hen. VIII, c. 4 §1 Persons being the kinges subiectes naturally borne within this his realme. 1588 Parke tr. Mendoza's Hist. China 383 A man naturally borne in this kingdome. |
† b. In respect of birthplace or nationality. Obs.
| a 1533 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. i. i. A iv b, This excellent baron was naturally of Rome borne in the mounte Celie. 1615 G. Sandys Trav. 76 About whom there runne fortie Peichi (so called in that they are naturally Persians). |
† 8. By natural generation. Obs.
| 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 695 He was lineally descended, and naturally procreated of the noble stocke and familie of Lancaster. 1620 T. Granger Div. Logike 31 So man begetteth man naturallie. 1786 J. Erskine Hist. Redemption (1812) 90 He was both Legally and Naturally descended from David. |
† 9. Physically, materially. Obs.
| 1546 Coverdale Calvin's Sacr. Pref., Wks. (Parker Soc.) I. 427 The great blindness of them, that knowing..the immensurable nature of God, would have him really and naturally contained in so small a thing. 1579 Fulke Heskins' Parl. 220 The wine is y{supt} which was shed out of his side, y{supt} is sacramentally, but not naturally. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lv. §5 In that hee is naturally man hee him⁓selfe is created of God. |
10. In a realistic or life-like manner.
| a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem. ii. (Arb.) 155 He doth not expresse the matter liuely and naturally with common speach.., but it is caried and driuen forth artificiallie. 1598 Chapman Iliad ii. 45 His form did passing naturally Resemble Nestor. 1666 Dryden Pref. Ann. Mirab. Wks. (Globe) 40 He describes his Dido well and naturally, in the violence of her passions. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) IV. 122 The character of Antiphon..is very naturally described. |
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Add: [I.] [3.] [II.] [5.] [c.] Also in weakened use: = of course s.v. course n. 37 c. Freq. as an emphatic affirmative reply.
| 1888 H. James in Scribner's Mag. Sept. 320/2 ‘Such a house as it is today!’ ‘Well, my dear, naturally.’ 1934 G. B. Shaw Too True to be Good ii. 76 And you mistook this great military genius for a half wit!!!.. Naturally. The symptoms are precisely the same. 1959 A. Christie Cat among Pigeons iii. 40 ‘If I ask you questions I shall expect answers.’.. ‘Naturally.’ 1970 M. Angelou in Harper's Mag. Feb. 91/2 In follow-the-leader, naturally he was the one who created the most daring and interesting things to do. 1973 I. Murdoch Black Prince i. 24, I said, ‘Naturally I won't mention this business to anyone.’ 1983 J. Kosinski Being There vi. 95 When I took it upon myself to allude to Gardiner in my speech in Philadelphia, I naturally assumed that he was an established member of the Wall Street elite. |