vastly, adv.
(ˈvɑːstlɪ, ˈvæs-)
[f. vast a. + -ly2.]
1. In a waste or desolate manner. rare—1.
| 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 1740 Who, like a late-sackd island, vastly stood Bare and unpeopled in this fearful flood. |
2. Immensely; to an extent or degree not readily grasped or estimated.
| 1664 Power Exp. Philos. Pref. 17 Though these hopes be vastly hyperbolical. 1676 G. Etherege Man of Mode i. i, Why, first she's an Heiress vastly rich. 1708 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. (1710) 7 It hath many safe and commodious Ports and Havens, as Falmouth vastly spacious. 1732 Berkeley Alciphr. iii. §5 This vastly great, or infinite power and wisdom. 1862 Cornhill Mag. Jan. 73 Popular power has increased vastly during the last half-century in our own country. 1885 Manch. Exam. 4 April 4/6 A policy which will add so vastly to its influence and power. |
b. Freq. with words or phrases denoting comparison.
| 1665 Glanvill Def. Van. Dogm. 25 When the Actions whereby they are produced are so vastly diverse. 1693 Apol. Clergy Scot. 35 In a sense vastly different from what was intended by Mr. Rule. 1710 J. Clarke tr. Rohault's Nat. Philos. (1729) I. i. ii. 53 The Bullet will be carried vastly further than the small Shot. 1778 Sheridan Camp ii. iii, To be sure, a circus or a crescent would have been vastly better. 1820 Hazlitt Table-T. Ser. ii. xvi. (1869) 322 You have got on vastly beyond the point at which you have set out. 1846 Greener Sci. Gunnery 229 It is of trifling consequence..that the explosion of sporting powder is vastly more rapid and powerful. 1879 Tourgee Fool's Err. xxii. 134 The Union people here are vastly in a minority. |
3. In weakened sense as a mere intensive: Exceedingly, extremely, very. (
Cf. vast a. 5.)
Common in fashionable use in the 18th
cent., chiefly with
adjs. (
a), but occasionally with
vbs. (
b) or
advs. (
c). The abuse of
vast and
vastly is commented on by Lord Chesterfield,
Lett. No. 195 and 196.
| (a) 1664 Verney Mem. (1907) II. 204 She putts on and assumes much, very much of the vastly extravagant humors. 1722 De Foe Plague (1754) 219 The City..was vastly full of People. 1733 T. Burnet MS. Let. 30 Jan., Believe me most affectionately, though vastly peevish, Yours T. B. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia vi. xi, This is all vastly true; but I have no time to hear any more of it just now. 1826 J. Foster in Life & Corr. (1846) II. 78 A vastly acute and doggedly intellectual fellow. 1850 Thackeray Pendennis xxii, Mrs. Portman..was vastly bitter against Pen..since his impertinent behaviour to the Doctor. 1872 Black Adv. Phaeton vi. 68 That small person..was becoming vastly indignant. |
| (b) 1750 H. Walpole Lett. (1846) II. 358, I laughed vastly. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xii, I protest I like my Lady Blarney vastly. c 1850 Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.) 234, I should vastly like to examine this little hunchback a little more closely. 1879 K. S. Macquoid Berksh. Lady 182 That will please me vastly. |
| (c) 1756 M. Calderwood in Coltness Collect. (Maitland Club) 127 He..sung vastly fine. 1799 Sheridan Pizarro Prol., An't you come vastly late? 1814 Jane Austen Lady Susan xv, She talks vastly well. 1837 Lytton E. Maltravers 5 As for bed, this chair will do vastly well. |