meanly
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English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English meneli, meneliche, equivalent to mean + -ly.
Pronunciation[edit]
Adverb[edit]
meanly (comparative meanlier or more meanly, superlative meanliest or most meanly)
- Humbly, of or from low social status; basely. [from 16th c.]
- 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 2:
- Iphicrates and Marius were meanly born.
- Poorly or inadequately. [from 16th c.]
- In a mean manner; ill-willed, nastily. [from 17th c.]
- He meanly refused to ever make a charitable donation.