awfully

From awful + -ly.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɔː.fʊ.li/, /ˈɔː.fə.li/, /ˈɔː.fli/

  • Audio (Southern England):

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• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɔ.f(ə.)li/
• (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /ˈɑ.f(ə.)li/

awfully (comparative more awfully, superlative most awfully)

1. Badly, terribly.

   She led after the swimming and cycling, but ran awfully and came in fourth.

2. (not comparable) Very; exceedingly; extremely; excessively.

   Synonyms: very, extremely, terribly; see also Thesaurus:extremely

   • 1912, Arnold Bennett, The Grim Smile of the Five Towns‎^[1]:

     It was wondrous. 'I'm awfully glad I came now,' his thought ran; 'I'm managing it rather well.'

   • 1968, Syd Barrett, “Jugband Blues”, in A Saucerful of Secrets, performed by Pink Floyd:

     It’s awfully considerate of you to think of me here / And I’m most obliged to you for making it clear that I’m not here

3. (archaic) In a manner inspiring awe.
4. (archaic) Reverently.
5. (obsolete) Fearfully.
   • 1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC:

     I returned to the inn yard, and, impressed by my remembrance of the face, looked awfully around for it. It was not there.