Dictionary

figuratively en · ADV

Etymology

Etymology tree English figurative Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English figuratively From figurative + -ly.

Meanings

1. In a figurative manner.
   • 1897 Easton's Bible Dictionary available on Wikisource Shepherd A word naturally of frequent occurrence in Scripture. […] This word is used figuratively to represent the relation of rulers to their subjects and of God to his people.
   • TAIWAN, or Chinese Formosa, is considered a Foo or district of the province of Fokien, and is governed by a Taoutai extraordinary, who, though responsible to the provincial viceroy, possesses the privilege of memorialising the Throne direct. “The district of Taiwan,” says the Chinese Government Chart, of which a copy was supplied to me by the Formosan authorities, “is bounded in the rear by mountains, and in front by the sea. The ancestral hills of Formosa derive their origin from the Woo-hoo-mun (Five Tiger Gate), the entrance to Foochow, whence they glided across the sea. In the ocean towards the east are two places called Tungkwan (Damp Limit) and Pih-mow (White Acre), which mark the spots where the dragons of the Formosan hills emerged. These sacred reptiles had pierced unseen the depths of ocean, and announcing their ascent to the surface by throwing up the bluff at Kelung-head, by a number of violent contortions heaved up the regular series of hills, valleys, and plains that extend north and south in varied undulations for the space of 1000 leagues (applied figuratively). The mountain-peaks are too multitudinous to enumerate, and the geography of the island too comprehensive to take into present consideration ; we will therefore confine ourselves to a few general remarks. In rear of the hills, eastward, flows the ocean ; facing them, to the westward, is the sea ; and between lies the prefecture of Taiwan.” 1864, Robert Swinhoe, “Notes on the Island of Formosa.”, in The Journal of the Royal Geographic Society of London, volume XXXIV, London: John Murray, published 1865, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 6:
2. (as a sentence adverb) Used to indicate that what follows is to be taken as a figure of speech, not literally.
   • Figuratively, the cat was out of the bag.
   • Time can be consumed figuratively like food.

Forms

Antonyms

literally

Coordinates

metonymically · synecdochically · metaphorically · as it were

Synonyms

nonliterally · literally

Translations (35)

nb billedlig (in a figurative manner) · ka ხატოვნად (in a figurative manner) · la tropicē (in a figurative manner) · pt figurativamente (in a figurative manner) · fi kuvaannollisesti (in a figurative manner) · ka მხატვრულად (in a figurative manner) · ro (în mod) figurat (in a figurative manner) · sv bildligt (in a figurative manner) · nl figuurlijk (in a figurative manner) · ru фигура́льно (in a figurative manner) · pl w przenośni (in a figurative manner) · cmn 比喻地 (in a figurative manner) · eo figure (in a figurative manner) · ar مَجَازًا (in a figurative manner) · la figūrātīvē (in a figurative manner) · es en sentido figurado (in a figurative manner) · ru метафори́чески (in a figurative manner) · de bildlich (in a figurative manner) · nn biletleg (in a figurative manner) · de figürlich (in a figurative manner) · es figurativamente (in a figurative manner) · nb overført betydning (in a figurative manner) · ru о́бразно (in a figurative manner) · ar مَجَازِيًّا (in a figurative manner) · hu képletesen (in a figurative manner) · es figuradamente (in a figurative manner) · ka გადატანითი მნიშვნელობით (in a figurative manner) · hu átvitt értelemben (in a figurative manner) · tr mecazen (in a figurative manner) · cs obrazně (in a figurative manner) · ca figurativament (in a figurative manner) · pl przenośnie (in a figurative manner) · ka მეტაფორულად (in a figurative manner) · nn overført tydning (in a figurative manner) · fr figurément (in a figurative manner)