Dictionary

negatively en · ADV

Pronunciation

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Etymology

Etymology tree English negative 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 negatively From negative + -ly.

Meanings

1. In a negative manner; so as to be damaging or not positive.
   • 1722, Daniel Defoe, Moll Flanders, London: J. Cooke, 1765, p. 17, At last one of them asked me what a Gentlewoman was? that puzzled me much; but however, I explained myself negatively; that it was one that did not go to Service to do Housework […]
   • Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively, by uniting our affections; the latter negatively, by restraining our vices. 1776, Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 6th edition, Philadelphia, page 5:
   • How justly then might human law and Philosophy rise up against the righteousnesse of Moses, if this be true which our vulgar Divinity Fathers upon him, yeah upon God himselfe; not silently and only negatively to permit, but in his law to divulge a written and generall priviledge to commit and persist in unlawfull divorces with a high hand, with security and no ill fame […] 1644, John Milton, chapter 3, in The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce, London, page 38:
   • Tynesiders appear to be proud of their accents, according to the findings, but Brummies responded negatively to hearing their vowels on TV and radio, partly because they recognise they are ridiculed for them by some of their compatriots. 2009 May 13, Mark Sweney, James Robinson, “Not all regions like to hear their own accents in ads, survey finds”, in The Guardian:
   • Allow me to introduce myself—first, negatively. ¶ No landlord is my friend and brother, no chambermaid loves me, no waiter worships me, no boots admires and envies me. 1859, Charles Dickens, chapter 1, in The Uncommercial Traveller, London: Chapman & Hall, published 1905, page 1:
   • Having the entire summer off from school negatively affects learning. 1997 June 2, John E. Chubb, “Too much of a good thing”, in Time:
2. (qualifier:responding to a question; proposal; vote; responding to a question; proposal; vote, usually) In the negative; with the answer “no.”
   • 1983, Reuters, “Iran rebuffs Iraq on sparing civilians,” New York Times, 27 May, 1983, Iran responded negatively today to a proposal by Iraq that the two countries agree to stop shelling each other’s towns and villages.
   • 1683, Richard Browne (translator), The Cure of Old Age and Preservation of Youth by Roger Bacon, London: Tho. Flesher, Doubt VII, p. 83, I answer negatively:
   • Throttling his joy, Ahab negatively answered this unexpected question […] 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “Chapter 128”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
   • Twelve States now in the affirmative column at one time or another in the past voted negatively. 1935 April 8, “Season’s End”, in Time:

Forms

Antonyms

positively (antonym(s) of “in a negative manner”) · affirmatively (antonym(s) of “in the negative”)

Deriveds

negatively privileged · hypernegatively · nonnegatively

Relateds

negative

Translations (14)

gl negativamente (in a negative manner) · it negativamente (in a negative manner) · de negativ (in a negative manner) · es negativamente (in a negative manner) · ca negativament (in a negative manner) · et negatiivselt (in a negative manner) · fi kielteisesti (in a negative manner) · cs záporně (in a negative manner) · fo neiliga (in a negative manner) · pt negativamente (in a negative manner) · uk негати́вно (in a negative manner) · pl negatywnie (in a negative manner) · la aliter (in a negative manner) · fi negatiivisesti (in a negative manner)