From Middle English purely, equivalent to pure + -ly.
Meanings
(US, regional) Wholly; really, completely.
I am fascinated by the entire scene, I purely am. 1962, Warren Miller, Flush Times:
Solely; exclusively; merely, simply.
"But this meal tonight is not a date, not in the traditional sense. It's purely platonic, I assure you." 2007, Helen Brooks, His Christmas Bride:
The IRA should "lead by example" and "unilaterally" abandon paramilitary violence and adopt a purely political strategy, a leading Sinn Féin MP urged yesterday. 8 April 2005, Owen Bowcott, The Guardian:
Chastely, innocently; in a sinless manner, without fault.
faith and troth, / Strain'd purely from all hollow bias drawing: / Bids thee with most diuine integritie, / From heart of very heart, great Hector welcome. c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene vii]:
(archaic) Without physical adulterants; refinedly, with no admixture.
By some means or other the water flows purely, and separated from the filth, in a deeper and narrower course on one side of the rock, and the refuse of the dirt and troubled water goes off on the other in a broader current [...]. 1823, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Table Talk:
“Well, John, how are you; and how are Mary and the children?”—“All purely, thank ye, master.” “Why, you deceitful wretch—you ‘spiritless outcast’—you are worse than the knife-grinder! I know better; the friend of humanity has been with me. What do you mean by saying that your wife and children are well at home?[…]” 1839 November, “The Church and the Chartists”, in Fraser’s Magazine for Town and Country, volume XX, number CXIX, page 622, column 1:
On entering the cottage, she […] began to inquire after the health of the family. “They be all purely, thank ye, Miss,” said the woman; “and, as I tell my good man, I make no doubt but we shall do very well again, after a bit.” 1817, chapter III, in Rachel: A Tale, 2nd edition, London: […] Taylor and Hessey, […], published 1818, page 62:
“[…] How do you do, Colonel Lambert. You find us late again, sir. Me and his Reverence kept it up pretty late with some of the young fellows, after the ladies went away. I hope the dear ladies are well, sir?” […] “The ladies are purely.[…]” 1857–1858, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, “In which Mr. Warrington treats the Company with Tea and a Ball”, in The Virginians. A Tale of the Last Century, volume I, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1858, →OCLC, page 269:
“I am no patient at all, ma’am, and have no patience either;—I am as well as you are, or my lady Dashfort either, and hope, God willing, long to continue so.” […] “Long, long, I hope, to continue so, if Heaven grants my daily and nightly prayers, and my lady Dashfort’s also. So, Mr. Reynolds, if the ladies’ prayers are of any avail, you ought to be purely, and I suppose ladies’ prayers have the precedency in efficacy.[…]” 1812, [Maria] Edgeworth, “The Absentee. Chapter XVI.”, in Tales of Fashionable Life (2nd series), volume VI, London: […] [Heney] for J[oseph] Johnson and Co., […], →OCLC, page 404:
PURELY, adv.^([sic]) n.Cy. Wm. Yks. Der. Lin. Rut. Nhp. Brks. Bdf. Hnt. e.An. Hmp. I.W. Wil. Som. [piu·ərli, piu·əli.] 1. Well in health. Cf. pure, 1. […] w.Yks.² She’s purely. […] Bdf. I’m purely (J.W.B.). Hnt. (T.P.F.) e.An.¹ I am purely to-day. 1903, “PURELY, adv.”, in Joseph Wright, editor, The English Dialect Dictionary: […], volume IV (M–Q), London: Henry Frowde, […], publisher to the English Dialect Society, […]; New York, N.Y.: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, →OCLC, page 650, column 1:
My Dame (who was an utter ſtranger to all that had paſſed between the young Squire and her daughter) was exceeding glad to ſee him look ſo purely after his journey, and all the young fry ſwarmed about him, for the ſake of the halfpence they had ſo often ſcrambled for; […] 1753, R. P., “Squire Richard receives Dolly’s answer. […]”, in Virtue Triumphant, and Pride Abased; in the Humorous History of Dickey Gotham, and Doll Clod; […], volume I, London: […] M. Cooper, […], page 111:
Purely [piw·u’li], adv.^([sic]) a term expressing a satisfactory state of health, and usual in response to an inquiry. Wh. Gl.; Mid. ‘Now, bairn, how are you?’ ‘Why, bairn, I am purely, thank you; and pray you, how’s yourself, and how goes all at home?’ 1876, C. Clough Robinson, A Glossary of Words Pertaining to the Dialect of Mid-Yorkshire; with Others Peculiar to Lower Nidderdale. […] (Original Glossaries, and Glossaries with Fresh Additions; V), London: […] [F]or the English Dialect Society by Trübner & Co., […], page 106, column 2:
Land[lady]. Good-morrow to your worſhip!—I’m glad to ſee your worſhip look ſo purely—I came up with all ſpeed (taking breath) our pye is in the oven—that was what you ſent for me about, I take it. / Juſt[ice]. True—true—ſit down good Mrs. Buſtle, pray—— / Land. O your worſhip’s always very good (ſettling her apron) I came up juſt as I was, only threw my ſhawl over me—I thought your worſhip would excuſe—I’m quite as it were rejoiced to ſee your worſhip look ſo purely, and to find you up ſo hearty— 1800, Maria Edgeworth, “Old Poz”, in The Parent’s Assistant, or Stories for Children. […], 3rd edition, volume IV, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], by G[eorge] Woodfall, […], →OCLC, scene ii, pages 10–11:
PURELY, Quite well. “How’s thy mam?” “Purely thank ye.” 1828, [William Carr], “A Glossary of the Craven Dialect”, in The Dialect of Craven, in the West-Riding of the County of York, […], 2nd edition, volume II, London: […] W[illia]m Crofts, […]; Leeds: Robinson and Hernaman, page 61:
“Faith, yes, Mrs. Macane, it is: how are ye, Ma’am?” / “Purely, thank ye; only a little stiff, betimes, with them rheumatics—they make their way into the bones, Jakes, and stay there for their amusement, jist as Boneypart did in the heart of Spain.” 1840, Mrs. S[amuel] C[arter] Hall [i.e., Anna Maria Hall], “School Mortifications”, in Marian; or, A Young Maid’s Fortunes. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], page 303: