Dictionary

sweetly en · ADV

Pronunciation

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• /ˈswiːtli/

Etymology

From Middle English swetly, swetely, sweteliche, from Old English swētlīċe (“sweetly; pleasantly”), equivalent to sweet + -ly. Cognate with Old High German swuozlīhho (“sweetly”), Icelandic sætlega (“sweetly; with gratitude”), German süßlich (“sweetish; sugary”), Dutch zoetelijk (“sentimental”).

Meanings

1. With a sweet taste or aroma.
2. In a sweet or pleasant manner.
   • "No, Auntie," said Hardman, sweetly, seriously. 1958, Anthony Burgess, The Enemy in the Blanket (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 232:
   • "Hey, Sis, do yah want a Hertz Donut?" one of them sweetly said as the other one held out a donut bag. She reached for it. Her step-sister snatched the bag away and socked her hard in the arm instead. "Hurts, Don't it?" they chime, laughing at her pain. 2006, Carmen Portnoy, The Money Pie: A Recipe for Women Investors, page 6:
3. Nicely; finely; excellently.
   • Sitting in the seat with the engine off before that day, the gears slid in so sweetly, and double de-clutching was so easy, I had done it a million times. 2000, Bob Foster, Birdum or Bust!, Henley Beach, SA: Seaview Press, page 21:

Forms

Translations (31)

it dolcemente (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · la suāviter (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · hy քաղցր (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · ro dulce (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · it carezzevolmente (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · nrf douochement (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · hu édesen (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · pt docemente (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · lt mielai (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · ca dolçament (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · fi makeasti (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · ang swōte (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · la dulciter (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · lv saldi (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · sq ëmblas (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · fr doucement (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · be со́ладка (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · eo dolĉe (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · enm swoote (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · uk со́лодко (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · es abemoladamente (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · ka ტკბილად (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · eo aminde (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · cs sladce (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · tr tatlı tatlı (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · it soavemente (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · pl słodko (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · es dulcemente (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · ru сла́дко (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · sv sött (in a sweet or pleasant manner) · de süß (in a sweet or pleasant manner)