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unhappily

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English onhappily, unhappili, unhappily, unhappyly; equivalent to un- +‎ happily or unhappy +‎ -ly.[1][2]

Pronunciation

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  • Audio (US):(file)

Adverb

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unhappily (comparative more unhappily, superlative most unhappily)

  1. Unfortunately; regrettably.
    • 1961 November, H. G. Ellison, P. G. Barlow, “Journey through France: Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 668:
      The line to Dunières consists of a series of breakneck descents almost invariably ended by a violent curve and followed immediately by a panting climb, on which the engine barked thunderously but failed unhappily to maintain its booked speed of 13 m.p.h.
    • 2012, Christopher Clark, The Sleepwalkers, Penguin, published 2013, page 76:
      Theodore Roosevelt […] added, perhaps unhappily, that he believed the US administration in the Philippines could learn a lot from the Austrian example.
  2. Through evil fate or chance; wretchedly.
  3. Without happiness; sadly.

Antonyms

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References

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  1. ^ “unhappī̆lī, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  2. ^ “unhappily, adv.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
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