vilely

English

Etymology

From Middle English vyly, vileliche, fijlliche, villiche, equivalent to vile +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈvaɪl.li/, sometimes /ˈvaɪl.i/
• Rhymes: -aɪli, -aɪlli

Adverb

vilely (comparative more vilely, superlative most vilely)

1. In a vile manner, evilly, despicably.
   • 2022 February 24, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, 4:58 from the start, in Ukraine Special: Putin's Russia launches full-scale invasion‎^[1], Channel 4 News:

     We broke off diplomatic relations with Russia
     Ukraine is defending itself and will not give up its freedom, no matter what Moscow thinks[...]
     Russia vilely and suicidally attacked our state in the morning
     Just like fascist Germany did during the Second World War

2. Terribly, awfully.
   • 1913, Arthur Conan Doyle, “(please specify the page)”, in The Poison Belt […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:

     The chauffeur must, as it seemed to me, have been a novice or else have lost his nerve in this disturbance, for he drove vilely on the way to the station.

References

• James A. H. Murray et al., editors (1884–1928), “Vilely”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC.
• “vilely”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Anagrams

• Lively, evilly, lively