English

edit

Etymology

edit

From Middle English wildely, wijldeli, wildeliche, equivalent to wild +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

edit
  • enPR: wīldʹlē, IPA(key): /ˈwaɪldli/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Hyphenation: wild‧ly

Adverb

edit

wildly (comparative more wildly, superlative most wildly)

  1. In a wild, uncontrolled manner.
    He swung wildly at the guy's head, but ended up on the floor.
    • 2011 October 1, Phil Dawkes, “Sunderland 2 - 2 West Brom”, in BBC Sport[1]:
      Steve Bruce's side have swung from highs to lows in what has been at best a wildly inconsistent start to the season. They experienced a microcosm of this within the opening 45 minutes at the Stadium of Light.
    • 2021 March 10, “Stop & Examine”, in RAIL, number 926, page 70:
      "From behind the counter of this provincial train station coffee shop, Joanna was barista and unofficial shrink to wildly varied London-bound travellers," writes author Laline Paull. Confessions of a Barista on Platform 1 was published on February 9 by The Firle Press [...].
  2. To a ridiculous or extreme degree; extremely.

Translations

edit