Thursday, January 15, 2009

Literally

LITERALLY, adv.  Figuratively, as: "The pond was literally full of fish";  "The ground was literally alive with snakes," etc.

2009 Update: In a manner mutually indulgent between a metaphor and a hyperbolist.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm literally surprised I'm first again.

-taps monitor- everyone awake?

Anonymous said...

I am literally unable to come up with a definition in the face of the perfection of Bierce's and yours's.

Although the modifier wants to play and is being snarky: drollit

Anonymous said...

liter n. a measure of capacity

all adj. an amount which encompasses the whole of a compound unit, but is non-specific in quantity

-y suffix applied to adjectives Meaning: "characterized by" or "inclined to"

LITERALLY adj. a word used by those who habitually exaggerate to describe a compound sight which is so excessive in itself, that it casts aspersions on the describer's veracity.

Anonymous said...

LITERALLY, adv. Pertaining to a life on the beach.

What? You say that's LITTORALLY? Ah, chill out, willya? Here. Have a Mai Tai.

Ariel the Thief said...

LOL @ Doug and Ambrose. When you hear "literally" you immediately know that you are going to hear a fat hyperbolism.

Anonymous said...

i am literally speechless with laryngitis....Peace

Anonymous said...

may have used it right,maybe not,surely do not remember the last time i used said word....Peace

Jamie Dawn said...

Yes, I literally DID bring sunshine with me.
This weather is literally divine!

:-)

Taylor is literally in hog heaven. He is enjoying school so much. I'll blog about it one of these weeks, but so far he is literally walking on clouds.
As I write this, he's waiting to see and meet a great guitarist named Johnny something whom we've watched several times on You Tube. Tay is also thrilled because one of his all time favorite guitarists in the world, Guthrie Govan, is coming there next week. Guthrie literally hung the moon.
:-)

TLP said...

I literally have to LOL 'cause I use this word exactly as Ambrose defined it.

tsduff said...

Are you litterly challenged? Do you have trouble leaving litter on the ground and have to stoop to pick it up? OH, what's that you say? I literally had the wrong word, didn't I?

Tom & Icy said...

Virtual is figuratively literal.

Anonymous said...

Love your definition. I have none.

I do know that if you have to explain to someone that you were writing or speaking one way or the other they are either too dumb to be reading or hearing what you write or say, or you are writing or speaking very poorly.

Then there is that darn Bible which seems to be such a hoopla about...

I'm wondering whether or not to take the verifier literally or not.

Anonymous said...

In the True Spirit of Captism!!!

Oh. I believe I too had the wrong word.

Indeterminacy said...

Literally, laterally, lottery... I'm not sure which word you meant.

Doug The Una said...

Quiet, Jenn! I was sleeping!

See, Quilly? All you got to do is droll it.

Amoeba, one of these days I'm going to litorally surprise you guys for a mai tai.

Magyar, I think "hyperbolism" is a word you just added to our language. Thank you.

Feel better, brother Bear. The whole world seems to be sick. Maybe you have sympathetic laryngitis, which is the worst kind.

JD, come the end of the month, your heavenly hog will literally dangle from your apron strings. Let me know if you want a second swipe at Chandra before then.

LLOL, TLP?

Terry, I'm litterly better than some and worse than others.

Icy, that was brilliant and true. Good girl!

Cooper, take the verifier literately, as you do everything.

Julia, The Word is never wrong.

Actonbell, you pick up trash while you jog, don't you? Come on, you can tell us.

I'm sure which word I'd like to have come in, Indie.

Minka said...

literally,n. Britsish for "actually"