adv
Meaning 1
Humbly, of or from low social status; basely.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
meanly
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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UK: /ˈmiːnli/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -iːnli
adv
Meaning 2
Poorly or inadequately.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Meaning 3
In a mean manner; ill-willed, nastily.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- He meanly refused to ever make a charitable donation.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adverb
Meaning 4
in a miserly manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- they lived meanly and without ostentation
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: humbly
Antonyms: none provided
adverb
Meaning 5
poorly or in an inferior manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- troops meanly equipped
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adverb
Meaning 6
in a despicable, ignoble manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- this new leader meanly threatens the deepest values of our society
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: scurvily, basely
Antonyms: none provided
adverb
Meaning 7
in a nasty ill-tempered manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- `Don't expect me to help you,' he added nastily
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: nastily
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English meneli, meneliche, equivalent to mean + -ly.