fully

English Online Dictionary. What means fully‎? What does fully mean?

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfʊli/
• Rhymes: -ʊli

Etymology 1

From Middle English fully, fulliche, volliche, from Old English fullīċe (“fully”), equivalent to full +‎ -ly. Compare German völlig (“fully”), Swedish fullt (“fully”).

Adverb

fully (comparative more fully, superlative most fully)

1. In a full manner; without lack or defect; completely, entirely.

   Synonyms: sufficiently, perfectly, completely, entirely
2. Used as an intensifier for a quantity.
3. (Followed by as) Exactly, equally.
4. (rare) So as to be full (not hungry); to satiation.

5. (colloquial) Used as a general intensifier; actually, really, literally.

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

A reference to the phrase "the prisoner was fully committed for trial".

Verb

fully (third-person singular simple present fullies, present participle fullying, simple past and past participle fullied)

1. (slang, obsolete, transitive) To commit or send someone to trial.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Edgar Wallace to this entry?)

   That would have stirred them up a bit — Charles Pearce in court! Instead of which he was John Ward, and if he was fullied he'd probably get seven years at the most five, perhaps — and then he could be ill and be released on ticket.

References

• “fully”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “fully”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• “fully, adv.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
• “fully v.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang, Jonathon Green, 2016–present

Middle English

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old English fullīċe; equivalent to ful (“full”) +‎ -ly (adverbial suffix).

Alternative forms

• follich, folliche, fulleche, fulleliche, fullely, fulli, fullich, fulliche, fullych, fullyche
• fullike (Ormulum)
• volliche (Kent, Southern)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈful(l)liː/, /ˈful(l)lit͡ʃ(ə)/

Adverb

fully

1. Plentifully, abundantly; without lack.
2. Fully, completely; without exception.
3. Actually, truly; in effect.
4. (rare) Very, extremely.

Descendants

• English: fully
• Scots: fully

Adjective

fully (rare)

1. Flawless, immaculate; without defect.
2. Large, fat; having its full size.

References

• “fullī, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
• “fullī, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Etymology 2

Verb

fully

1. Alternative form of fullen (“to baptise”)