contemplativelyadv.
/kənˈtɛmplətɪvli/, U.S. /kənˈtɛmplədᵻvli/ 1. In a contemplative manner; esp. (in early use) devoutly; in religious or spiritual contemplation; (in later use) in a reflective or thoughtful manner; meditatively.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > thought > continued thinking, reflection, contemplation > [adverb]
contemplativelyc1450
contemplative1581
musingly1611
cogitabundly1659
cogitatively1731
meditatingly1753
meditatively1790
contemplatingly1801
musefullya1810
speculatively1883
c1450 (c1400) Julian of Norwich Revelations Divine Love: Shorter Version (1978) 45 Of this nedes ilke man & woman to hafe knawynge that desyres to lyeve contemplatyfelye.
c1475 (a1400) in C. Horstmann Yorkshire Writers (1895) I. 125 A saul, bot it be clennsed fra vnclene & strange thoghtis, may nogth contemplatifely pray god.
1592 W. Warner Albions Eng. (rev. ed.) vii. xxxvii. 163 And so contemplatiuely heere I with contentment stay.
1640 J. Gough Strange Discov. v. vi. sig. Mv Contemplatively eying the faire picture Of beautifull Andromeda.
1763 W. Perfect Bavin of Bays 73 There let me..Compos'dly calm, contemplatively think.
1786 Walker's Hibernian Mag. Sept. 698/2 The eyes of Mozarad were contemplatively fixed.
1847 Cambridge (Mass.) Chron. 28 Jan. The shepherd boy..sits contemplatively with his dog beside him.
1879 J. McCarthy Donna Quixote I. viii. 181 ‘Strange how some women want courage!’ Mrs. Lemuel said contemplatively.
1952 Life 15 Sept. 71/2 The old pro leaned contemplatively on his bat and said, ‘This hasn't been a real good season for me.’
2003 P. Reizin Don't try this at Home vi. 176 With their feet up on the low wall, they're gazing out contemplatively at the glittering spectacle that is Yech by night.
2. In theoretical rather than practical terms; theoretically. Sometimes opposed to practically.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > speculation > confirmation of hypothesis, theory > [adverb] > as opposed to in practice
contemplatively1552
on paper1582
nominally1739
in principle1756
theoretically1790
unempirically1848
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Contemplatyuelye, theorice.
a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1956) VIII. 236 And he loves himself..Contemplatively, by knowing as he is known, and Practically, by loving, as he is loved.
1656 tr. J. A. Comenius Latinæ Linguæ Janua Reserata: Gate Lat. Tongue Unlocked liii. §516 Which perceiv contemplatively and practically.
1722 B. Hunt Parochial Pasturage 12 All Objects viewed only contemplatively make but weak Impressions.
1774 T. Malton Royal Road Geom. 3 A proposition is..a Theorem, proposed to be proved or demonstrated, contemplatively.
1921 Philos. Rev. 30 476 It is possible to hold commerce with it [sc. the individual]; to experience it, not merely to think it contemplatively ‘in idea’.
1992 Studia Logica 51 448 We have an agent..thinking practically of his conditional intention and thinking contemplatively or propositionally of the conditioning circumstance.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.c1450