mirthfullyadv.
/ˈməːθfᵿli/, /ˈməːθfl̩i/, U.S. /ˈmərθf(ə)li/ In a mirthful manner; with mirth, joyously. Also: in an amusing manner; humorously.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > pleasure > joy, gladness, or delight > [adverb]
gladlyc900
hightlyOE
blithelyc1000
merryOE
joyfullyc1330
gamelya1375
glada1400
merrilyc1400
joyinglyc1430
gladfully?c1450
joyously1474
deliciously1481
gladsomely1487
mirthfully1508
delightfully?1567
delightingly1602
delightedly1654
on wings1859
the mind > emotion > pleasure > merriment > [adverb]
merryOE
feastlya1325
gailya1375
gay?a1400
festivally?c1400
merrilyc1400
jocundly1471
mirthfully1508
jolly1615
chirpingly1650
jollily1670
jovially1704
festively1793
gleeishly1828
gleesomely1850
gleefully1862
hilariously1863
the mind > emotion > pleasure > laughter > causing laughter > [adverb] > comically or humorously
mirthfully1508
comically1581
drolly1662
funnily1749
farcicallya1779
ticklingly1898
pricelessly1934
zanily1958
1508 Golagros & Gawane (Chepman & Myllar) sig. av The meriest wai menskit on mete at the maill. With menstralis myrth fully makand thame glee.
a1522 G. Douglas in tr. Virgil Æneid (1960) xii. Prol. 236 The merll, the mavys, and the nychtingale, With mery notis myrthfully furth brest.
1665 T. Herbert Some Years Trav. (new ed.) 191 As was mirthfully experimented upon one of Alexanders Pages.
1834 Southern Literary Messenger 1 5/1 The celebration of the anniversary of our independence..was mirthfully kept by the Americans on board.
1885 Spectator 25 July 976/1 He mirthfully describes the shooting in cold blood of 2,000 rebels..as an envoi à l'ambulence.
1940 Philos. Rev. 49 364 We would mirthfully ask which historian plagiarized the other.
1982 B. Pym Unsuitable Attachment ii. 27 He laughed, not very mirthfully.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.1508