playfullyadv.
/ˈpleɪfᵿli/, /ˈpleɪfl̩i/, U.S. /ˈpleɪf(ə)li/ In a playful manner; jokingly, in fun.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > playfulness > [adverb]
gamelya1375
gamefullyc1410
gamesomelya1425
wantonlya1475
sportfullya1586
sportively1597
lasciviously1607
puppy-like1617
sportinglya1639
playsomely1646
playfully1736
disportively1810
kittenishly1896
1736 Forsaken Fair 13 Playfully careless of Disgrace, or Fame.
1749 J. Cleland Mem. Woman of Pleasure II. 186 Encouraging him with my eyes, plucking him playfully by the hair, sleeking his cheeks, and forwarding my point by a number of little wantonness.
1791 J. Boswell Life Johnson anno 1776 II. 90 I mentioned a scheme..of making a tour to the Isle of Man..; and that Mr. Burke had playfully suggested as a motto, ‘The proper study of mankind is MAN’.
1844 C. Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit xliii. 499 ‘Why, what,’ said Mr. Pecksniff, sitting down beside him in a chair..and tapping him playfully on the arm.
1875 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues (ed. 2) IV. 59 We playfully threatened that you should not be allowed to go home until the question was settled.
1924 W. Deeping Three Rooms ii. 16 His manner towards women was Oriental, playfully and tolerantly casual, but behind it was the thick hand of the slave-master.
1959 A. Nin Children of Albatross 93 He playfully unfastened the first button of her blouse with them, deftly, and they laughed together.
2001 Muzik Jan. 49 They're an eclectic, playfully retro but utterly contemporary bunch.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.1736