blanklyadv.
/ˈblaŋkli/ 1. In a blank manner, vacuously; with helpless passivity, resourcelessly, aimlessly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > ability > inability > [adverb] > without resourcefulness
blankly1863
1863 J. A. Froude Hist. Eng. VIII. 65 They were looking blankly in each other's faces.
1867 J. Morley Burke 63 The once blind souls of men and women who had laboured blankly, as brute beasts labour.
1881 H. James Portrait of Lady II. xix. 226 The latter smiled blandly, but somewhat blankly.
2. Starkly, utterly (in privative sense).
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > utterly
allOE
allOE
outlyOE
thwert-outc1175
skerea1225
thoroughc1225
downrightc1275
purec1300
purelyc1300
faira1325
finelyc1330
quitec1330
quitelyc1330
utterlyc1374
outerlya1382
plainlya1382
straighta1387
allutterly1389
starkc1390
oultrelya1393
plata1393
barec1400
outrightc1400
incomparablyc1422
absolutely?a1425
simpliciter?a1425
staringa1425
quitementa1450
properlyc1450
directly1455
merec1475
incomparable1482
preciselyc1503
clean?1515
cleara1522
plain1535
merely1546
stark1553
perfectly1555
right-down1566
simply1574
flat1577
flatly1577
skire1581
plumb1588
dead?1589
rankly1590
stark1593
sheera1600
start1599
handsmooth1600
peremptory1601
sheerly1601
rank1602
utter1619
point-blank1624
proofa1625
peremptorily1626
downrightly1632
right-down1646
solid1651
clever1664
just1668
hollow1671
entirely1673
blank1677
even down1677
cleverly1696
uncomparatively1702
subtly1733
point1762
cussed1779
regularly1789
unqualifiedly1789
irredeemably1790
positively1800
cussedly1802
heart1812
proper1816
slick1818
blankly1822
bang1828
smack1828
pluperfectly1831
unmitigatedly1832
bodaciously1833
unredeemedly1835
out of sight1839
bodacious1845
regular1846
thoroughly1846
ingrainedly1869
muckinga1880
fucking1893
motherless1898
self1907
stone1928
sideways1956
terminally1974
1822 C. Lamb in London Mag. Feb. 177/2 So blankly divested of all meaning.
1870 J. B. Brown First Princ. Eccl. Truth 230 Blankly atheistic doctrines.
3. Point-blank, flatly, nakedly, merely.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > plainness > [adverb] > straightforwardly or directly
platc1375
in short and plainc1386
plaina1387
platlyc1390
in (also at, on, unto) (a, the) plainc1395
roundc1405
homelya1413
directly1509
roundly1528
point-blank1598
in good set termsa1616
broadly1624
crudely1638
plain downa1640
plumply1726
plumpa1734
squably1737
straightforward1809
unvarnishedly1824
pine-blank1834
blankly1846
squarely1860
straight out1874
straightforwardly1906
1846 T. De Quincey Glance at Wks. Mackintosh in Tait's Edinb. Mag. July 422/2 It could not be blankly denied.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1887; most recently modified version published online December 2019).
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adv.1822