merely
advUK /ˈmɪəli/ · CA, US /ˈmɪɹli/
Etymology From Middle English mereli, equivalent to mere + -ly.
1
Focus Without any other reason etc.; only, just, and nothing more.
- But let us not be unfair to the kibitzers. Not all players hate 'em. Some merely dislike 'em.1951 October, Bruce Hayden, “Of Cabbageheads and Kings”, in Chess Review:
- All these people, who have tried to set you against me out of envy and love of slander – and some too merely passing on what they have been told by others – all these are very difficult to deal with.1954, Plato, translated by Hugh Tredennick, “Socrates on Trial: The Apology”, in The Last Days of Socrates (Penguin Classics), Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin Books, →OCLC, page 20:
2
Obsolete Wholly, entirely.
- It is not forgot, since the acute and distinct Arminius was perverted meerly by the perusing of a namelesse discourse writt'n at Delf, which at first he took in hand to confute.1644, John Milton, Areopagitica:
- I am sorry to say, that I doubt if there is a judge in Massachusetts who is prepared to resign his office, and get his living innocently, whenever it is required of him to pass sentence under a law which is merely contrary to the law of God.1854, Henry David Thoreau, Slavery in Massachusetts:
- Antonyms
- absolutely, all-fired, completely, fuck-off, fucking, indeed, motherfucking, very, very much