literally

• Adverbe utilisé pour indiquer que quelque chose est vrai au sens strict et précis, conformément au sens premier du mot. Dans l'usage informel moderne, il est aussi souvent employé comme intensificateur pour des affirmations figurées ou hyperboliques, bien que cet usage soit parfois jugé incorrect dans des contextes formels.

An adverb used to indicate that something is true in a strict, exact sense, according to the primary meaning of a word. In modern informal usage, it is also commonly used as an intensifier for figurative or hyperbolic statements, though this usage is sometimes considered incorrect in formal contexts.

1. In a literal mannerB2formal

   In a way that uses the ordinary or primary meaning of a word or expression.

   au sens propre

   • He literally translated the Latin text into English.
   • The instructions were followed literally, step by step.
   • She took his words literally and did exactly as he said.

   Synonymesactuallyexactlyfaithfullypreciselyreallystrictlytrulyverbatimword for word

   Antonymesfiguratively

2. Used for emphasisB1informal

   Used to emphasize the truth or accuracy of a statement, often hyperbolically.

   littéralement (emphase)

   • I was literally dying of laughter at his joke.
   • The queue was literally a mile long.
   • He literally flew across the room to catch the ball.

   Synonymesabsolutelyactuallycompletelyindeedplainlyreallysimplytotallytrulyutterly