Thusly
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /ˈðʌs.li/
Origin
thus + -ly, dating from the 19th century, seemingly coined by educated writers to make fun of uneducated persons trying to sound genteel,
American Heritage Dictionary, 4th edition (Accessed 2012-01-13)
with a false inference that thus is not an adverb.
Full definition of thusly
Adverb
thusly
- thus (in this way).
- 1893, Isabel Burton, The Life of Captain Sir Richard F. Burton KCMG, FRGS, Vol II:Stories never lose anything in the recital, and consequently this one grew thusly.
- 1995 December, John P. Wiley Jr, quoting Edward R. Harrison, Smithsonian Magazine:The history of the Universe has been summed up thusly: "Hydrogen is a light, odorless gas, which, given enough time, turns into people."
- 1996, Charles Harding, High Rise Dwelling http://www.poetry.com/poets/CharlesHarding.html:Going thusly, unwillingly at the bell,Answering the call to recycle my time.
Usage notes
Although thusly has diffused into popular usage, it is still widely regarded as incorrect; instead, other equivalent expressions (such as thus or this way) can be used. It originated in the Eastern U.S., and it is still more common in American than British English; it is "often used for amusement or to make an ironic point."
Pam Peters, The Cambridge Guide to English Usage (2003).