different between coolly vs woolly

English

Etymology

From cool +? -ly.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ku?li/

Adverb

coolly (comparative more coolly, superlative most coolly)

1. In a cool, unpanicked or collected manner.

   • "He was here," observed Drina composedly, "and father was angry with him." ¶ "What?" exclaimed Eileen. "When?" ¶ "This morning, before father went downtown." ¶ Both Selwyn and Lansing cut in coolly, dismissing the matter with a careless word or two; and coffee was served—cambric tea in Drina's case.
2. (dated) With calm impudence.

   They walked in, not even wearing masks, and coolly robbed the bank of twelve thousand pounds.

Translations

Adjective

coolly (comparative more coolly, superlative most coolly)

1. (obsolete) coolish; somewhat cool in temperature
   • 1595, Edmund Spenser, Colin Clouts Come Home Againe

     Keeping my sheep amongst the coolly shade of the green alders.

English

Alternative forms

• wooly (chiefly used in the US, but less common than woolly even there)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?w?li/
• Rhymes: -?li

Etymology 1

From Middle English wolly, equivalent to wool +? -y. Cognate with Saterland Frisian wullich (“woolly”), Dutch wollig (“woolly”), German wollig (“woolly”), Swedish ullig (“woolly”).

Adjective

woolly (comparative woollier, superlative woolliest)

1. Made of wool.

2. Having a thick, soft texture, as if made of wool.
3. (figuratively, of thinking, principles, etc.) Based on emotions rather than logic.

4. (figuratively) Unclear, fuzzy, hazy, cloudy.
5. (obsolete) Clothed in wool.

Derived terms

• woolly hat
• woolly-headed, wooly-headed
• woolly-minded (British) and (US), wooly-minded (US)

Translations

Noun

woolly (plural woollies)

1. (informal) A sweater or similar garment made of wool.
2. (US, slang) A sheep not yet shorn.
3. A piece of woolwork.

Etymology 2

From woolyback.

Noun

woolly (plural woollies)

1. (Liverpudlian slang, derogatory) A woolly back; someone from the area around Liverpool, not from Liverpool itself.