different between surely vs totally

English

Etymology

From Middle English surely; equivalent to sure +? -ly.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /????li/, /????li/
• (US) IPA^(key): /????li/, /????li/, /???li/
• Homophone: Shirley (in some dialects)
• Rhymes: -??(?)li, -??(?)li

Adverb

surely (comparative surelier or more surely, superlative sureliest or most surely)

1. Without fail.

2. Certainly, undoubtedly.
3. With confidence.

Quotations

• 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Luke 1:1

  Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us […].

Synonyms

• certainly, wis (obsolete)

Translations

Anagrams

• Ruleys, Ruyles, Ulerys, Ulreys, syluer

Middle English

Alternative forms

• surly, suerly, surliche, surelich, seurly, suyrly, swrly, seurerly, seuirly, sureli, sewrly, sourely, sewerly, swerly, sewrlye, surelye

Etymology

From sure +? -ly.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?s?u?rli?/, /?siu?rli?/, /?su?rli?/

Adverb

surely (comparative surelier)

1. safely (with safety and security)
2. totally, bindingly, without doubt
3. For sure, with certainty.
4. truely, actually, really
5. totally, entirely, wholly
6. With conviction and belief; assuredly

Descendants

• English: surely
• Scots: shuirly

References

• “seurl?, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-21.

English

Etymology

total +? -ly

Pronunciation

• (US, UK) enPR: t?t'?-l?, IPA^(key): /?to?t.?l.i/

Adverb

totally (not comparable)

1. To the fullest extent or degree.

   Synonyms: completely, entirely, fully, wholly

   • c. 1611, William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act II, Scene 1,^[1]

     Antonio. He misses not much.

     Sebastian. No; he doth but mistake the truth totally.

   • 1789, Olaudah Equiano, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, London: for the author, Volume 1, Chapter 2, p. 59,^[2]

     The languages of different nations did not totally differ […] They were therefore easily learned;

   • 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, London: T. Egerton, Volume 1, Chapter 6, p. 57,^[3]

     Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you.

   • 1969, Chaim Potok, The Promise, New York: Knopf, Chapter 12, p. 226,^[4]

     I trust him totally and without reservation.

2. (degree, colloquial) Very; extremely.

3. (modal, colloquial) Definitely; for sure.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:completely

Translations