ACTUALLY • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Actually

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/ˈæktʃˌuəli/ /ˈæktʃli/ /ˈækʃəli/ Listen

Actually

adverb

In actual fact. Synonym: really. "No one actually saw the shark" , "Large meteorites actually come from the asteroid belt"

Used to imply that one would expect the fact to be the opposite of that stated; surprisingly. Synonym: in reality. "She actually spoke Latin" , "They thought they made the rules but in reality they were only puppets" , "People who seem stand-offish are in reality often simply nervous"

At the present moment.

As a sentence modifier to add slight emphasis. "Actually, I haven't seen the film" , "I'm not all that surprised actually" , "She hasn't proved to be too satisfactory, actually"

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"Actually" Quotes from Famous Books

... that night, That live-long night did the hours go by; And the Lady Jane, In grief and pain, She sat herself down to cry! And Captain MacBride, Who sat by her side, Though I really can't say that he actually cried, At least had a tear in his eye! As much as can well be expected, perhaps, From "very young fellows," for very "old chaps." And if he had said What he'd got in his head, 'Twould have been, "Poor old Duffer, he's certainly dead!" The morning ...

— The Book of Humorous Verse • Various

... to a gorgeous day. We were actually going to advance. The news put us in marvellous good temper. For the first time in my recollection we offered each other our bacon, and one at the end of breakfast said he had had enough. The Staff was almost giggling, and a battalion (the Cheshires, I think) that we saw pass, ...

— Adventures of a Despatch Rider • W. H. L. Watson

... proper distinction between learning and languages, as I would be understood to do in my Title-page; but unfortunately he forgot it in the course of his disquisition, and endeavoured to persuade himself that Shakespeare's acquaintance with the Ancients might be actually proved by ...

— Eighteenth Century Essays on Shakespeare • D. Nichol Smith

... him a fresh article. This was supported by another kick behind: the turf began to fly; one after another came in contact with his head and shoulders so rapidly, that he found himself, instead of being the assailant, actually placed upon his defence. ...

— The Poor Scholar - Traits And Stories Of The Irish Peasantry, The Works of - William Carleton, Volume Three • William Carleton

... administering a good-humoured push to his shoulder, cried gaily: "My dear fellow, it will make my price rise still higher when the lady hears I'm too busy to take any orders at present—and that I'm actually obliged to turn you out now ...

— The Hermit and the Wild Woman and Other Stories • Edith Wharton

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