Verbally

adv. [f. VERBAL a. + -LY².]

  1.  Word for word; in respect of each word.

1588.  Lambarde, Eiren., IV. v. 502. It is not of necessitie, that the Statute be verbally rehearsed, but only that the offence against the Statute be sufficiently and with full words described.

1680.  Dryden, Pref. Ovid’s Ep., Ess. (Ker), I. 238. ’Tis almost impossible to translate verbally, and well, at the same time.

1841.  Myers, Cath. Th., I. § 8. 29. To make them … such a record of Divine utterances as to be throughout verbally and literally true.

1864.  Froude, Short Stud. (1867), I. 245. If all three agreed verbally, we should feel certain it was more than accident.

1883.  A. Roberts, O. T. Revision, ix. 198. They could not but verbally agree in the reports which they furnished of His addresses.

  2.  In or with (mere) words, without accompanying action or reality.

1610.  Healey, St. Aug. Citie of God, 573. This passion of Christ, the reprobate preach verballie onely.

1640.  Bp. Hall, Episc., III. § 8. 257. Would God I might not say, even the Lords Anointed, whom they verbally professe to honour.

1678.  Cudworth, Intell. Syst., 55. Some of the Pagans…, though they Verbally acknowledged a Deity, yet supposed a certain Fate superiour to it.

  b.  So far as words (only) are concerned.

1855–6.  T. T. Lynch, Lett. Scattered (1872), 572. It is vain to be verbally right, if we are not livingly real.

1862.  Spencer, First Princ., I. ii. § 11 (1875), 35. Thus these three different suppositions…, verbally intelligible though they are,… turn out … to be literally unthinkable.

1908.  W. M. Ramsay, Luke Physician, viii. 251. You can with sufficient ingenuity always explain—verbally—any thing out of anything.

  3.  In actual words; by means of words or speech.

1646.  Jenkyn, Remora, 12. They said not so verbally, but mentally and practically.

1650.  Bp. Hall, Cases Consc. (ed. 2), Addit. 402. Justly supposing, there may be as strong a prohibition in a sense implyed, as verbally expressed.

a. 1691.  Boyle, Hist. Air (1692), 55. Nature … has furnished men with sensories capable of distinctly perceiving a far greater variety of objects, than they are able verbally to express.

1796.  Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, II. 395. But, till then, here he will stay … till you have deigned to pronounce verbally his doom.

1840.  Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxxi. She verbally fell upon and maltreated ber.

  b.  In speech, as contrasted with writing.

1637–50.  Row, Hist. Kirk (Wodrow Soc.), 503. Then, after long reasoning and protesting,… the King’s Commissioner arose, dischargeing the Assemblie verballie.

1673.  Essex Papers (Camden), I. 70. My humble advice … is to content your selfe with what his Ma[jes]ty has verbally been pleased to declare in this matter.

1761.  Hume, Hist. Eng., II. xxxvi. 292. It was universally said that the Emperor … would verbally agree to any terms.

1782.  Miss Burney, Cecilia, VII. vii. Give me but the commission, either verbally or in writing.

1817.  W. Selwyn, Law Nisi Prius (ed. 4), II. 793. It was verbally agreed between plaintiff, defendant, and J. S. that the defendant. should pay the amount.

1864.  Lincoln, in E. McPherson, Hist. U. S. Rebell. (1864), 336. You ask me to put in writing the substance of what I verbally said the other day in your presence.

1878.  S. Walpole, Hist. Eng., II. 675. The King was verbally assured … that at least fifty fresh peerages would be required.

  4.  With the function of a verb.

1875.  Whitney, Life Lang., xii. 233. The verbally used [Scythian] forms are, rather, but one step removed from nouns used predicatively.