Exactly

adv. [f. EXACT a. + -LY².]

  † 1.  In a perfect manner, perfectly; to a perfect degree, to perfection; completely. Obs.

a. 1533.  Frith, Disput. Purgat. (1829), 85. The Scripture is for that intent left with us, that it may be understood of us exactly, and to the uttermost point.

1602.  Shaks., Ham., I. ii. 200. A figure like your Father, Arm’d at all points exactly, Cap a Pe, Appeares before them.

1639.  Fuller, Holy War, V. xxx. (1647), 283. His Frontier cities … are exactly fortified.

1663.  Boyle, Consid. Exper. & Nat. Philos., I. 60. In the Life to come, when we shall questionless glorifie God exactliest, we shall have [etc.].

1664.  Power, Exp. Philos., II. 88. Glass-Tubes … exactly closed; or Hermetically sealed at the one end.

1667.  Boyle, Orig. Formes & Qual., 32. I could not find it had any in places exactly darkened.

1680.  Burnet, Rochester (1692), 7. He was exactly well bred.

c. 1710.  Celia Fiennes, Diary (1888), 108. On the top of w^ch hill you see a vast prospect Exactly Round it.

1726.  W. R. Chetwood, Adv. Capt. R. Boyle, 357. They are … exactly proportion’d in their Features.

  2.  In an exact or accurate manner; with careful attention to detail; with strict conformity to rule; punctually; with propriety. Now somewhat rare.

1612.  Brinsley, Lud. Lit., xxi. (1627), 249. Learning to construe the Hebrew into the Latine exactly.

1644.  Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 66. I went to see more exactly the rooms of the fine Palace of Luxembourg.

1709.  Steele, Tatler, No. 5, ¶ 2. He remembered he was to sup with a Friend, and went exactly to his Appointment.

1712.  Tickell, Spect., No. 410, ¶ 1. A Lady most exactly dressed from Head to Foot.

1756.  C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, I. 87. Let it be quickly dried on the outside, and exactly weighed.

1774.  Chesterf., Lett., I. xlii. 135. We must … not pass a word which we do not understand … without exactly inquiring the meaning of it.

1817.  Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. viii. 682. The sixth part [of his revenues] had been exactly paid.

1832.  Ht. Martineau, Hill & Valley, iv. 66. He paid for his lodging exactly and regularly.

  † 3.  Precisely, as opposed to vaguely; in express terms. Obs.

1646.  Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., I. ix. 36. I adhere unto Archimedes who speaketh exactly rather then the sacred Text which speaketh largely.

  4.  Of knowledge or statement: Accurately, with strict correctness.

1776.  Trial of Nundocomar, 23/1. I do not know his age exactly, he is a young man.

1866.  G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xi. (1878), 225. I could not repeat the words exactly to Old Rogers.

1879.  Lockyer, Elem. Astron., vii. 240. The circumference … more exactly expressed … is 3·14159 times the diameter.

  5.  Of resemblance, agreement, adaptation, correlation: Precisely; without any discrepancy.

1662.  Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., II. vi. § 2. Every event is not exactly correspondent to the prediction.

1766.  Goldsm., Vic. W., xi. I was of opinion, that two such places would fit our two daughters exactly.

1806.  Hutton, Course Math., I. 145. Divide the numerators by each other, and the denominators by each other, if they will exactly divide.

1860.  Tyndall, Glac., I. x. 65. When this hail was squeezed together, it exactly resembled a mass of oolitic limestone.

  b.  Qualifying a predication of identity, a specified quantitative relation, position, manner, time, etc.: Precisely, ‘just,’ as opposed to approximately.

1658.  F. Osborne, Hist. Mem. Q. Eliz., A v. Good Books … running … so exactly the fate of Acorns.

1776.  Adam Smith, W. N., I. I. i. 12. Every other workman being exactly in the same situation.

1809.  Roland, Fencing, 26. It is not a general rule to recover exactly in the same position of your sword.

1816.  J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 720. The seventh division falls exactly on the bend of the knee.

1823.  Lamb, Elia (1867), 99. Had I twenty girls, they should be brought up exactly in this fashion.

1845.  Ford, Handbk. Spain, I. 56. The English will go exactly as if they were in England.

1858.  Lardner, Hand-bk. Nat. Phil., Heat, 329. The difference … will be found to be exactly equal to the height of a column [etc.].

Mod.  Exactly at one o’clock Her Majesty arrived. You are exactly the man for the post.

  c.  ellipt. expressing entire approval of, or concurrence in, a suggested statement. colloq.

1869.  W. S. Gilbert, Bab. Ball., ‘Nancy Bell,’ xvi. ‘I’m boiled if I die, my friends,’ quoth I, And ‘exactly so,’ quoth he.

Mod.  ‘Then you think the letter is a forgery?’ ‘Exactly.’

  d.  with expressed or implied negative, often used when the statement denied is to be replaced by another somewhat similar in effect.

Mod.  Without exactly denying it, he led me to believe it was not true. He is not exactly a scholar, but he has read a great deal.