Certainly vs Firstly - What's the difference?
certainly | firstly |
In a way which is certain; with certainty.
*, I.iii.2.2:
*:he verily thought he had young live frogs in his belly, qui vivebant ex alimento suo , that lived by his nourishment, and was so certainly persuaded of it, that for many years following he could not be rectified in his conceit.
Without doubt, surely.
:
:
:
*
*:So this was my future home, I thought! Certainly it made a brave picture. I had seen similar ones fired-in on many a Heidelberg stein. Backed by towering hills,a sky of palest Gobelin flecked with fat, fleecy little clouds, it in truth looked a dear little city; the city of one's dreams.
*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author=(Gary Younge)
, volume=188, issue=26, page=18, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= An emphatic affirmative answer; of course.
:
(formal) In the first place; before anything else; first.
*
English sequence adverbs
As adverbs the difference between certainly and firstly
is that certainly is in a way which is certain; with certainty while firstly is (formal) in the first place; before anything else; first.certainly
English
Adverb
(en adverb)Hypocrisy lies at heart of Manning prosecution, passage=WikiLeaks did not cause these uprisings but it certainly informed them. The dispatches revealed details of corruption and kleptocracy that many Tunisians suspected, but could not prove, and would cite as they took to the streets.}}
Synonyms
* absolutely, beyond doubt, indubitably, sure thing, undoubtedly, wis, without a doubtCoordinate terms
* maybe, possibly, arguably, questionably, probably, perhapsDerived terms
* most certainlyReferences
* *firstly
English
Adverb
(-)- Firstly , I continue to base most species treatments on personally collected material, rather than on herbarium plants. Secondly, I continue to base my concepts on intensive study of a limited suite of collections, rather than superficial study of every packet that comes to hand.
Usage notes
* Whether it is proper to use "firstly", rather than "first", has often been disputed. ** Beginning in the early 19th century with de Quincey, who erroneously believed that "firstly" was a neologism, some have argued against the use of "firstly", advocating the sequence: "First", "secondly", "thirdly", .... ** The usage of "firstly" is also deprecated by some modern style guides.International English UsageThe Chicago Manual of Style further recommends that all such -ly forms be avoided, and that list items begin only with "first", "second", and so forth. ** Other authorities disagree. *** The American Heritage Dictionary comments: ***: It is well established that either first'' or ''firstly'' can be used to begin an enumeration: ''Our objectives are, first'' (or ''firstly''), ''to recover from last year's slump. *** The Oxford English Dictionary'' notes the dispute but does not pass judgment: "many writers prefer ''first'', even though closely followed by ''secondly'', ''thirdly'', etc."
"Firstly" in the ''Oxford English Dictionary, online edition (subscription required) ** "Firstly" may appear more formal than "first" and is often recommended for the formal enumeration of arguments.
Writing in a Formal Style for Academic Purposes
