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Deadly vs Deathly - What's the difference?

deadly | deathly |

As adjectives the difference between deadly and deathly

is that deadly is subject to death; mortal while deathly is appearing as though dead, or on the verge of death.

As adverbs the difference between deadly and deathly

is that deadly is fatally, mortally while deathly is in a way that resembles death.

deadly

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • (lb) Subject to death; mortal.
  • *:
  • *:And whan he cam to the sacrament of the masse / and had done / anone he called Galahad and sayd to hym come forthe the seruaunt of Ihesu cryst and thou shalt see that thou hast moche desyred to see / & thenne he beganne to tremble ryght hard / whan the dedely flesshe beganne to beholde the spyrytuel thynges
  • *Wyclif Bible, (w) i. 23
  • *:The image of a deadly man.
  • Causing death; lethal.
  • Aiming or willing to destroy; implacable; desperately hostile.
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • *:Thy assailant is quick, skillful, and deadly .
  • (lb) Very accurate (of aiming with a bow, firearm, etc.).
  • *
  • *:But then I had the [massive] flintlock by me for protection. ¶, and a 'bead' could be drawn upon Molly, the dairymaid, kissing the fogger behind the hedge, little dreaming that the deadly tube was levelled at them.
  • (lb) Very boring.
  • *
  • *:“I don't mean all of your friends—only a small proportion—which, however, connects your circle with that deadly , idle, brainless bunch—the insolent chatterers at the opera, the gorged dowagers, the worn-out, passionless men, the enervated matrons of the summer capital,!”
  • (lb) Excellent, awesome, cool.

    • Derived terms

    * deadly sin

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • (obsolete) Fatally, mortally.
  • *, Folio Society, 2006, p.16:
    • perceiving himselfe deadly wounded by a shot received in his body, being by his men perswaded to come off and retire himselfe from out the throng, answered, he would not now so neere his end, begin to turn his face from his enemie
  • In a way which suggests death.
    • Her face suddenly became deadly white.
  • Extremely.
    • deadly weary — Orrery.
    so deadly cunning a man — Arbuthnot.

    Related terms

    * dead

    deathly

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Appearing as though dead, or on the verge of death.
    • He has a deathly pallor.
  • Fatal, causing death.
  • Extreme.
    • He has a deathly fear of crocodiles.

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • In a way that resembles death.
    • He was deathly pale.
  • Extremely, dreadfully.
    • The water was deathly cold.
    He was deathly afraid of crocodiles.