Adverb

(en-adv)

In a firm or definite or strong manner.

Securely.

*{{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)

, chapter=19 citation , passage=When Timothy and Julia hurried up the staircase to the bedroom floor, where a considerable commotion was taking place, Tim took Barry Leach with him. He had him gripped firmly by the arm, since he felt it was not safe to let him loose, and he had no immediate idea what to do with him.}}

*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= The attack of the MOOCs , passage=Dotcom mania was slow in coming to higher education, but now it has the venerable industry firmly in its grip. Since the launch early last year of Udacity and Coursera, two Silicon Valley start-ups offering free education through MOOCs, massive open online courses, the ivory towers of academia have been shaken to their foundations.}}

Adverb

(en adverb)

To a drastic degree.

This recession has been drastically different.

drastically reduced prices

In a drastic manner.

Lisa always wore shorts and a T-shirt, which clashed drastically with her brother's thick winter coat.

* 1920 , America , volume 22, page 255:

It explains why a Democratic Congress foisted Prohibition on the country and a Republican Congress drastically legislated to enforce it, when ordinarily the two parties are only too anxious for any political stick to beat each other with.

* 1928 , The Atlantic Monthly , volume 141, page 558:

Seldom have democratic principles been so drastically enacted into law.

* 1933 , The China Critic , volume 6, page 428:

A uniform marriage and divorce law must be drastically enacted by the Central Government and rigidly administrated by the higher courts.