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Generally vs Mostly - What's the difference?

generally | mostly |

Mostly is a synonym of generally.



In obsolete terms the difference between generally and mostly

is that generally is collectively; as a whole; without omissions while mostly is to the greatest extent; most.

As adverbs the difference between generally and mostly

is that generally is popularly or widely while mostly is mainly or chiefly; for the most part; usually, generally, on the whole.

generally

English

Adverb

(en adverb)
  • Popularly or widely.
  • As a rule; usually.
  • * 1661 , , The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond
  • During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=He used to drop into my chambers once in a while to smoke, and was first-rate company. When I gave a dinner there was generally a cover laid for him. I liked the man for his own sake, and even had he promised to turn out a celebrity it would have had no weight with me.}}
  • *{{quote-book, year=1922, author=(Michael Arlen), title= “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days, chapter=3/19/2
  • , passage=Ivor had acquired more than a mile of fishing rights with the house?; he was not at all a good fisherman, but one must do something?; one generally , however, banged a ball with a squash-racket against a wall.}}
  • Without reference to specific details.
  • (obsolete) Collectively; as a whole; without omissions.
  • * The Holy Bible, 2 (w) xvii
  • I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee.

    Statistics

    *

    mostly

    English

    Alternative forms

    * mostlie (obsolete) * moastly (obsolete)

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Mainly or chiefly; for the most part; usually, generally, on the whole.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-29, volume=407, issue=8842, page=72-3, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= A punch in the gut , passage=Mostly , the microbiome is beneficial. It helps with digestion and enables people to extract a lot more calories from their food than would otherwise be possible. Research over the past few years, however, has implicated it in diseases from atherosclerosis to asthma to autism.}}
  • (obsolete) To the greatest extent; most.
  • * 1817 , , Northanger Abbey , [http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=mDUbXHRIbRIC&dq=northanger+abbey+search+austen&pg=PP1&ots=EDH1Xu36el&sig=J7fVUwXmydAD36S8oLTWv2-ICNk&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA163,M1]:
  • She was to be their chosen visitor, she was to be for weeks under the same roof with the person whose society she mostly prized [...]!

    Synonyms

    * (mainly or chiefly) by and large, in the main, more often than not