Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb In a plain and unadorned way.
  • adverb In an unambiguous way; clearly.
  • adverb Not wisely or sensibly; foolishly.
  • adverb Merely; only.
  • adverb Absolutely; altogether.
  • adverb Frankly; candidly.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In a simple manner
  • Without extravagance or parade; unostentatiously.
  • without pretense or affectation; unassumingly; artlessly.
  • Without wisdom or discretion; unwisely; foolishly.
  • Merely; solely; only.
  • Hence— Absolutely; quite.
  • Absolutely; in the full sense of the words; not in a particular respect merely.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In a simple manner or state; considered in or by itself; without addition; along; merely; solely; barely.
  • adverb Plainly; without art or subtlety.
  • adverb Weakly; foolishly.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb manner In a simple way or state; considered in or by itself; without addition; alone
  • adverb manner Plainly; without art or subtlety; clearly; obviously; unquestionably.
  • adverb manner Weakly; foolishly; stupidly.
  • adverb focus merely; solely.
  • adverb degree absolutely, positively.
  • adverb speech act Frankly.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb in a simple manner; without extravagance or embellishment
  • adverb absolutely
  • adverb absolutely; altogether; really
  • adverb and nothing more

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

simple +‎ -ly

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Examples

  • Yet such is our winsome God's wondrous plan that skill may come to any one who is willing; simply that -- who is willing; and it comes _very simply_ too.

    Quiet Talks on Prayer 1897

  • What Kerry said was absolutely accurate if the draft is again reinstituted…..simply put: if you are simply a high school graduate, you’ll be first drafted….fact!

    Think Progress » Feingold: We Should Challenge Generals Whose ‘Assessments…Were Wrong’ 2006

  • But in Stalinist usage the term simply designated units that the high command in Moscow believed, or hoped, were combat-ready.

    Deathride John Mosier 2010

  • But in Stalinist usage the term simply designated units that the high command in Moscow believed, or hoped, were combat-ready.

    Deathride John Mosier 2010

  • Chandler used the term simply to mean obtaining needed raw materials, services, and so forth from internal operating divisions coordinated by senior executives at corporate headquarters.

    The Machine That Changed the World James P. Womack 2007

  • Chandler used the term simply to mean obtaining needed raw materials, services, and so forth from internal operating divisions coordinated by senior executives at corporate headquarters.

    The Machine That Changed the World James P. Womack 2007

  • The term simply means that people who value your information, product, and services will pay greatly for them if they are worth it to them.

    Having It All John Assaraf 2003

  • I'm informed the name simply means hot and sour soup, and that it can contain all manner of things from beef to crab, but as most recipes I found called for prawns, that's what I've gone for here.

    How to cook perfect tom yum soup 2012

  • How often have academics been taken for their word simply because they namedrop their university, even when what they have to say is complete garbage?

    Dr. Yvonne K. Fulbright: When Where They Teach Overrides What's Being Said About Sex Ed Dr. Yvonne K. Fulbright 2011

  • How often have academics been taken for their word simply because they namedrop their university, even when what they have to say is complete garbage?

    Dr. Yvonne K. Fulbright: When Where They Teach Overrides What's Being Said About Sex Ed Dr. Yvonne K. Fulbright 2011

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