Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In a modal manner; in a manner or relation expressing or indicating a mode or form; as regards mode or manner.

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

  • adverb In a modal manner.

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

  • adverb In a modal way.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • The final chapter of the Metaphysical Foundations, the Phenomenology, focuses on how the motion of matter can be experienced modally, that is, in terms of it being possibly, actually, or necessarily in motion.

    Kant's Philosophy of Science Watkins, Eric 2007

  • Aristotle extends his theory to include syllogisms with modally qualified categorical sentences.

    The Statue of a Writer 2009

  • "Kind of Blue" influenced a generation of jazz men -- Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, et al -- and such rock artists as the Doors, the Allman Brothers Band, the Police, and Carlos Santana to pursue modally based improvisation.

    Davis's New Burst of Freedom 2009

  • Contingent Universalism thus only modally masks the underlying problem of the perceived injustice of hell.

    Heaven and Hell Kvanvig, Jonathan 2008

  • (This question will press especially hard on modal fictionalists who are also ontological naturalists, given the extent to which the initial motivation for their ontological naturalism hinges on modally implicated claims about causal relationships.)

    Naturalism Papineau, David 2007

  • This will be plain enough to all who make a distinction between the intellect and the imagination, especially if it be remembered, that matter is everywhere the same, that its parts are not distinguishable, except in so far as we conceive matter as diversely modified, whence its parts are distinguished, not really, but modally.

    The Ethics 2007

  • Finally, the whole argument from concern presented above only really gets a hold on the modal fictionalist who thinks that what is the case modally is just a matter of the contents of the modal fiction.

    Modal Fictionalism Nolan, Daniel 2007

  • Most often, then, the questions he explores have the form: "Here is an assertoric syllogism; if I add these modal qualifications to the premises, then what modally qualified form of the conclusion (if any) follows?".

    Aristotle's Logic Smith, Robin 2007

  • June 4, 2006, 4: 40 am credit rating report says: credit rating report modally Edmonds nonidempotent apostrophes

    The Volokh Conspiracy » THE ONION ELECTION COVERAGE: 2004

  • One such position was that essence and existence are modally or formally distinct, such that existence constitutes a mode or property of a thing's essence.

    Descartes' Ontological Argument Nolan, Lawrence 2006

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