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british

exactly

[ ig-zakt-lee ]

/ ɪgˈzækt li /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR exactly ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

in an exact manner; precisely; accurately.

in every respect; just: He will do exactly what he wants.

quite so; that's right.

Origin of exactly

First recorded in 1525–35; exact + -ly

Words nearby exactly

exact science, exacta, exacting, exaction, exactitude, exactly, exacum, exaggerate, exaggerated, exaggeration, exaggerative

Example sentences from the Web for exactly

A peacemaker is also exactly how Police Commissioner William Bratton sees himself.

Cop Families Boo De Blasio at NYPD Graduation |Michael Daly |December 30, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
There should be a retrievable record of exactly when the Airbus disappeared from radar.

Did Bad Weather Bring Down AirAsia 8501? |Clive Irving |December 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Exactly why is unclear; their previous hacks seem to have just been for the Lulz (laughs in Internet-speak) and the attention.

The Attack on the Hidden Internet |Marc Rogers |December 29, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
And there are those who still have misgivings about exactly what “Christian rap” means.

Down With the King: Christianity Isn’t Hiding in Rap’s Closet |Stereo Williams |December 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Liberals distrust business and anyone with power—better to tell them exactly what to do.

Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans |Philip K. Howard |December 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
It was so exactly like the real thing, she whispered to grandmother wiping her eyes.

Letty and the Twins |Helen Sherman Griffith
I cannot tell you exactly what she felt when she saw Nino from her lofty window, but she was certainly glad with her whole heart.

A Roman Singer |F. Marion Crawford
She was not exactly disappointed, although it robbed the crime of one of its most dramatic elements—ingratitude.

The Old Flute-Player |Edward Marshall and Charles T. Dazey
"Not exactly; that would be a little too risky," she replied.

The Silent Bullet |Arthur B. Reeve
This was not exactly clear to the little one, and she stood silent for a minute, gently fingering his long beard.

A Waif of the Mountains |Edward S. Ellis

British Dictionary definitions for exactly

exactly

/ (ɪɡˈzæktlɪ) /

adverb

in an exact manner; accurately or precisely

in every respect; just it is exactly what I want

not exactly ironic not at all; by no means

sentence substitute

just so! precisely!