kindly

[ kahynd-lee ]
See synonyms for kindly on Thesaurus.com
adjective,kind·li·er, kind·li·est.
  1. having, showing, or proceeding from a benevolent disposition or spirit; kindhearted: kindly people.

  2. gentle or mild, as rule or laws.

  1. pleasant, agreeable, or benign: kindly climate.

  2. favorable, as soil for crops.

adverb
  1. in a kind manner; with sympathetic or helpful kindness.

  2. cordially or heartily: We thank you kindly.

  1. obligingly; please: Would you kindly close the door?

  2. with liking; favorably: to take kindly to an idea.

Origin of kindly

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English kyndly (adjective and adverb), Old English gecyndelīc “natural,” gecyndelīce “naturally”; see kind1, -ly

synonym study For kindly

1. See kind1.

Words Nearby kindly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use kindly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for kindly

kindly

/ (ˈkaɪndlɪ) /


adjective-lier or -liest
  1. having a sympathetic or warm-hearted nature

  2. motivated by warm and sympathetic feelings: a kindly act

  1. pleasant, mild, or agreeable: a kindly climate

  2. archaic natural; normal

adverb
  1. in a considerate or humane way

  2. with tolerance or forbearance: he kindly forgave my rudeness

  1. cordially; pleasantly: he greeted us kindly

  2. please (often used to express impatience or formality): will you kindly behave yourself!

  3. archaic in accordance with nature; appropriately

  4. not take kindly to to react unfavourably towards

Derived forms of kindly

  • kindliness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with kindly

kindly

see take kindly to.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.