meanly

¹

[ meen-lee ]

adverb

1. in a poor, lowly, or humble manner.
2. in a base, contemptible, selfish, or shabby manner.
3. in a stingy or miserly manner.

meanly

²

[ meen-lee ]

adverb

, Obsolete.

1. moderately.

Word History and Origins

Origin of meanly¹

First recorded in 1350–1400, meanly is from the Middle English word meneli. See mean ², -ly

Origin of meanly²

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; mean ³, -ly

Example Sentences

Second, we have in Barack Obama a president who values Britain as meanly as he might Arizona.

From The Daily Beast

Meanly concerned only with his own safety, and willing to resort to lying, in order to escape responsibility.

From Project Gutenberg

It outrages me that even a bourgeois should so meanly misjudge the aspirations of an active revolutionist.

From Project Gutenberg

I used to think meanly of the plumber; but how he shines beside the politician!

From Project Gutenberg

He knew by heart a meanly written Roman History, and no passage in Corneille could hold an invincible word.

From Project Gutenberg

And with this he confessed to a distinct feeling of littleness, of having acted meanly or unworthily of himself or of her.

From Project Gutenberg