kindly
Americanadjective
-
having, showing, or proceeding from a benevolent disposition or spirit; kindhearted.
kindly people.
-
gentle or mild, as rule or laws.
-
pleasant, agreeable, or benign.
kindly climate.
-
favorable, as soil for crops.
adjective
-
having a sympathetic or warm-hearted nature
-
motivated by warm and sympathetic feelings
a kindly act
-
pleasant, mild, or agreeable
a kindly climate
-
archaic natural; normal
adverb
-
in a considerate or humane way
-
with tolerance or forbearance
he kindly forgave my rudeness
-
cordially; pleasantly
he greeted us kindly
-
please (often used to express impatience or formality)
will you kindly behave yourself!
-
archaic in accordance with nature; appropriately
-
to react unfavourably towards
Related Words
See kind 1.
Other Word Forms
- kindliness noun
Etymology
Origin of kindly
First recorded before 900; Middle English kyndly (adjective and adverb), Old English gecyndelīc “natural,” gecyndelīce “naturally”; kind 1, -ly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Asked if he was keen to speak, the Egypt striker kindly declined and smiled as he made his way through the mixed zone and on to the team bus.
From BBC
Mrs. Turner tutored Maggie in French, German, English literature, and history, kindly treating her like a daughter.
From Literature
Dunk, a hedge knight who cannot abide the strong preying on the weak, might have intervened regardless of his romantic feelings for Tanselle, the Dornish puppet master who treated him kindly.
From Salon
The first is to detach with love — that is, politely and kindly, and with no explanations or blame.
From MarketWatch
A kindly bounce and he was in for a blink-and-you-miss-it score.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
