seriously
♦ se|ri|ous|ly /s'ɪəriəsli/
1 [ADV] ADV with cl
You use seriously to indicate that you are not joking and that you really mean what you say.
Seriously, I only smoke in the evenings.
2 [CONVENTION]
You say `seriously' when you are surprised by what someone has said, as a way of asking them if they really mean it. (SPOKEN)
`I tried to chat him up at the general store.' He laughed. `Seriously?'
3
see also serious
4 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you take someone or something seriously, you believe that they are important and deserve attention.
It's hard to take them seriously in their pretty grey uniforms...
1 [ADV] ADV with cl
You use seriously to indicate that you are not joking and that you really mean what you say.
Seriously, I only smoke in the evenings.
2 [CONVENTION]
You say `seriously' when you are surprised by what someone has said, as a way of asking them if they really mean it. (SPOKEN)
`I tried to chat him up at the general store.' He laughed. `Seriously?'
3
see also serious
4 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you take someone or something seriously, you believe that they are important and deserve attention.
It's hard to take them seriously in their pretty grey uniforms...