bitterly

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   with bitterness, in a resentful manner

   They complained bitterly.

2. 2
   adv

   indicating something hard to accept

   I was bitterly disappointed in my exam results.

3. 3
   adv

   extremely and sharply

   it was bitterly cold

4. 4
   adv

   In a bitter manner.

   Judge Short had gone to town, and Farrar was off for a three days' cruise up the lake. I was bitterly regretting I had not gone with him when the distant notes of a coach horn reached my ear, and I descried a four-in-hand winding its way up the inn road from the direction of Mohair.

5. 5
   adv

   Extremely

   On a bitterly cold evening at Wembley, the Lionesses knew only victory would be enough to keep alive Team GB's hopes of competing in Paris.

Etymology

From Middle English bitterli, biterli, biterliche, from Old English biterlīċe, bitterlīċe (“bitterly”), equivalent to bitter + -ly. Cognate with German Low German bitterlik (“bitterly”), German bitterlich (“bitterly”), Swedish bitterligen (“bitterly”).