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MODESTLY
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I. (adverb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
With modesty; in a modest manner
Example:
the dissertation was entitled, modestly, 'Remarks about a play by Shakespeare'
Classified under:
Antonym:
immodestly (without modesty; in an immodest manner)
Pertainym:
modest (marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself)
Context examples:
The general was flattered by her looks of surprise, which told him almost as plainly, as he soon forced her to tell him in words, that she had never seen any gardens at all equal to them before; and he then modestly owned that, without any ambition of that sort himself—without any solicitude about it—he did believe them to be unrivalled in the kingdom.
(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)
‘Pretty fair,’ I answered, modestly.
(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
But I said, modestly—Good Heaven, how it all comes back to me this long time afterwards—!
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Two easy chairs stood side by side at the head of the table, in which sat Beth and her father, feasting modestly on chicken and a little fruit.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
A roar of delight from his audience, with stamping of feet and beating of blackjacks against the ground, showed how thoroughly the song was to their taste, while John modestly retired into a quart pot, which he drained in four giant gulps.
(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
The Bertrams were all forgotten in detailing the faults of Rebecca, against whom Susan had also much to depose, and little Betsey a great deal more, and who did seem so thoroughly without a single recommendation, that Fanny could not help modestly presuming that her mother meant to part with her when her year was up.
(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)
“Oh! you know best, sir,” I returned modestly.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
"Not quite," replied Jo modestly.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
I never saw his mouth so wide, or the creases in his cheeks so deep, as when he delivered himself of these sentiments: shaking his head all the time, and writhing modestly.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
"Sometimes," he answered modestly.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
