Literary notes about Woefully (AI summary)
The term “woefully” in literature functions as a versatile intensifier that underscores insufficiency, extreme deficiency, or deep regret. It is often applied to describe both tangible conditions—such as being “woefully thin” [1] or having “woefully defective” qualities [2]—and emotional states, like a character’s sorrowful demeanor when they “shook her head woefully” [3] or confessed, “I'll never try to kindle another fire,” said Polly woefully [4]. Additionally, it accentuates shortcomings in various contexts, whether referring to a situation where resources are “woefully scarce” [5] or when a character is “woefully misled” [6]. Through such usage, writers employ “woefully” to evoke a sense of despair or inadequacy, effectively deepening the reader’s emotional and contextual understanding.
- He is thin, woefully thin, and his ears are long and perpetually twitching.
— from Lore of Proserpine by Maurice Hewlett - In his heart of hearts Paul must have known that his fulfillment of the law was woefully defective.
— from The Literature and History of New Testament Times by J. Gresham (John Gresham) Machen - Caroline looked at her for a moment with all the old admiration, and then she shook her head woefully.
— from The Turned-About Girls by Beulah Marie Dix - " "I'll never try to kindle another fire," said Polly woefully.
— from Three Little Cousins by Amy Ella Blanchard - We have beef, and mutton, and ale, and wood, in plenty; but money is woefully scarce amongst us.”
— from The Virginians by William Makepeace Thackeray - I said nothing, but I thought to myself that if the poor young man gave himself all this trouble he would be woefully misled, as he would not see me.”
— from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova
