different between ghastly vs homely

English

Etymology

From a conflation of a derivation of Old English g?stan (“to torment, frighten”) with the suffix -lic, and ghostly (which was also spelt "gastlich" in Middle English). Equivalent to ghast/gast + -ly. Spelling with 'gh' developed 16th century due to the conflation.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /????s(t).li/
• (US) IPA^(key): /??æs(t).li/

Adjective

ghastly (comparative ghastlier, superlative ghastliest)

1. Like a ghost in appearance; death-like; pale; pallid; dismal.
   • 1798, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

     Each turned his face with a ghastly pang.
2. Horrifyingly shocking.
3. Extremely bad.

Synonyms

• (sickly pale): See also Thesaurus:pallid
• (horrifyingly shocking): lurid

Translations

Adverb

ghastly (not comparable)

1. In a ghastly manner.
   • 1921, William Dudley Pelley, The Fog: A Novel, page 196:

     Johnathan's lips moved ghastly before his voice would come. "So I'm crazy, am I? And if I choose to murder you, what would you do?"

English

Alternative forms

• hamely (Scotland)

Etymology

From Middle English homly, hoomly, hamely (“domestic, familiar, plain”), from Old English *h?ml?c (“of the home, domestic”), from Proto-West Germanic *haimal?k (“of or characteristic of home”), equivalent to home +? -ly. Cognate with Scots hamely (“familiar, personal, private”), West Frisian heimelik, Dutch heimelijk (“secret, secretive, clandestine”), German heimlich (“secret, secretive, clandestine, undercover”), Danish hemmelig (“secret”), Swedish hemlig (“secret, concealed, privy, covert”), Faroese heimligur (“homelike, homey”), Icelandic heimlegur (“homely; worldly”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?h??mli/
• (US) enPR: h?m?l?, IPA^(key): /?ho?mli/
• Rhymes: -??mli
• Hyphenation: home?ly

Adjective

homely (comparative homelier or more homely, superlative homeliest or most homely)

1. Characteristic of, belonging to, or befitting a home; domestic, cozy. [from early 14th c.]
2. (Canada, US) Lacking in beauty or elegance, plain in appearance, physically unattractive.

   • There is none so homely but loves a looking-glass.

   Antonym: comely

3. (Britain dialectal) On intimate or friendly terms with (someone); familiar; at home (with a person); intimate.
4. (Britain dialectal, of animals) Domestic; tame.
5. (Britain dialectal) Personal; private.
6. (Britain dialectal) Friendly; kind; gracious; cordial.
7. (India) Conservative and family-oriented.

8. (archaic) Simple; plain; familiar; unelaborate; unadorned. [from late 14th c.]

Derived terms

• homely as a hedge fence

Translations

Middle English

Adverb

homely

1. Alternative form of homly

Adjective

homely

1. Alternative form of homly