different between impossibly vs unlikely

English

Etymology

impossible +? -ly

Adverb

impossibly (comparative more impossibly, superlative most impossibly)

1. Not possibly; in an impossible manner.
2. To the point of impossibility.

   The topology problem was impossibly difficult.

3. Contrary to what had been thought possible.

   Impossibly, after the water receded, the cat was found asleep on a chair jammed in a tree.

Antonyms

• possibly

Translations

References

• impossibly in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• impossibly in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

English

Etymology

From Middle English unlykely, unlikly, unlykly, unlicli, equivalent to un- +? likely.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n?la?kli/

Adjective

unlikely (comparative unlikelier or more unlikely, superlative unlikeliest or most unlikely)

1. Not likely; improbable; not to be reasonably expected.

   It's very unlikely that you'll be able to walk perfectly after being in a cast for six months.

   • 1895, H. G. Wells, The Time Machine Chapter X

     Now, I still think that for this box of matches to have escaped the wear of time for immemorial years was a strange, and for me, a most fortunate thing. Yet oddly enough I found here a far more unlikely substance, and that was camphor.

2. Not holding out a prospect of success; likely to fail; unpromising.

   unlikely means

Translations

Adverb

unlikely (comparative more unlikely, superlative most unlikely)

1. In an improbable manner.

Translations

Noun

unlikely (plural unlikelies)

1. Something or somebody considered unlikely.
   • 1980, Robert K. Lindsay, Applications of artificial intelligence for organic chemistry

     The molecular ion candidates are divided by the testing phase into three categories: rejects, unlikelies, and probables. Differences between each candidate and the prominent peaks in the spectrum are computed.

   • 1996, Laurie R. King, To Play the Fool

     "Here is my every possible phone number, plus a few unlikelies. And I've also put down the numbers of Karin and Wade, in case you've lost them. Karin can come anytime; Wade, up until six in the morning."

   • 2001, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Marci Shimoff, Chicken soup for the mother's soul 2 (page 166)

     Then the most unlikely of unlikelies happened. We got another phone call. Another woman wanted to give us a baby—a boy, born just that morning. We walked into a hospital, and he was placed into my arms.

References

• unlikely in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.