Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of, relating to, or belonging to the body.
  • adjective Physical as opposed to mental or spiritual.
  • adverb In the flesh; in person.
  • adverb As a complete physical entity.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Corporeally; in connection with a body or matter; in the flesh; in person.
  • In respect to the entire body or mass; entirely; completely: as, to carry a thing away bodily.
  • Pertaining to or concerning the body; of or belonging to the body or to the physical constitution; not mental; corporeal: as, bodily dimensions; bodily exertions; bodily pain.
  • Having a material body.
  • Synonyms Bodily, Physical, Corporal, Corporeal. Bodily generally means connected with the body or a body, and is frequently opposed to mental: as, bodily pains, bodily strength. Physical in this connection is often the same as bodily, but may cover everything that is material, as opposed to mental or spiritual: as, physical distress. Corporal relates to the body in its outward bearings: as, corporal punishment; corporeal, to its substance, being opposed to spiritual or immaterial: as, corporeal existence.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Having a body or material form; physical; corporeal; consisting of matter.
  • adjective Of or pertaining to the body, in distinction from the mind.
  • adjective obsolete Real; actual; put in execution.
  • adjective apprehension of physical injury.
  • adverb Corporeally; in bodily form; united with a body or matter; in the body.
  • adverb In respect to, or so as to affect, the entire body or mass; entirely; all at once; completely; as, to carry away bodily. “Leapt bodily below.”

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Of, relating to, or concerning the body.
  • adverb In or by the body; physically.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of or relating to or belonging to the body
  • adverb in bodily form
  • adjective having or relating to a physical material body
  • adjective affecting or characteristic of the body as opposed to the mind or spirit

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

body +‎ -ly

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Examples

  • Because health officials and journalists used the phrase "bodily fluids" instead of specifying semen, blood and vaginal secretions, many people feared they could contract AIDS from toilet seats or drinking fountains.

    NYT > Global Home M.D. By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN 2011

  • For not every fear justifies the action it produceth, but the fear only of corporeal hurt, which we call bodily fear, and from which a man cannot see how to be delivered but by the action.

    Leviathan 2007

  • Oh, you don't know what the doubt is to me! after my share in the evil, the anxiety is doubly intense! and I cannot see much demonstration except in his sadness, which you call bodily weakness. '

    Heartsease, Or, the Brother's Wife Charlotte Mary Yonge 1862

  • For not every fear justifies the action it produceth, but the fear only of corporeal hurt, which we call bodily fear, and from which a man cannot see how to be delivered but by the action.

    Leviathan, or, The matter, forme, & power of a common-wealth ecclesiasticall and civill 1651

  • I hired men to row, and took an oar myself, for I had always experienced relief from mental torment in bodily exercise.

    Chapter 6 2010

  • BTW, Joe Wilson would have been removed bodily from the chamber if he had shouted out “You lie!” at the Queen or the PM while either of them were giving an address to Parliament.

    Matthew Yglesias » Clive Crook on Civility 2010

  • Enticing crowd rage that could/may result in bodily harm to another political oponent is inexcusable.

    Poll: Palin decision doesn't change minds 2009

  • BTW, Joe Wilson would have been removed bodily from the chamber if he had shouted out “You lie!” at the Queen or the PM while either of them were giving an address to Parliament.

    Matthew Yglesias » Clive Crook on Civility 2010

  • Your correspondent attempted to contact Mrs Mitchell for comment, but was punched in the face by Phil and thrown bodily from the Vic.

    Mitchell a Match for Mad Mullahs Dungeekin 2009

  • Your correspondent attempted to contact Mrs Mitchell for comment, but was punched in the face by Phil and thrown bodily from the Vic.

    Archive 2009-01-01 Dungeekin 2009

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