adv.
Pronunciation: ' li-t ə -r ə -l ē , ' li-tr ə -l ē , ' li-t ə r-l ē
Function: adverb
Date: 1533
1 : in a literal sense or manner : ACTUALLY <took the remark literally > <was literally insane>
2 : in effect : VIRTUALLY <will literally turn the world upside down to combat cruelty or injustice ― Norman Cousins>
usage Since some people take sense 2 to be the opposite of sense 1, it has been frequently criticized as a misuse. Instead, the use is pure hyperbole intended to gain emphasis, but it often appears in contexts where no additional emphasis is necessary.