pre ‧ cise ‧ ly S2 W3 AC /prɪˈsaɪsli/ BrE AmE adverb
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ precise ≠ ↑ imprecise , ↑ precision ; noun : ↑ precision ≠ ↑ imprecision ; adverb : ↑ precisely ≠ ↑ imprecisely ]
1 . exactly and correctly SYN exactly :
Temperature can be measured precisely.
He arrived at precisely four o'clock.
precisely what/how/where etc
It is difficult to know precisely how much impact the changes will have.
What, precisely, does that mean?
Lathes make wheels, or, more precisely, they make cylindrical objects.
2 . used to emphasize that a particular thing is completely true or correct:
Women in these jobs are paid less precisely because most of the jobs are held by women rather than men.
She’s precisely the kind of person we’re looking for.
3 . spoken formal used to say that you agree completely with someone:
‘It needs to be dealt with now.’ ‘Precisely, before it gets any worse.’
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THESAURUS
▪ exactly used when emphasizing that something is no more and no less than a number or amount, or is completely correct in every detail:
The bill came to exactly $1,000.
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Police are still trying to find out exactly how the accident happened.
▪ precisely exactly – used when it is important to be sure that something is completely correct in every detail:
We need to know precisely how much this is going to cost.
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Can you tell us precisely where he is?
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What precisely do you mean by ‘relativity’?
▪ just especially spoken exactly – used especially when saying that things are exactly right, exactly the same, or exactly in a particular position:
The frame is just the right size for the picture.
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He and his brother are just the same.
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The hotel is just next to the station.
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A new handbag! That’s just what I wanted.
▪ right exactly in a particular position or direction:
The ball hit me right in the eye!
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There’s the house, right in front of you.
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I got a mosquito bite right on the end of my nose.
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He sat down right beside her.
▪ directly exactly in a particular position or direction Directly is more formal than right :
Amy was sitting directly opposite me.
▪ on the dot informal at exactly a particular time, and no earlier or later than that time:
She always leaves the office at 5.30 p.m. on the dot.
▪ bang British English informal exactly – used especially in the following very informal expressions:
The train was bang on time.
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The shot was bang on target.
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Cockatoo Island is right bang in the middle of Sydney harbour.