[lit.er.al.ly] adv (1533) 1: in a literal sense or manner: actually "took the remark ~" "was ~ insane"
2: in effect: virtually "will ~ 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.