transcription, транскрипция: [ ˈli-tə-rə-lē, ˈli-trə-lē, ˈli-tər-lē ]
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.