Fiercely

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fierce \Fierce\, a. [Compar. {Fiercer}; superl. {Fiercest}.]
     [OE. fers, fiers, OF. fier, nom. fiers, fierce, savage,
     cruel, F. fier proud, from L. ferus wild, savage, cruel;
     perh. akin to E. bear the animal. Cf. {Feral}, {Ferocity}.]
     1. Furious; violent; unrestrained; impetuous; as, a fierce
        wind.


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              His fierce thunder drove us to the deep. --Milton.
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     2. Vehement in anger or cruelty; ready or eager to kill or
        injure; of a nature to inspire terror; ferocious. "A
        fierce whisper." --Dickens. "A fierce tyrant." --Pope.
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              The fierce foe hung upon our broken rear. --Milton.
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              Thou huntest me as a fierce lion.     --Job. x. 16.
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     3. Excessively earnest, eager, or ardent.
  
     Syn: Ferocious; savage; cruel; vehement; impetuous;
          barbarous; fell. See {Ferocious}. -- {Fierce"ly}, adv.
          -- {Fierce"ness}, n.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  fiercely
       adv 1: in a physically fierce manner; "silence broken by dogs
              barking ferociously"; "they fought fiercely" [syn: {ferociously}]
       2: in an emotionally fierce manner; "she was fiercely proud of
          her children"