Dreadfully

dread·ful·ly  

/ˈdredfəlē/

Adverb Extremely: "you're dreadfully thin". Very much.

Synonyms terribly - awfully - frightfully - appallingly

Somehow along the way, in a slow and gradual manner like the movement of glaciers or evolution, the word "dreadfully" became a staple in the verbal language Elise and I use to communicate.

Despite it's dreadful sound, and despite the fact that it is synonymous with several other awful and frighfully appalling words, the word has no negative connotations for us.

Paul: (to Elise) "Would you like to go for a run and stop at Starbucks after?"

Elise: (in response) "Dreadfully."

Of course, Elise is meaning to say that she very much wants to go for a run and not that the thought of a run then coffee at Starbucks sounds awful or frightful.

See, there is a big difference between "dreadfully" and "that would be dreadful", and in our world, things are often done dreadfully that are never dreadful.

Dreadfully.