dreamily

Everyday

1. In a dreamy way, as if half asleep or thinking about something far away. tree →
2. In a soft, gentle, pleasant way. tree →

In the lessons

Used in stories to show a character lost in thought, sleepy or happy, often looking out of a window or at the water. Alice at the start of Alice in Wonderland feels sleepy on the river bank, and the Mole gazes dreamily at the river.

Examples

• She stared dreamily out of the classroom window. tree →
• The Mole gazed dreamily at the flowing water. tree →
• He smiled dreamily, thinking of the holidays. tree →
• Alice said dreamily, «Do cats eat bats?» tree →
• The music played dreamily in the background. tree →
• The cat stretched dreamily in the sun. tree →
• There he sat, dreamily gazing at his bouquet till he ended by going fast asleep. tree →

Note

From «dreamy» + «-ly» (y → i): dreamily. Teachers may say a pupil is «daydreaming» if they look out of the window dreamily.