positively

Everyday

1. In a hopeful, good or approving way: «She answered positively.» tree →
2. (emphatic) Really, completely, truly: «It was positively freezing.» tree →
3. Certainly, without any doubt: «I positively know he was there.» tree →
4. (maths, science) In the positive direction or with a plus charge: «a positively charged particle». tree →

In the lessons

Teachers praise children who «think positively» and «respond positively» to advice. In science, protons are positively charged; in maths, a number above zero is positive. In talk, «positively» makes an adjective stronger: «positively delicious». Phrases: «think positively», «react positively», «positively charged».

Examples

• Try to think positively before the test. tree →
• The coach reacted positively to our new idea. tree →
• The soup was positively delicious. tree →
• It was positively freezing at the bus stop this morning. tree →
• A proton is positively charged. tree →
• I can positively say I locked the door. tree →
• The class spoke positively about the trip. tree →
• The magnet's end is positively charged in this picture. tree →
• As to weeds, there positively was not one to be seen. tree →

Note

Adverb from «positive». The emphatic sense («positively huge») is informal. In maths and science «positive» means greater than zero or with a plus sign; «positively correlated» means both go up together. Opposite: «negatively».