silently

adv

Etymology: Etymology tree English silent Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English silently From silent + -ly.

1. In a silent manner; making no noise.

   “It often happens that the most important results in the natural world are brought about by causes which operate silently, if not imperceptibly.”

   “Frederick, I presume, at this late hour of four, may be snatching a morsel of dinner; his orderlies are silently speeding, plans taken, orders given: […]”

2. Of an edit or change to a text, without explicit acknowledgment.

   “There never was an English-language text, either in 1561 or 1859. Yule and Burnell have silently provided a translation.”