sweetly

adv

Etymology: From Middle English swetly, swetely, sweteliche, from Old English swētlīċe (“sweetly; pleasantly”), equivalent to sweet + -ly. Cognate with Old High German swuozlīhho (“sweetly”), Icelandic sætlega (“sweetly; with gratitude”), German süßlich (“sweetish; sugary”), Dutch zoetelijk (“sentimental”).

1. With a sweet taste or aroma.
2. In a sweet or pleasant manner.

   “"No, Auntie," said Hardman, sweetly, seriously.”

   “"Hey, Sis, do yah want a Hertz Donut?" one of them sweetly said as the other one held out a donut bag. She reached for it. Her step-sister snatched the bag away and socked her hard in the arm instead. "Hurts, Don't it?" they chime, laughing at her pain.”

3. Nicely; finely; excellently.

   “Sitting in the seat with the engine off before that day, the gears slid in so sweetly, and double de-clutching was so easy, I had done it a million times.”