Literally
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3
Literal Meaning
Use 'literally' when something happens in the most basic or strict sense. It's not a figure of speech. The book was literally written by hand, ink on paper.
Pro Tip 2/3
No Exaggeration
Remember not to use 'literally' to exaggerate; use it for what actually happened. His antique vase was literally a hundred years old.
Pro Tip 3/3
Historical Context
In older texts, 'literally' often signals that the words should not be taken figuratively. Her heart was literally broken in the medical sense, she had a cardiac injury.