Dear-dearly
The borderline between the spheres of the use of these adverbs is very vague. Practically they are interchangeable. In M.Ganshina and N.Vasilevskaya’s example ‘You bought those things very dear’ where ‘dear’ has a direct meaning, the form ‘dearly’ is, according to them, possible too, i.e. ‘You bought those things very dearly’ (see their ‘English Grammar’, p.305). One more example of the use of ‘dear’ in the direct meaning: ‘The bill is a little high, but good things come dear!’ (Puzo), though here ‘dear’ can be regarded as an adjective.
In a figurative use ‘dearly’ has, according to the Longman Dictionary, two meanings: 1) with much feeling , usually good and 2) at a terrible cost in time, effort, pain, etc. Compare the use of these forms in figurative meanings:
Dear |
Dearly |
And I paid pretty dear for my monthly fourpenny piece in the shape of these abominable fancies. (Stevenson).
|
He loves his wife dearly. (Longman). He paid dearly for his experience. (Ib.) |
Deep-deeply
Both adverbs are used in the direct (‘far down’) and figurative (‘very much, intensely’) meanings, the direct meaning being typical of ‘deep’ and figurative – of ‘deeply’, cf.:
Direct meaning
Deep We had to dig deep to find water.(Longman). He went down deep where the water was icy cold.(Caillou). |
Deeply …wrinkles etched more deeply in her ancient skin. (Cussler). |
Figurative meanings
He went on studying deep into the night.(Longman). The roots of all the Lindseys had driven deep into this earth.(Caldwell). |
(commonly with sensory adjectives and verbs, also ‘drink, sigh’ et al.) Fanny admired him deeply.(Mansfield). ‘I was deeply affronted.(Maugham). He sighed deeply.(Id.) ‘I’m deeply suspicious of him. (Shute). |
4. FIRM-FIRMLY
These forms are used both in the direct and figurative meanings. The first is used comparatively rarely, mainly in figurative meanings, ‘firmly’ occurs regularly in both meanings, cf.:
Firm |
Firmly |
Hold this post firm while I hammer it into the ground. (Close). His grip closed firm about its base (bedside table’s) |
Hold this post firmly while I hammer it into the ground.(Id.) She tried to twist away but he gripped her firmly.(Puzo). |
Figurative meanings
(usually in the phrases ‘to stand firm’, ‘to hold firm’): He begged his men to hold firm till relief came.(Webster’s dictionary). |
(often with verbs of speech): ‘My grandfather has one of these”, Andrew interrupted him firmly. (Cronin). ‘I’ll write them now’, Trinity declared firmly.(Fleming). |