Arrantly

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a way that accentuates the absolute or shameless nature of something, as when describing something as extremely blatant or notorious
2. Describing actions done in a thoroughly unmitigated or outright fashion, especially when highlighting their bad or notorious quality
3. Used to emphasize the complete, notorious, or downright characteristic of something, making its quality very evident

Etymology: "Arrantly" is simply "arrant" with the adverbial ending "-ly" attached, so its history is really the history of its base word. "Arrant" itself was a variant of "errant," the same word that describes a wanderer or someone straying from the proper path. Over time, the sense of straying shifted into something stronger: an errant knight was one who roamed beyond the bounds of proper conduct, and "arrant" came to mean thoroughly bad or out-and-out, as in an arrant fool or an arrant liar. Adding "-ly" gives the adverb, which carries that intensifying force. To say something is arrantly false or arrantly rude is to say it is wholly and unmistakably so, with no excuse or softening left. The word therefore keeps the flavour of a wanderer who has gone entirely off course, now applied to conduct that is conspicuously and shamelessly bad.

Synonyms: outrageously, completely, utterly, absolutely, totally