Sternely

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a harsh, unyielding, or forbidding way that conveys disapproval or severity
2. With a rigid, austere, or uncompromising demeanor that brooks no argument or leniency
3. In a manner that is grave, serious, and stern in appearance or tone

Etymology: In Old English, "styrne" meant harsh, severe, or cruel, and it described people, rulers, and treatment rather than facial expression. A stern parent or judge was one who would not yield, not one who frowned. The softer sense of "unsmiling" developed later and still carries that older sense of firmness. The adverb is simply the adjective plus "-ly." That ending descends from Old English "-lic," a form related to "like," so "sternly" originally meant "in the manner of someone harsh or unyielding." Adverbs built this way have been part of English since the Old English period, and the pattern is still productive today.