- “If you drop that piece and I have to clean it again, I’ll literally kill you.”
Literally
adjective; zero derivation semantic shift
Figuratively. Often, the word “literally” is used to mean the opposite of its original meaning. It is used for exaggeration in a conversation. When someone says “I literally eat a hamburger in one bite”, they are not really saying they can do so. Instead, they are using “literally” to indicate how hungry they are.
Etymology : literal (late 14c., "taking words in their natural meaning" (originally in reference to Scripture and opposed to mystical or allegorical), from Late Latin literalis/litteralis ")
Source : conversation with friend, Nov. 2016
Last modified: 3 December 2016