wetly
wetly — adverb
1. in a manner that involves being covered, soaked, or marked by water or another f
in a manner that involves being covered, soaked, or marked by water or another fluid substance
After the storm, Christopher's coat clung wetly to his shoulders as he walked home.
collocation: clung wetly (verb of adhesion + adverb)
The morning dew left the grass glistening wetly under Talia's feet.
collocation: glistening wetly (verb of shining + adverb)
Pim's hair dripped wetly onto the floor as he stepped out of the shower.
The paint was still drying and shimmered wetly on the garden wall.
- dryly
the opposite condition, without moisture
文法句型
adverb + verb phrase
2. in a timid or spineless fashion, indicating a lack of strength of character or p
in a timid or spineless fashion, indicating a lack of strength of character or personal conviction
"I suppose that's what we have to do," Hamza said wetly, staring at the floor.
collocation: said wetly (verb of speaking showing lack of conviction)
The MP gave a wetly worded apology that satisfied nobody in the chamber.
pattern: wetly worded + noun (British political register)
When asked about the budget cuts, the manager just nodded wetly and changed the subject.
Vikram agreed wetly to every demand, then complained about it later to his colleagues.
- feebly
suggests physical or mental weakness but is less derogatory
- timidly
focuses on shyness or fear rather than weak character
- spinelessly
strongly derogatory, very close in meaning to this sense of 'wetly'
文法句型
adverb + verb of speaking (said, replied, agreed)
用法筆記
This sense is chiefly British and carries a derogatory tone. It is often used to criticise someone's weak or indecisive behaviour, especially in political or professional contexts. Avoid using it in neutral or formal writing, as it strongly implies contempt.