FURTIVELY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does furtively mean? 

• FURTIVELY (adverb)
  The adverb FURTIVELY has 1 sense:

1. in a furtive manner

  Familiarity information: FURTIVELY used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FURTIVELY (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In a furtive manner

Synonyms:

furtively; on the sly

Context example:

the soldiers were furtively crawling through the night

Pertainym:

furtive (marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed)

 Context examples 

He now furtively raised his eyes: he glanced at me, irresolute, disturbed: he again surveyed the picture.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Furtively, instinctively, I slunk back behind the table and drew and cocked my revolver.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He was frightened at the thought of hearing philosophy discussed, and he fled furtively, for fear that some one of the "real dirt" might chance along and recognize him.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

that he hurriedly removed it, and concealed it furtively under his chair.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

She was deadly pale and breathing fast, glancing furtively towards the bed as she fastened her mantle, to see if she had disturbed me.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Silver leant back against the wall, his arms crossed, his pipe in the corner of his mouth, as calm as though he had been in church; yet his eye kept wandering furtively, and he kept the tail of it on his unruly followers.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

It was a strange thing that the patient had humour enough to see their distrust, for, coming close to me, he said in a whisper, all the while looking furtively at them:—They think I could hurt you! Fancy me hurting you! The fools!

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The confident smile with which he had watched the opening rounds had long vanished from his lips, and his cheeks had turned of a sallow pallor, whilst his small, fierce grey eyes looked furtively from under his craggy brows, and more than once he burst into savage imprecations when Wilson was beaten to the ground.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Whensoever, slowly pondering over my letter, I lifted up my eyes, and meeting the thoughtful face of Agnes, saw it clear, and beam encouragement upon me, with its own angelic expression, I was conscious presently of the evil eye passing me, and going on to her, and coming back to me again, and dropping furtively upon the knitting.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"Don't talk any more of those days, sir," I interrupted, furtively dashing away some tears from my eyes; his language was torture to me; for I knew what I must do—and do soon—and all these reminiscences, and these revelations of his feelings only made my work more difficult.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)