narrowly
UK: ˈnærəʊli | US: ˈneroʊli
adv. by a small margin; barely
adv. in a limited or restricted manner
adv. closely or meticulously
The word "narrowly" derives from the Old English nearu, meaning "constricted" or "tight," combined with the adverbial suffix -ly, which transforms adjectives into adverbs. Over time, "narrow" evolved to describe physical tightness and metaphorical scarcity (e.g., a narrow escape). The suffix -ly systematically converts such adjectives into adverbs, emphasizing manner or degree. Thus, "narrowly" originally meant "in a tight manner" and later expanded to "by a slim margin" or "closely."
She narrowly avoided hitting the deer on the road.
The team narrowly lost the championship by one point.
He examined the document narrowly for errors.
The path was so narrow that we could only walk narrowly single-file.
The bill passed narrowly in the Senate after a heated debate.