So, that makes Charlotte an asshole for using the word in her text message? Or are some uses permissible? Do quotation marks make the difference?
Well put "Asswhole"
That's merely your opinion.
No, you're right.
It is merely a lust of the blood and a permission of
the will. Come, be a man. Drown thyself!
OK, there goes Shakespeare, the asshole...
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,...
Add to that the word 'simply'. If it was so simple I wouldn't have had to ask you. Dick.
The reason for saying "merely" is to provide the necessary linguistic context for jokes about meerkats.
I'd rather be an asshole than a word Nazi.
But then again, it was merely a text message. And it was merely from Charlotte.
Anyone who text messages is an asshole.
aLL WOMEN NAMED cHARLOTTE MERELY ARE CALLED "cHAR."
Merely some typos. There is war to think about.
And, merely working hard end neo fascism in America - soon we all hope.
Agreed. I'd like to add "basically" to that. Not in every context, but definitely when it begins the answer to a question. It usually means "I don't know the answer, but I like talking."
Shakespeare, yeah yeah. But YOU GUYS. Think about SAYING "merely" OUT LOUD in a conversation using your mouth!!! Think about it! Seriously, can you imagine?
O thing of prudent nation not merely in being seen but also even in being related worthy of being praised that they her by anticipation went seeing mother, that she by them suddenly to be about to be cherished had been begun she felt!
Personally, I enjoy superfluous adverbs. They make all my friends sound like they think they are really insightful. I like to use them so I can sound really super duper smart and stuff. Basically, that is merely the only reason I would ever use them...simply.
Acting is merely the art of keeping a large group of people from coughing.
Sir Ralph Richardson
The release of atomic energy has not created a new problem. It has merely made more urgent the necessity of solving an existing one.
Albert Einstein
Anyone who works is a fool. I don't work - I merely inflict myself upon the public.
Robert Morley
Ordinarily he was insane, but he had lucid moments when he was merely stupid.
Heinrich Heine
The beauty of the English language is the sheer number of words that aren't strictly necessary. Why do we need the words excrement and feces and s**t? Because it adds color to our language.
As such, I disagree with people who would like to excise a word from our vocabulary. But if I HAD to pick a word to excise, it would be "utilize."
I've always been troubled by the redundancy of *reiterate*.
Seriously.
People who judge other people by the words they use are axxholes.
Seriously.
"The courts are merely a ruse, if you will, for humanist, atheistic educators to beat up on Christians." - Pat Robertson
'Nuff said.
i think assholes use "y/n?" myself.
Though one good thing about using superfluous verbiage is that it doesn't render you fat or ugly; and that's a good thing if you wish to remain on the side of the lookist Nazis who dismiss you merely because because of that. "Merely" is also a good comparative as in when the bullet grazed TR's heart, he said: "Bully, merely a scratch."
For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
Nelson Mandela
I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.
Duke Ellington
When the politicians complain that TV turns the proceedings into a circus, it should be made clear that the circus was already there, and that TV has merely demonstrated that not all the performers are well trained.
Edward R. Murrow
Art is merely the refuge which the ingenious have invented, when they were supplied with food and women, to escape the tediousness of life.
W. Somerset Maugham
If a writer wrote merely for his time, I would have to break my pen and throw it away.
Victor Hugo
OK. I swear, I'll stop now.
Bah, humbug. Merely is a great word for humorous understatement. Like, "while the opening band was unbearable, the headliner was merely atrocious." Or "The first time I got married it was a living hell, but the second time was merely unpleasant."
I vote "literally." Terribly misused.
I'm with you Gloria @24, and I would also like to nominate "actually" because, what...if you don't say "actually" in front of every verb I'm going to think you are speaking about "virtual" events, or that you've made everything up in your head (e.g. "Whitesnake actually showed up and they actually had mullets!")?
All this discussion has left me merely moist.
betcha charlotte can't verbally describe anything without using "like"
@27:
Wrong!
Not only have I actually used "merely" in casual conversation, I think I've occasionally used "albeit" as well. Behold! I am Douchebag, hear me drone ...
I'd prefer that we educate people about not using "suddenly" in narration. It always takes the suddenness away from whatever follows.
Lindy's friend is right. The only way "merely" doesn't sound pedantic and/or pretentious is if it's used in an ironic way.
'merely' is a polite way of conveying condescension. it is a rather nasty, snotty word. and i love it.
@7 I sense danger ; naw, that's merely bric-a-brac.
"Text message of the week"? I believe it is merely Monday, might this be a bit premature.
But sersly who say merely in txt msg, , lolz bai.
I think those who wish to eliminate certain words from the English language are part of a Republican plot to make Newspeak this country's official language.
And @9 beat me to what I was going to say, word for word, by about nine hours.
Which reminds me, what are all of you doing on the Slog, especially one on this subject, during working hours on a Monday? Am I the only one here who is actually doing my job?
Merely should only be used sparingly. There are much worse linguistic crimes. What needs to be obliterated from all written and verbal communication is the phrase, "not to mention"--followed, of course, by the writer/speaker MENTIONING THE VERY THING THAT IS NOT TO BE MENTIONED, OBLIVIOUS TO HIS/HER IDIOTIC CONTRADICTION.
People who send texts like that are "merely" pretentious twats desperate for others to see them as intelligent.Lame.
Ouch! This pretentious twat offers (in the spirit of mitigation): I didn't think that text would be made public, and Lindy knows me well enough to know that "y/n? y/y" means I wasn't entirely serious. I sent that while surrounded by wine-drunk, early 20s law students talking at me about whether they think a "classical education" is a "valuable investment" or "merely" a blah blah blah... not exactly Shakespeare. Please to be cutting me some slack!
merely merely merely merely
life is but a dream
...sorry what were we talking about?
Uh, erika, that's merrily.
I'll use whatever fucking words I cunting well want to.
be less than it had been the year before. Many who had been bred in the whoever possesses it requires that it should be employed but having no
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