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motherlymore about motherly

motherly


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Motherly  \Moth"er*ly\,  a.  [AS.  m[=o]dorlic.] 
  Of  or  pertaining  to  a  mother;  like  or  suitable  for  a 
  mother;  tender;  maternal;  as  motherly  authority,  love,  or 
  care  --Hooker. 
 
  Syn:  Maternal;  paternal. 
 
  Usage:  {Motherly},  {Maternal}.  Motherly,  being  Anglo-Saxon, 
  is  the  most  familiar  word  of  the  two  when  both  have 
  the  same  meaning.  Besides  this  maternal  is  confined 
  to  the  feelings  of  a  mother  toward  her  own  children, 
  whereas  motherly  has  a  secondary  sense  denoting  a 
  care  like  that  of  a  mother  for  her  offspring.  There 
  is  perhaps,  a  growing  tendency  thus  to  separate  the 
  two  confining  motherly  to  the  latter  signification. 
  ``They  termed  her  the  great  mother,  for  her  motherly 
  care  in  cherishing  her  brethren  whilst  young.''  --Sir 
  W.  Raleigh. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Motherly  \Moth"er*ly\,  adv 
  In  a  manner  of  a  mother. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  motherly 
  adj  :  befitting  a  mother;  warm  and  nurturing 
  adv  :  in  a  maternal  manner;  as  a  mother;  "she  loved  her  students 
  almost  maternally"  [syn:  {maternally}] 




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