exactly
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++ex·act·ly /ɪɡˈzæktli/ ●●● S1 W2 adverb 1 EXACTused when emphasizing that something is no more and no less than a number or amount, or is completely correct in every detail 精确地，确切地 It’s exactly half past five. 一分不差，正好5点半。 The figures may not be exactly right, but they’re close enough. 那些数字可能不是非常精确，但也相当接近。exactly where/what/when etc I can’t remember exactly what she said. 她确切说了些什么，我想不起来了。 It’s a tragic situation and no one will ever know exactly what happened. 场面很悲惨，没有人会知道究竟发生了什么。why/what/where etc exactly ...? Where exactly did you stay in Portugal? 你在葡萄牙究竟待在什么地方？2 EXACTused to emphasize that something is the same or different 恰好，正好〔用于强调〕 SYN precisely That’s exactly what we’ve been trying to tell you. 那正是我们一直想告诉你的。 It’s exactly the kind of work I’ve been looking for. 这正是我一直在找的那种工作。 She tries to be exactly like her older sister. 她想使自己和姐姐一模一样。 Kevin’s teachers saw him as quiet and serious, but with his friends he was exactly the opposite. 凯文在老师眼中既文静又严肃，但他和朋友在一起时却截然相反。 The two candidates responded to the question in exactly the same way. 两位候选人对那个问题的回答一模一样。3 not exactly spoken a) WRONG/INCORRECTused as a reply to show that what someone has said is not completely correct or true 不完全如此 ‘You hate Lee, don’t you?’ ‘Not exactly. I just think he’s a bit annoying, that’s all.’ “你恨李，是不是？” “不完全是这样。 我只是觉得他有一点讨厌，如此而已。” b) NOTused to show that you mean the complete opposite, either humorously, or when you are annoyed 并不是，可不是〔表示幽默或厌烦〕 SYN hardly I wouldn’t bother asking Dave – he’s not exactly Einstein (=he is stupid). 我才懒得去问戴夫，他又不是什么爱因斯坦。4 spokenYES used as a reply to show that you think what someone has said is completely correct or true 正是，不错 ‘So you think we should sell the house?’ ‘Exactly.’ “这么说你认为我们应该卖掉房子？” “正是。” THESAURUSexactly used when emphasizing that something is no more and no less than a number or amount, or is completely correct in every detail 精确地，确切地The bill came to exactly $1,000. 账单金额总共1,000美元整。Police are still trying to find out exactly how the accident happened. 警方仍在设法查明事故究竟是如何发生的。precisely exactly – used when it is important to be sure that something is completely correct in every detail 精确地，确切地We need to know precisely how much this is going to cost. 我们得知道这究竟要花多少钱。Can you tell us precisely where he is? 你能不能告诉我们他到底在哪里？nWhat precisely do you mean by ‘relativity’?just especially spoken exactly – used especially when saying that things are exactly right, exactly the same, or exactly in a particular position 正好，恰好The frame is just the right size for the picture. 这个画框配这幅画大小正合适。He and his brother are just the same. 他和他弟弟一模一样。The hotel is just next to the station. 这家宾馆就在车站旁边。nA new handbag! That’s just what I wanted.right exactly in a particular position or direction 就在 〔某个位置或方向〕The ball hit me right in the eye! 球正好打中我眼睛！There’s the house, right in front of you. 房子在那儿，就在你面前。nI got a mosquito bite right on the end of my nose. nHe sat down right beside her.directly exactly in a particular position or direction Directly is more formal than right 恰好，正好〔在某个位置或方向；directly比right更为正式〕Amy was sitting directly opposite me. 埃米坐在我正对面。on the dot informal at exactly a particular time, and no earlier or later than that time 准时She always leaves the office at 5.30 p.m. on the dot. 她总是5点半准时离开办公室。bang British English informal exactly – used especially in the following very informal expressions 准确地，正巧，恰恰〔尤用于下列非正式的表达方式〕The train was bang on time. 火车准点到达。The shot was bang on target. 子弹正中目标。Cockatoo Island is right bang in the middle of Sydney harbour. 科克图岛在悉尼港的正中央。
Examples from the Corpus
exactly• The bill came to exactly $1000.• It's exactly 5 o'clock.• The baby was born almost exactly a year after they were married.• Where exactly are you from?• You must do exactly as I say.• Assemble the table exactly as shown in the diagram on the left.• Glue the pieces together, exactly as shown in the diagram.• What exactly did you want to see?• These latter were nearly all middle-aged or C3 with bad eyesight, so the outlook was not exactly exhilarating.• The kittens know instinctively what to do, they just have to learn exactly how to do it skilfully.• I don't exactly know how to dry herbs, could you show me?• That's exactly right.• This is exactly the kind of job that computers are good at.• It tastes exactly the same as meat.• He couldn't, though, for exactly the same reasons that he had left her in the first place.• That's exactly the sort of material I'm looking for.• It took us exactly two hours to get here.• But the truth is that the speech did exactly what Dole and his advisers wanted it to do.• That's exactly what happened to me!• I'm sure he knew exactly what he was doing.• The earrings are beautiful! They're exactly what I wanted.• The doctors can't say exactly what's wrong with my mother.• The police want to know exactly when you left the building.• Some members stay in Washington, but I knew exactly where I was going.exactly where/what/when etc• This means that you specify exactly what each concept means and how it might be measured.• He meant exactly what he said.• He has done exactly what he was hired to do.• Which is exactly what I did.• This, too, is exactly what real-life geneticists do.• Learning is so fundamental that we seldom stop to analyze exactly what takes place.• Think about each one and decide exactly what the problem is.exactly the opposite• It is just possible that it does exactly the opposite.• The concert pianist did exactly the opposite.• The reality is exactly the opposite.• Yet it would be possible to argue exactly the opposite case.• All the policies that the hon. Gentleman and his party advocate would move us in exactly the opposite direction.• The evidence points in exactly the opposite direction.• It seems Cheltenham's artistic attempt to engender friendship is having exactly the opposite effect, for the time being at least.• Before I read the book, I thought this was exactly the opposite of the truth.ex·act·ly adverb →THESAURUS1LDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
used Corpus when that something is emphasizing no
exactly
ex‧act‧ly S1 W2 /ɪɡˈzæktli/
adverb
1. used when emphasizing that something is no more and no less than a number or amount, or is completely correct in every detail:
It’s exactly half past five.
The figures may not be exactly right, but they’re close enough.
exactly where/what/when etc
I can’t remember exactly what she said.
It’s a tragic situation and no one will ever know exactly what happened.
why/what/where etc exactly ...?
Where exactly did you stay in Portugal?
2. used to emphasize that something is the same or different
SYN precisely:
That’s exactly what we’ve been trying to tell you.
It’s exactly the kind of work I’ve been looking for.
She tries to be exactly like her older sister.
Kevin’s teachers saw him as quiet and serious, but with his friends he was exactly the opposite.
The two candidates responded to the question in exactly the same way.
3. not exactly spoken
a. used as a reply to show that what someone has said is not completely correct or true:
‘You hate Lee, don’t you?’ ‘Not exactly. I just think he’s a bit annoying, that’s all.’
b. used to show that you mean the complete opposite, either humorously, or when you are annoyed
SYN hardly:
I wouldn’t bother asking Dave – he’s not exactly Einstein (=he is stupid).
4. spoken used as a reply to show that you think what someone has said is completely correct or true:
‘So you think we should sell the house?’ ‘Exactly.’
▪ exactly used when emphasizing that something is no more and no less than a number or amount, or is completely correct in every detail: The bill came to exactly $1,000. | Police are still trying to find out exactly how the accident happened.
▪precisely exactly – used when it is important to be sure that something is completely correct in every detail: We need to know precisely how much this is going to cost. | Can you tell us precisely where he is? | What precisely do you mean by ‘relativity’?
▪just especially spoken exactly – used especially when saying that things are exactly right, exactly the same, or exactly in a particular position: The frame is just the right size for the picture. | He and his brother are just the same. | The hotel is just next to the station. | A new handbag! That’s just what I wanted.
▪right exactly in a particular position or direction: The ball hit me right in the eye! | There’s the house, right in front of you. | I got a mosquito bite right on the end of my nose. | He sat down right beside her.
▪directly exactly in a particular position or direction Directly is more formal than right: Amy was sitting directly opposite me.
▪on the dot informal at exactly a particular time, and no earlier or later than that time: She always leaves the office at 5.30 p.m. on the dot.
▪bang British English informal exactly – used especially in the following very informal expressions: The train was bang on time. | The shot was bang on target. | Cockatoo Island is right bang in the middle of Sydney harbour.
ex‧act‧ly S1 W2 /ɪɡˈzæktli/
adverb1. used when emphasizing that something is no more and no less than a number or amount, or is completely correct in every detail:
exactly where/what/when etc
why/what/where etc exactly ...?
2. used to emphasize that something is the same or different
SYN precisely:
3. not exactly spoken
a. used as a reply to show that what someone has said is not completely correct or true:
b. used to show that you mean the complete opposite, either humorously, or when you are annoyed
SYN hardly:
4. spoken used as a reply to show that you think what someone has said is completely correct or true:
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