gradually
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++grad·u·a·lly /ˈɡrædʒuəli/ ●●● S3 W3 adverb SLOWslowly, over a long period of time 逐渐地，逐步地 OPP suddenly Jill gradually became aware of an awful smell. 吉尔渐渐地闻到了一股难闻的气味。 Gradually, my ankle got better. 我的脚踝慢慢好了。► see thesaurus at slowly
Examples from the Corpus
gradually• As the weeks passed, I gradually accepted the idea of him leaving.• The climate is gradually becoming drier and warmer.• Some patients experience a slow decline in their health as the effectiveness of the drugs gradually decreases.• Most patients gradually develop a resistance to the drug.• She gradually got sicker and sicker.• The first dilemma has been discussed: the managers gradually learned that their subordinates varied extensively in skill and motivation.• It began to slide toward the gradually opening door.• These cost reductions occurred gradually over a six-year period.• Then gradually twitches of life manifested themselves and it is now as well as can be expected.grad·u·a·lly adverbChineseSyllable
slowly, of period Corpus time a long over
gradually
grad‧u‧a‧lly S3 W3 /ˈɡrædʒuəli/
adverb
slowly, over a long period of time
OPP suddenly:
Jill gradually became aware of an awful smell.
Gradually, my ankle got better.
▪ slowly at a slow speed: Large white clouds drifted slowly across the sky. | The situation is slowly improving.
▪gradually happening slowly over a period of time: I practised every day, and gradually got better. | Many of our forests are gradually disappearing.
▪little by little/bit by bit slowly, in a series of small amounts or stages: Add the olive oil, little by little. | It’s best to do the work bit by bit.
▪at a snail’s pace extremely slowly, especially when this is annoying: Traffic was moving at a snail’s pace. | The project seems to be moving at a snail’s pace.
grad‧u‧a‧lly S3 W3 /ˈɡrædʒuəli/
adverbslowly, over a long period of time
OPP suddenly:
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