nicely
/ˈnʌɪsli/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: nicelier · niceliest
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Precisely; with fine discernment or judgement.
Adverb
Examples
All told, we had scarce two miles to run; but the navigation was delicate, the entrance to this northern anchorage was not only narrow and shoal, but lay east and west, so that the schooner must be nicely handled to be got in.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Pleasantly; satisfactorily.
Adverb
Examples
1986-1987, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure
He was a sweet boy, but became the kind of man I can do nicely without.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “nicely” mean?
Precisely; with fine discernment or judgement.
Is “nicely” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.