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REFERENCE

daily

adj. · adv. · n. · v.
US //ˈdeɪɫi// UK //dˈeɪli// dai·ly
  1. 1 happening every day (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    happening, done, or produced every day.

    occurring or performed every day; of or relating to the period of a single day.

    Example

    Exercise should be part of your daily routine if you want to stay healthy.

    Example

    The daily commute has become significantly more manageable since the introduction of the new express rail link.

  2. 2 done every day (adv.)
    A2 Elementary

    every day.

    on a daily basis; once per day.

    Example

    The website is updated daily with the latest news stories.

    Example

    The medication must be administered daily to maintain a consistent level of the active ingredient in the bloodstream.

    Pitfall
    I go to the gym daily morning.
    I go to the gym every morning.

    Use 'daily' as a standalone adverb or before a noun. To specify a time of day, use 'every morning' or 'daily in the morning'.

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  1. 3 a newspaper (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a newspaper that is published every day except perhaps Sunday.

    a newspaper published every day, or every weekday.

    Example

    He stopped at the shop to buy a daily and a bottle of water.

    Example

    Despite the rise of digital media, the local daily maintains a loyal readership among the city's older residents.

  2. 4 film/TV footage (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Theatre

    the raw film or video recorded during one day of shooting.

    the raw, unedited footage shot during a day's production, reviewed by the crew to check for errors.

    Example

    The director spent the evening watching the dailies to see if the lighting was right.

    Example

    After a grueling twelve-hour shoot, the cinematographer and director gathered in the screening room to review the dailies for any technical inconsistencies.

    Usage

    Usually used in the plural form 'dailies'.

  3. 5 a domestic cleaner (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English

    a person who is paid to come and clean a house every day.

    a domestic cleaner who visits a house daily but does not live there.

    Example

    The family hired a daily to help with the housework while they were busy.

    Example

    In the early twentieth century, it was common for middle-class households in London to employ a daily for heavy cleaning tasks.

  4. 6 to use regularly (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Informal American English Slang

    to use or drive something every day for your normal life.

    to use a vehicle or piece of technology as one's primary device for everyday tasks.

    Example

    He has a fancy sports car, but he dailies an old truck to work.

    Example

    While many enthusiasts keep their vintage computers as museum pieces, he chooses to daily his 1980s workstation for basic word processing.

Etymology 1

From Middle English dayly, from Old English dæġlīċ, from Proto-West Germanic dagalīk, from Proto-Germanic dagalīkaz (“daily”), equivalent to day + -ly. Cognate with Scots dayly, daly (“daily”), German Low German dagelk, dagelik (“daily”), Dutch dagelijks (“daily”), German täglich (“daily”), Danish daglig (“daily”), Swedish daglig (“daily”), Icelandic daglegur (“daily”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English dayly, from Old English *dæġlīċe (found only as dæġhwāmlīċe), equivalent to day + -ly.

Idioms1 entry

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