intimately
/ˈɪntɪmətli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɪntɪmətli/ (ame, ipa) · /-mə̇tlē, -li/ (ame, mw)
intimately — adverb
1. in a way that shows a deep emotional bond between two people, often involving ph
in a way that shows a deep emotional bond between two people, often involving physical closeness or feelings that they share only with each other.
Talia and her sister grew up sharing one bedroom and knew each other intimately.
know someone intimately for deep emotional closeness between people
The two dancers moved intimately across the wooden stage during the final scene.
verb + intimately to describe physically close or tender movement
Christopher whispered intimately to his grandmother as she lay in the hospital bed.
Roya wrote intimately about her own grief in the small chapbook she published last spring.
The small jazz bar was lit intimately with low candles on every round table.
- closely
broader; can describe physical proximity without emotional bond
- tenderly
emphasises gentle affection; less about shared private life
- personally
highlights private rather than public; weaker on physical closeness
文法句型
adverb modifying verb
be intimately + adjective
用法筆記
Frequently pairs with verbs of perception or expression — know, whisper, write, talk — and with passive descriptions of physical settings (lit, decorated, arranged). Distinct from sense 2: this sense is about emotional or physical closeness between people, not depth of factual knowledge.
常見錯誤
2. in a way that shows you understand every part or feature of a subject, place, or
in a way that shows you understand every part or feature of a subject, place, or piece of work because you have spent a long time studying or working with it.
Lukas knows the back roads of rural Estonia intimately after thirty years of postal deliveries.
know + place + intimately for thorough geographic knowledge
The mechanic understood the old engine intimately and could fix it without the manual.
Vinícius is intimately familiar with every page of the company's tax records.
Adisa has studied the novel so intimately that she can quote whole paragraphs from memory.
Few biologists understand the forest floor as intimately as Sari, who has worked there since 1998.
- thoroughly
broader; can describe action completeness, not only knowledge
- inside out
informal; same meaning, usually placed after the object
- in detail
describes manner of explanation rather than depth of personal mastery
- superficially
only on the surface, without depth
- vaguely
without precision or detail
文法句型
know + object + intimately
be intimately familiar with
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person who has spent significant time on the topic; object is a place, document, system, skill, or piece of work. Distinguish from sense 1: no emotional or physical bond — only depth of understanding. Often follows 'know', 'understand', or 'be familiar with'.