Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - really

~ adv 1 »THE REAL SITUATION« used when you are saying what is actually the truth of a situation, rather than what people might wrongly think  (What really happened? | Oliver was not really her cousin. | You are pretending to be annoyed, but you're not really.) 2 »DEFINITELY« especially spoken used to emphasize something you are saying  (You ought really to have asked me first. | I really don't mind. | I'm absolutely fine, Dad - really.) 3 »VERY MUCH« very much; extremely  (really nice | His letter really irritated her. | It doesn't really matter, does it?) 4 really? a) used to show that you are surprised by what someone has said  ("There are something like 87 McDonalds in Hong Kong." "Really?") b) used in conversation to show that you are listening to or interested in what the other person is saying  ("I think we might go to the Grand Canyon in June." "Oh, really?") c) AmE used to express agreement  ("It's a pain having to get here so early." "Yeah, really!") d) especially BrE used to express disapproval  (Really, Larry, you might have told me!) 5 not really used to say `no' or `not completely'  ("Do you want to come along?" "Not really.") 6 I don't really know used to say that you are not certain about something  (I don't really know what he's up to. I haven't heard from him for ages.) 7 I really don't know used to say that you definitely do not know something, especially when someone has asked you about it  (I can't answer that, I really don't know.) 8 really and truly used to emphasize a statement or opinion  (Really and truly, I think you should tell him.)  ( USAGE NOTE: REALLY UK-US DIFFERENCE Really with an adj or adv meaning 'very' is common in British English, and is the usual word in American English I'm really fed up with this job. In informal spoken American English real is often used That's a real nice car. GRAMMAR Really meaning `very' must go immediately before the adj it strengthens He's a really nice man (=a very nice man).| I think she's really stupid. Really in other positions usually emphasises that what you are saying is true even though it might not seem to fit He's really a nice man (=he is nice, though you might not think so) She uses lots of long words, but really she's pretty stupid. Really is usually used before a verb but not immediately after it (except after the verb to be) It's really cold in here. | She doesn't really know what to do. SPELLING Remember there are two 'l's in really. )