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The figurative meaning is now considered one of the major senses of the word "literally" because it's so widely used - see https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionarie
by PeterisP 7y ago
The figurative meaning is now considered one of the major senses of the word "literally" because it's so widely used - see https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/literally https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/englis... sense #3, the same for other major dictionaries now.
- gwd 7y agoDictionaries are descriptive, not prescriptive. You have a vote -- use it wisely.
- PeterisP 7y agoDictionaries are descriptive but conservative - so by the time a change gets included in major dictionaries, it's a sign that the language shift has definitely happened by now and it would be considered futile to try and reverse it because it's already ingrained, it's here to stay.