Talk:tautly

tautly
Can this only qualify adjectives? In other words, must the adverb be taut when used with verbs? For example, "A tautly stretched drum" (taut qualifies an adjective); "Hold it taut" (taut qualifies a verb).

The example we give applies it to a verb - is it possible to say "Hold it tautly"? Compare "Hold it straight" (not "straightly") - here, the meaning is "Hold it so that it is straight" (adjective), not "Hold it in a straight manner" (adverb). Or does it depend on what the verb is?

If it can only qualify an adjective, we need a user note to this effect. &mdash; Paul G 15:12, 30 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Two Web results with clear use as an adverb modifying a verb: "Tie on some plain brown twine, and drape it over and through branches several times, tautly.", "Similarly, the raised foot draws the skirt more tautly against the leg, illustrating the side placement of the seam coursing from waist to hem.". In any event I think that "hold it taut" is using taut as an adjective, not as an adverb. I cannot think of a use for taut as an adverb, and doubt that it is one. Probably it's merely the case that tautly is the adverb but is .—msh210 ℠  21:05, 1 May 2009 (UTC)


 * I can find many examples of "sat tautly" a few "walked tautly" on b.g.c, and I assume other movement and posture words would generate additional examples. --EncycloPetey 04:02, 4 June 2009 (UTC)