kindly

1 adverb

1 in a kind way; generously: Mr Nunn has kindly agreed to let us use his barn for the dance.

2 spoken formal a word meaning `please', which is often used when you are annoyed: Will you kindly put that book back?

3 not take kindly to to be unwilling to accept a situation because it annoys you: Eddie would not take kindly to her working.

4 look kindly on to approve of someone or something: He hoped the committee would look kindly on his request.

5 think kindly of to have fond thoughts about someone: Think kindly of me when I'm gone.

2 adjective kind and caring for other people: Mrs Gardiner was a kindly old soul. - kindliness noun (C) USAGE NOTE: KINDLY FORMALITY A request like would you kindly...? or kindly shut the door! is formally polite. In informal contexts it sounds as though you are annoyed and could you possibly...? would be more usual. WORD CHOICE kindly, kind Kindly is either the adverb of kind: He kindly opened the door for me, or an adjective with a slightly different meaning from kind which is much less common: She is a kindly person. The adjective kindly describes a person's general character. Kind may also do this, but often describes someone's behaviour at one particular moment: It was kind of you to help me. | She's often kind to me (NOT kindly).