Main Entry: lit·er·al·ly

Pronunciation: \ˈli-tə-rə-lē, ˈli-trə-lē, ˈli-tər-lē\

Function: adverb

Date: 1533

1 : in a literal sense or manner : actually <took the remark literally> <was literally insane>
2 : in effect : virtually <will literally turn the world upside down to combat cruelty or injustice — Norman Cousins>

usage Since some people take sense 2 to be the opposite of sense 1, it has been frequently criticized as a misuse. Instead, the use is pure hyperbole intended to gain emphasis, but it often appears in contexts where no additional emphasis is necessary.