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adj. 1. Of, relating to, or belonging to the body. 2. Physical as opposed to mental or spiritual: bodily welfare. adv. 1. In the flesh; in person: bodily but not mentally present. 2. As a complete physical entity: carried the child bodily from the room. Synonyms: bodily, physical, corporal1, corporeal, fleshly These adjectives relate to the body, especially the human body. Bodily and physical are the most common and have the widest range of usage. Though often interchangeable (bodily injury; physical pain), bodily tends to emphasize the inner workings (bodily functions; bodily fluids; bodily rhythms), while physical is more often associated with externalities such as condition, appearance, or activity (physical exercise; physical beauty; physical violence). Corporal and corporeal share a narrower range of association in which the body is often viewed as a material object distinct from the mind or spirit: corporal punishment; corporeal existence. Fleshly can suggest either corpulence or sensuality: "pear-shaped figures ... with their fleshly emphasis on thighs and buttocks" (Natalie Angier). "These videos treated of strong human passions, including the fleshly ones" (Christopher Miller). |
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