GRADUAL, GRADUALLY
ADJECTIVES
► SOFTLY-SOFTLY gradual, cautious, and discreet
ADVERBS
► BY A LITTLE ► BY LITTLES ► BY THE LITTLES gradually, little by little → 1968 Amer. dial.
► BY PARCELS a part at a time, piecemeal → 1412-20 arch.
► BY SMALL AND SMALL gradually, slowly; by degrees → 1558 arch.
► EASILY without hurry, slowly; deliberately, gradually; also, calmly, quietly → 1384 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
► HANDSOMELY carefully; without haste, gently, gradually → 1550 obs. exc. nautical usage
► MAN-MAN slowly, gradually, little by little → 1892 Chinese Pidgin (Bk.)
► QUIETLY gradually → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► SILENTLY gradually, imperceptibly → 1668 obs.
Lexicophilia 