Merriam -Webster has this to say about their changing the definition of “literally” to mean both literally and figuratively:
“….the fact that Charles Dickens used literally in a figurative sense (“‘Lift him out,’ said Squeers, after he had literally feasted his eyes, in silence, upon the culprit”) doesn’t stop readers from complaining about our definition. We define literally in two senses:
1) in a literal sense or manner : actually
2) in effect : virtually
What I have to say to Merriam-Webster?
I am literally astounded that the meaning of this word
has come to be its opposite. Don’t you find it absurd
That literally means “actually,” but now you have the gall
to say it also can mean “figurative?” Now I’ve seen it all!
lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown 
Ridiculous comes to mind.
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Seriously, M-W? Aren’t they supposed to be the arbiters of correct usage, not the ones to cave in to common usage? I suppose it is a fine line. Language does move and change (gay anyone?) but still. Pretty soon we could all care less. ;/
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It seems like a definition for “alternative facts.”
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It is like literally has become an egg corn.
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It’s literally an abomination! 😱
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Ha. Or were you figuratively speaking???
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I loved that Judy, but nothing like as much as I drooled over Mexico beating Germany 1-0 in the soccer world cup a few minutes ago. My wife and son and I were cheering your adopted land on from start to finish. Now be honest, you may not be glued to soccer but you must know a few happier people now. 🙂
xx Anton
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ps to the above.: POTUS couldn’t built a wall better than the Mexican defence !
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to return to the post, I am literally amazed to read the American dictionary’s definition of ‘literally’ as the Oxford English Dictionary does not list the word.. Seriously, it is philologically spurious and all uses of it can mean whatever the utterer or writer wishes. I have often taught English as a foreign language to foreign friends, and Australians and Americans never cease to be astounded at how different our vocabularies are. I hope you can understand this! 🙂 Anton
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That is defining a word by itself and it’s antonym. I do not favor this one little bit. It is literally stupid. Like driving while texting.
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