a. [f. L. exclāmāt- ppl. stem of exclāmāre + -ORY.]
1. That exclaims or cries out loudly; that utters exclamations. Of a feeling, etc.: That vents itself in exclamation; noisy, outspoken.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T., 22 b. Wold God there were no other exclamatory crime then this to be obiected against thee.
a. 1631. Donne, Serm., lxiii. (1640), 635 A. Whom afflictions supple and mollifie no farther, but to an intemperate, and excruciating, and exclamatory sorrow.
1755. Johnson, Exclamatory, practising exclamation.
1803. W. Taylor, in Ann. Rev., I. 400. The exclamatory vehemence and contagious zeal of his manner.
1883. Stevenson, Treasure Isl., I. vi. (1886), 48. You are so … hot-headed and exclamatory that I cannot get a word in.
2. Of or pertaining to exclamation; of the nature of or resembling an exclamation; containing, expressing or marking an exclamation.
a. 1716. South, Serm., IV. vii. 346. Those exclamatory words of St. Paul … How unsearchable are his judgements.
1727. Art of Speaking in Publick (ed. 2), 129. To pronounce those exclamatory Expressions without either Grace or Exclamation.
1767. Sterne, Tr. Shandy (1802), IX. xxxiii. 283. Beginning the sentence with an exclamatory whistle.
1824. L. Murray, Eng. Gram. (ed. 5), I. 408. (heading of §) Of the Exclamatory point (!).
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt, I. Introd. (1866), 2. The tube-journey … is as barren as an exclamatory O!
Hence Exclamatorily adv., in an exclamatory manner.
1836. in Smart, Walker’s Dict.
1863. Not an Angel, I. 41. ‘My darling!’ exclamatorily. ‘What do you want?’ ‘My darling?’ interrogatively.
