- otherwise
- oth|er|wiseW2S1 [ˈʌðəwaız US ˈʌðər-] adv1.) [sentence adverb]used when saying what bad thing will happen if something is not done▪ You'll have to go now, otherwise you'll miss your bus.▪ Put your coat on, otherwise you'll get cold.2.) [sentence adverb]used when saying what would have happened or might have happened if something else had not happened▪ We were delayed at the airport. Otherwise we would have been here by lunch time.▪ They got two free tickets to Canada, otherwise they'd never have been able to afford to go.3.) say/think/decide etc otherwiseto say, think, or decide something different▪ The government claims that the economy is improving, but this survey suggests otherwise.▪ A lot of people think otherwise.4.) except for what has just been mentioned▪ He was tired but otherwise in good health.[sentence adverb]▪ I could hear the distant noise of traffic. Otherwise all was still.[+ adjective/adverb]▪ This spoiled an otherwise excellent piece of work.▪ Their arrival livened up an otherwise dull afternoon.5.) or otherwiseespecially BrE used to refer to the opposite of what has just been mentioned▪ We welcome any comments from viewers, favourable or otherwise.▪ The truth or otherwise of this diagnosis would be revealed in the future.6.) otherwise engagedformal busy doing something else▪ I'm afraid I will be otherwise engaged that day.7.) otherwise known asalso called▪ Albert DeSalvo, otherwise known as the Boston Strangler8.) formal in a different way▪ people who smoke or otherwise abuse their bodies9.) it cannot be otherwise/how can it be otherwise?formal used to say that it is impossible for something to be different from the way it is▪ Life in the military is hard - how can it be otherwise?
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.
