The Collaborative International Dictionary
Diffidently \Dif"fi*dent*ly\, adv. In a diffident manner.
To stand diffidently against each other with their
thoughts in battle array.
--Hobbes.
Wiktionary
adv. In a diffident manner; without confidence in oneself.
WordNet
adv. in a diffident manner; "`Oh, well,' he shrugged diffidently, `I like the work.'"
Usage examples of "diffidently".
They were all settled down for the journey when Jack Bedell diffidently applied for passage.
It would soon be over -- at least for a while -- for vastly different reasons, but I had no warning -- except for a backache that had been with me since before leaving Lusus -- of that as I diffidently approached the well, if well it was.
Hetherton, speaking diffidently, transferred his gaze from the Cnossos figurine to a somewhat faded photogravure of the Hera of Samos.
Then, late one night, a pair of gentle Dayaks stepped diffidently into the bell-like glow of their cooking fire.
So saying, he took from the case the wax-sealed letter and diffidently proffered it, but a wave of the Archbishop's hand directed it to the burly, cassocked man who stood close beside his side.
At last the coloured band-master descended from the stand and approached Sean diffidently.
Then, late one night, a pair of gentle Dayaks stepped diffidently into the bell-like glow of their cooking fire.
She added rather diffidently: " Doctor van Bertes, it's--it's my free day, so you won't mind if I just eat my lunch and then go?
Edge said diffidently, imbecilically, but unable to do otherwise, when he walked over to them at intermission.
I advised him that I understood, diffidently mentioning that I was no stranger to scientific rigor, my own grandfather having published a massive Evidences for the Phlogiston Theory of Heat.
Bruce said diffidently more interested in the rugby game on the television if the truth was known, even though he'd watched it live before he left home.
And later, after the forecastlemen had borne off the one intact tail to decorate the frigate's stem and bring her luck and when he and Martin were busy with their dissection, Nagel came back and asked very diffidently whether he might have a piece, a small piece, of the backbone, just the scrag end, like.
Hirata entered, accompanied by a young man who was in training for social work within the prison system, and who diffidently stood apart while the older man ran routinely through his list of questions and meticulously checked off each response on his clipboard sheet.
He paused rather diffidently, as if weighing his words with great care.