otherwise: Meaning and Definition of

oth•er•wise

Pronunciation: (u'ur-wīz"), [key]
— adv.
  1. under other circumstances: Otherwise they may get broken.
  2. in another manner; differently: Under the circumstances, I can't believe otherwise.
  3. in other respects: an otherwise happy life.
—conj.
  1. or else; if not: Button up your overcoat, otherwise you'll catch cold.
—adj.
  1. other or different; of another nature or kind: We hoped his behavior would be otherwise.
  2. in other or different circumstances: An otherwise pleasure had become a grinding chore.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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