Actually, Allegedly, Allegiance

‘When someone is arrested or accused of a crime, journalists commonly refer to that person as the “alleged murderer,” or the “alleged thief.”

That use is decried by many, some of whom say that using “alleged” to modify the word “murderer” or “thief” is no more defense against libel than using the adjective “cute” would be. In these cases, “alleged” is synonymous with “suspected.”

But “suspected” means “viewed with suspicion,” while “alleged” means “so declared, but without proof or legal conviction.” In other words, calling someone “an alleged thief” is all but saying “we know you did it.’ –Merrill Perlman in Columbia Journalism Review

Actual means real, an adjective meaning in fact, real, factual.

What is the actual age of celebrity chef? Meaning the real age (the biological age).

Actually is an adverb meaning really, in fact, though it may seem strange, even; indeed, essentially.

Differences started to arise in the family actually when the eldest sibling started to have a separate bank account to put his savings.

Actually means in fact. I have stated the facts that actually took place.

Actuality means reality, the existing facts, existing conditions; and actualities is a plural noun.

Some dictionaries list actually and literally as synonyms but literally has a distinct meaning.

Virtually is an adverb, means almost, in every important respect, in effect and not in fact.

In the Iowa caucus of Democratic Party in the USA, the presidential frontrunner for the party’s nomination had almost a virtual tie: virtual tie is that Hillary Clinton polled 49.9% (22/44 delegates supported her) votes and her challenger and front runner Bernie Sanders polled 49.6% (21/44 delegates supported him).

There were virtually none left in the stadium (almost no one but there were few).

Allege (verb) and allegedly (adverb) do not share the same meaning with allegiance.

Allegiance is a noun referring to binding oneself to a course of action, committing oneself or themselves to a cause, intellectually or emotionally to a course of action, pursue something, achieve something.

Allegiance means the loyalty of the citizens to their country (nation state). In this sense of the meaning, the derivatives of allegiance are allegiant and allegiantly (devotion to one’s country, government, monarch).

Allege, verb, means saying about something or someone without proof, someone with an illegal or undesirable quality; someone suspected of doing something but not proven, rumoured, assumed, apparently or ostensibly, as thought by or stated without proof. The derivatives of allege are alleged (adjective) and allegedly (adverb).

Allegedly, we all have a risk…we take an insurance policy!