what does gravely ill mean
Gravely (the adverb) comes from the adjective, which comes from Latin (gravis), where it meant heavy or serious (this is where we get gravity--heaviness). Gravely ill means seriously ill, not soon to be in the grave. (and proof [1]). Bonus tidbit: grave (the noun) comes from words that originally meant to dig then a place dug, as for burial or, a grave. This is the same root as engrave.