Akademik

deadly, deathly
Deadly has several meanings, among them "fatal" (a deadly disease),"relentless" (a deadly enemy),"like death" (a deadly paleness), and "boring" (a deadly speech). Deathly means "resembling death" and "utterly": "There was a deathly odor from the tomb." "I was deathly afraid of the huge guns." In general, use deathly when you mean "death-dealing" and deadly in all other senses. Both words are intensives, strongly emotional terms that should be used sparingly.

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.