Based on the context of this excerpt from W. W. Jacobs's "The Monkey's Paw," what does the word placidly mean? Without, the nigh
t was cold and wet, but in the small parlour of Laburnam Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly. Father and son were at chess, the former, who possessed ideas about the game involving radical changes, putting his king into such sharp and unnecessary perils that it even provoked comment from the white-haired old lady knitting placidly by the fire
The adjective <em>placid </em>means that something is not easily upset or disturbed. As a result, since adverbs describe actions, in the excerpt from "The Monkey's Paw" the adverb <em>placidly </em>is used to describe an action like knitting, thus indicating that the white-haired old lady is knitting in a gentle, peaceful and mild manner.
