mindmap root((经常)) often tends to stress the number of times a thing occurs without regard to the interval of recurrence: they ~ come to dinner. frequently usually emphasizes repetition, especially at short intervals: saw her as ~ as he could. oft close to often in meaning, is used chiefly in compound adjectives: an ~-told tale; or occasionally in formal discourse: a man ~ seen but seldom understood. oftentimes may be preferred for intonational reasons or as a more florid word: a demeanor ~ vague and distracted.