There is a spattering of different meanings for this word. Could somebody give me a precise definition and/or its usage?

I first came across it when looking up the word 青々, to which the definition reads いかにも青いさま。

ALC defines it as 'indeed'. Jimmy defines it as "indeed". Not very helpful.

Any help will be much appreciated!

http://eow.alc.co.jp/%E3%81%84%E3%81%8B%...%82/UTF-8/　For some examples. Without looking it up in a dictionary, I would have said it means 'indeed' too, but I don't know how to explain the word.

Taken from the Daijirin (Yahoo.co.jp):

［1］ どう考えてみても明らかに。非常に。
However you think about it, it's clearly... Extremely...
・ ―痛そうだ
・ ―高くて手が出ない

There's more than those, but I think that one sounds about right for that. 'Indeed' seems like a different meaning (to show agreement or affirmation with what someone has said, so that something is just as was predicted or common sense would suggest).

That definition makes perfect sense.

How did you find that definition? I looked on Yahoo辞書 but it doesn't contain that word.

I think the best definition is "No matter how you look at it", which can be a synonym for both "clearly" and "indeed" i'd say.

Yahoo jisho has 2 options of dictionary for every option.

Daijirin is the second, not default, option of the 国語 dictionary.
The default is 大辞泉.
If you look carefully you'll find 大辞林 link when you do a 国語 search.

Taken from Kenkyusha's Online dictionary:

いかにも【如何にも】 (ikanimo)

1 〔実に〕 indeed; really; 〔まったく〕 absolutely; all; totally.

それはいかにも奇妙な事件だった. That was an absolutely strange incident.

・いかにも残念だ. That's extremely unfortunate. | That's a terrible shame.

・いかにもよくできている. It really is well done. is に強勢を置く. | It's an excellent piece of work.

・それをしてやったら彼女はいかにもうれしそうだった. She was obviously overjoyed [clearly delighted] that I'd done that [it].

・いかにも彼らしい. That's him all over. | That's just like him.

・いかにも彼の言いそうなことだ. That's just the sort of thing [what] he would say. | It is just like him to say that.

・それはいかにも小泉氏のいいそうなセリフだ. That speech was vintage Koizumi.

・いかにもありそうなことだ. That's very [more than] likely (to happen).

・この作文はいかにもまじめな優等生のものだ. It's just the sort of essay you would expect of [from] a star [prize] pupil.

2 〔確かに･なるほど〕 certainly; for sure; to be sure; absolutely.

いかにもそのとおりだがしかし?. That's absolutely true, but?. | I entirely agree (with you), but?.

・彼はいかにもばかだが, しかし正直だ. It's true [I realize, I'll admit] that he's a fool, but he is honest.

・いかにもさよう[そのとおり](です). Yes, that's absolutely true. | I couldn't agree more. | You're absolutely right. | Exactly (so).

・「田中様ご本人ですね」「いかにも」 ?Is that Mr. Tanaka??―?It certainly is [It is indeed].? | ?Am I speaking to Mr. Tanaka??―?Most [Why,] certainly!? | ?Are you [Would you be] Mr. Tanaka??―?I am [would] indeed.?

3 〔さも〕 apparently; as if?; 〔まさしく〕 certainly; surely; no doubt.

いかにも本当らしいうそ a very convincing lie; a plausible lie

・いかにも物知り顔に as if one knew everything; knowingly

・いかにも?らしく見える it really looks as though [like]?; it looks just as though [like]?; 《文》 there is every appearance that?

・いかにも難儀そうに with obvious difficulty

・いかにも得意そうに with evident pride

・いかにも残念そうに with obvious regret; clearly disappointed.

そんなふうに言うといかにもお礼が欲しそうに聞こえる. The way you're talking, anyone would think you're expecting to get a reward [paid]. | You sound as if [though] you're expecting to get paid [something in return].

・その学説は当時いかにも正しいように見えた. That theory certainly looked convincing at the time.

・彼女はいかにもあきれたといった表情で空を見上げた. She looked up with an expression of utter disgust.

samesong Wrote:That definition makes perfect sense.

How did you find that definition? I looked on Yahoo辞書 but it doesn't contain that word.

Just searched for いかにも in kana, using　すべての辞書, then　clicked on the 辞書切り替え link for　大辞林　(you could just search in 国語 as well).

http://dic.yahoo.co.jp/dsearch?enc=UTF-8...0802300000

Just wanted to point out that 大辞林 is the default 国語 dictionary at dictionary.goo.ne.jp. It's a very good dictionary IMO, certainly more advanced than sanseido though.