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- Dictionaryscarcely/ˈskɛːsli/
adverb
- 1. only just; almost not: "her voice is so low I can scarcely hear what she is saying" Similar
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SCARCELY definition: 1. almost not: 2. used to say that something happened immediately after something else happened…. Learn more.
scarcely. adverb. scarce· ly ˈskers-lē. Synonyms of scarcely. 1. a. : by a narrow margin : only just. had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open Agnes S. Turnbull. b. : almost not. could scarcely see for the fog. 2. a. : certainly not. could scarcely interfere. b. : probably not.
You can use scarcely to say that something is not true or is not the case, in a humorous or critical way. It can scarcely be coincidence. Yesterday, however, his views seemed scarcely relevant. It was scarcely in their interest to let too many people know.
SCARCELY meaning: 1. almost not: 2. used to say that something happened immediately after something else happened…. Learn more.
Scarcely means just before, hardly, or “almost not.” If you had scarcely made it to bed when the sun started to rise, you are probably pretty tired by now.
used to say that something happens immediately after something else happens. He had scarcely put the phone down when the doorbell rang. Scarcely had the game started when it began to rain. used to suggest that something is not at all reasonable or likely. It was scarcely an occasion for laughter. She could scarcely complain, could she?
You can use scarcely to say that something is not true or is not the case, in a humorous or critical way. It can scarcely be coincidence. If you say scarcely had one thing happened when something else happened, you mean that the first event was followed immediately by the second.
Scarcely, hardly, barely (in respect of extent, amount, degree, etc.). scarcely 1297–. Originally used to express a restrictive qualification, = ‘barely’, ‘only just’; hence also, = ‘barely, or not quite’, ‘only just, if at all’. In….
1. You use scarcely to emphasize that something is only just true or only just the case. [emphasis] [...] 2. You can use scarcely to say that something is not true or is not the case, in a humorous or critical way. [...]
scarcely. adverb. uk / ˈskeəsli / us. Add to word list. only just: They had scarcely finished eating when the doorbell rang. can scarcely do sth. If you say you can scarcely do something, you mean it would be wrong to do it: He's only two - you can scarcely blame him for behaving badly.
