hardly

hardly
adverb
1 almost not: I hadn't seen him for years but he had hardly changed at all. | can/could hardly do sth: The children were so excited they could hardly speak. | I can hardly believe it. | hardly anyone/anything (=almost no one or almost nothing): Hardly anyone writes to me these days. | hardly any (=very few): There are hardly any cookies left. | hardly ever (=almost never): She hardly ever wore a hat. | hardly a day goes by when/without (=used to say that something happens almost every day or every week): Hardly a day goes by when I don't think of her.
—see almost
2 used to say that something had only just happened or someone had only just done something: The day had hardly begun, and he felt exhausted already.
3 used to say that something is not at all true, possible, correct etc: It's hardly what I'd call the perfect relationship. | hardly surprising: It was hardly surprising you didn't pass your exam. | hardly the time/place/person (=a very unsuitable time, place, person): This is hardly the place to talk about our marriage problems. | you can/could hardly do sth (=it would not be sensible to do it): You could hardly blame Jane for being nervous. | could hardly be: The message could hardly be clearer. | hardly a child/beginner etc: He was fifteen - hardly a kid.
USAGE NOTE: HARDLY GRAMMAR Hardly is a negative word, so it is not used with another negative word: hardly any pollution (NOT hardly no pollution) | We could hardly believe our eyes (NOT We couldn't hardly believe our eyes...). Hardly usually comes just before the main verb: He could hardly hear her (NOT He hardly could hear her). Hardly is used at the beginning of sentences only in very formal or old-fashioned writing. People would say, and usually write: The game had hardly begun when it started to rain (compare the formal: Hardly had the game begun when it started to rain...). Hardly is not the adverb of hard: You say: I tried hard to remember. | She works very hard (NOT hardly).

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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  • Hardly — Hard ly (h[aum]rd l[y^]), adv. [AS. heardlice. See {Hard}.] [1913 Webster] 1. In a hard or difficult manner; with difficulty. [1913 Webster] Recovering hardly what he lost before. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. Unwillingly; grudgingly. [1913 Webster]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • hardly — (adv.) c.1200, in a hard manner, with great exertion or effort, from O.E. heardlic stern, severe, harsh; bold, warlike (see HARD (Cf. hard) + LY (Cf. ly) (2)). Hence assuredly, certainly (early 14c.). Main modern sense of barely, just (1540s)… …   Etymology dictionary

  • hardly — [härd′lē] adv. [ME hardliche < OE heardlice] 1. Now Rare a) with effort or difficulty b) severely; harshly 2. only just; barely; scarcely: often used ironically or politely to mean “not quite,” or “not at all” [hardly the person to ask] 3.… …   English World dictionary

  • hardly — [adv] scarcely; with difficulty almost inconceivably, almost not, barely, by a hair, by no means, comparatively, detectably, faintly, gradually, imperceptibly, infrequently, just, little, no more than, not a bit, not at all, not by much, not… …   New thesaurus

  • hardly — ► ADVERB 1) scarcely; barely. 2) only with great difficulty. 3) no or not (suggesting surprise at or disagreement with a statement) …   English terms dictionary

  • hardly — hard|ly W2S2 [ˈha:dli US ˈha:rdli] adv 1.) almost not ▪ My parents divorced when I was six, and I hardly knew my father. ▪ The children were so excited they could hardly speak. ▪ I can hardly believe it. ▪ Hardly anyone (=almost no one) writes to …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • hardly — hard|ly [ hardli ] adverb *** Hardly is a negative word and is often used with words like any and ever, but it should not be used with other negative words: We hardly ever do anything interesting. Hardly comes before the main verb of a sentence,… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • hardly */*/*/ — UK [ˈhɑː(r)dlɪ] / US [ˈhɑrdlɪ] adverb Summary: Hardly is a negative word and is often used with words like any and ever , but it should not be used with other negative words: We hardly ever do anything interesting. Hardly comes before the main… …   English dictionary

  • hardly — [[t]hɑ͟ː(r)dli[/t]] ♦♦ 1) ADV BRD NEG: ADV before v, ADV group, oft ADV amount (emphasis) You use hardly to modify a statement when you want to emphasize that it is only a small amount or detail which makes it true, and that therefore it is best… …   English dictionary

  • hardly — 01. They [hardly] ever go out; maybe once a month at most. 02. I [hardly] recognized you with your new haircut. 03. My daughter can [hardly] remember Quebec City because she was very little when we lived there. 04. Your father [hardly] slept at… …   Grammatical examples in English

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