What does hardly mean?
Definitions for hardly
ˈhɑrd lihard·ly
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word hardly.
Princeton's WordNet
barely, hardly, just, scarcely, scarceadverb
only a very short time before
"they could barely hear the speaker"; "we hardly knew them"; "just missed being hit"; "had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open"; "would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave"- W.B.Yeats
hardly, scarcelyadverb
almost not
"he hardly ever goes fishing"; "he was hardly more than sixteen years old"; "they scarcely ever used the emergency generator"
Wiktionary
hardlyadverb
Firmly, vigorously, with strength or exertion.
hardlyadverb
Harshly, severely.
I can't really deal hardly with people.
hardlyadverb
With difficulty.
hardlyadverb
Barely, only just, almost not.
hardlyinterjection
Not really.
I think the Beatles are a really overrated band. uE000138303uE001 Hardly!
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
Hardlyadverb
Etymology: from hard.
For the most part it so falleth out, touching things which generally are received, that although in themselves they be most certain, yet, because men presume them granted of all, we are hardiest able to bring such proof of their certainty as may satisfy gainsayers, when suddenly and besides expectation they require the same at our hands. Richard Hooker, b. v. s. 2.
There are but a few, and they endued with great ripeness of wit and judgment, free from all such affairs as might trouble their meditations, instructed in the sharpest and subtlest points of learning; who have, and that very hardly, been able to find out but only the immortality of the soul. Richard Hooker.
God hath delivered a law as sharp as the two-edged sword, piercing the very closest and most unsearchable corners of the heart, which the law of nature can hardly, human laws by no means, possibly reach unto. Richard Hooker, b. i.
There are in living creatures parts that nourish and repair easily, and parts that nourish and repair hardly. Francis Bacon.
The barks of those trees are more close and soft than those of oaks and ashes, whereby the moss can the hardlier issue out. Francis Bacon, Natural History.
False confidence is easily taken up, and hardly laid down. Robert South, Sermons.
The father, mother, daughter they invite;
Hardly the dame was drawn to this repast. Dryden.Recov’ring hardly what he lost before,
His right endears it much, his purchase more. Dryden.The fish that once was caught, new bait will hardly bite. Fairy Queen, b. ii. cant. 1.
They are worn, lord consul, so
That we shall hardly in our ages see
Their banners wave again. William Shakespeare, Coriolanus.Hardly shall you find any one so bad, but he desires the credit of being thought good. Robert South, Sermons.
The wand’ring breath was on the wing to part,
Weak was the pulse, and hardly heav’d the heart. Dryden.There is hardly a gentleman in the nation who hath not a near alliance with some of that body. Jonathan Swift.
If I unwittingly
Have aught committed that is hardly borne
By any in this presence, I desire
To reconcile me. William Shakespeare, Richard III.If there are some reasons inducing you to think hardly of our laws, are those reasons demonstrative, are they necessary, or meer possibilities only? Richard Hooker, Preface.
Many men believed that he was hardly dealt with. Edward Hyde.
They are now in prison, and treated hardly enough; for there are fifteen dead within two years. Joseph Addison, on Italy.
They have begun to say, and to fetch instances, where he has in many things been hardly used. Jonathan Swift.
Such information, even from those who have authority over them, comes very hardly and harshly to a grown man; and, however softened, goes but ill down. John Locke.
Heav’n was her canopy, bare earth her bed;
So hardly lodg’d. Dryden.
ChatGPT
hardly
Hardly is an adverb that typically means only just, almost not, or with great difficulty. It is often used to express that something is very unlikely, rare, or only happened or exists to a very small extent.
Webster Dictionary
Hardlyadverb
in a hard or difficult manner; with difficulty
Hardlyadverb
unwillingly; grudgingly
Hardlyadverb
scarcely; barely; not guite; not wholly
Hardlyadverb
severely; harshly; roughly
Hardlyadverb
confidently; hardily
Hardlyadverb
certainly; surely; indeed
Etymology: [AS. heardlice. See Hard.]
British National Corpus
Spoken Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'hardly' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1154
Written Corpus Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'hardly' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1468
Adverbs Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'hardly' in Adverbs Frequency: #112
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of hardly in Chaldean Numerology is: 7
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of hardly in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5
Examples of hardly in a Sentence
I can hardly call it a World Championship match, for me, the World Championship match should include the strongest player on the planet, and this match doesn’t.
Citing the president’s lawyers for a search is hardly compelling given the record of missed classified documents in searches, it’s hard to understand why the FBI is still deliberating on whether to search the Rehoboth residence. There is a clear pattern here. The president has left a trail of classified documents wherever he has worked or lived. Yet the FBI does not appear sufficiently motivated to check one of his main residences.
I can hardly believe it. They don't strand alive very often.
It strikes me how strange people are. You can see them every day, you can think you know them and then you found out you hardly know them at all.
He hardly had any friends, he would come with his little son at night to pray and after he would leave.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
Translations for hardly
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- بالكادArabic
- едвамBulgarian
- a penesCatalan, Valencian
- sotva, stěžíCzech
- knapDanish
- kaumGerman
- apenaŭEsperanto
- apenasSpanish
- tuskin, hädin tuskin, töin tuskinFinnish
- neyvanFaroese
- guère, dur, durement, à peineFrench
- ní móideIrish
- air èiginnScottish Gaelic
- בקושיHebrew
- थोड़ेHindi
- apeneIdo
- hakalega, ekki meira en svo, með erfiði, af hörku, naumlega, með naumindum, varla, með fyrirhöfn, tæplegaIcelandic
- appenaItalian
- ಕಷ್ಟದಿಂದKannada
- ئاستهم, جارجارKurdish
- pitoiti, pitoiptoitiMāori
- одвај, едвајMacedonian
- nauwelijksDutch
- neppeNorwegian
- gaireOccitan
- quase não, severamentePortuguese
- abiaRomanian
- жёстко, еле, резко, едва, суровоRussian
- jedvaSerbo-Croatian
- knappast, knapptSwedish
- அரிதாகத்தான்Tamil
- ледвеUkrainian
- קויםYiddish
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"hardly." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/hardly>.
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