hardly
UK /ˈhɑːdli/ · US /ˈhɑɹdli/ adverb, interjection
Forms hardlier hardliest
- adverb (degree) Barely, only just, almost not. “They hardly ever watch television.”
- adverb Certainly not; not at all. “I hardly think they'll come in this bad weather!”
- adverb (now rare) With difficulty.
- adverb (manner, dated) Harshly, severely; in a hard manner.
- adverb (manner, obsolete) Firmly, vigorously, with strength or exertion.
- interjection Not really. “I think the Beatles are a really overrated band. ― Hardly!”
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English hardely, hardliche, from Old English heardlīċe (“boldly; hardily; without ease; in a way that causes pain; not easily; only by degrees”), equivalent to hard + -ly. Compare Dutch hardelijk, German härtlich.
Webster’s 1913
- adverb In a hard or difficult manner; with difficulty.
- adverb Unwillingly; grudgingly.
Etymology [AS.heardlice. See Hand.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “hardly”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details