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barely

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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FromMiddle Englishbaarly,bareliche,barely,barly, fromOld Englishbærlīċe, equivalent tobare +‎-ly. CompareDanishbare(“only, just”),Norwegianbare(“only, just”).

Pronunciation

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Adverb

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barely (comparativemorebarely,superlativemostbarely)

  1. (not comparable, degree) By a small margin.
    Ibarely completed my homework, however, I got a score of 5 for it.
    • 1748, [David Hume],Philosophical Essays Concerning Human Understanding, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, […],→OCLC, part VIII:
      It becomes, therefore, no inconsiderable part of sciencebarely to know the different operations of mind,
    • 1925, Walter Anthony and Tom Reed (titles), Rupert Julian (director),The Phantom of the Opera, silent movie
      ‘It isbarely possible you may hear of a ghost, a Phantom of the Opera!’
    • 1961 November, H. G. Ellison, P. G. Barlow, “Journey through France: Part One”, inTrains Illustrated, page670:
      As our train to Paris dashed through the labyrynthine flyovers at Porchefontaine,barely a mile fromVersailles, the 75 m.p.h. limit was already almost attained.
  2. (not comparable, degree) Almost not at all.
    The plane is so far away now I canbarely see it.
    Yes, it isbarely visible.
    • 2011 October 23, Phil McNulty, “Man Utd 1 - 6 Man City”, inBBC Sport‎[1]:
      In contrast to what was to come, City werebarely allowed any time to settle on the ball in the opening exchanges, withAshley Young prominent and drawing heavy fouls fromMicah Richards andJames Milner.
  3. (Chicano, not comparable)Recently,just now.
    Ibarely got to the store.
  4. (not comparable, archaic)Merely.
    • 1661,Robert Boyle,The Sceptical Chymist, page29:
      Now that fire do's not alwayesbarely separate the Elementary parts, but sometimes at least alter also the Ingredients of Bodies[…]
  5. (comparable, rare)Openly,clearly,plainly.
    • a.1671,John Hacket, “The First Sermon upon the Resurrection”, inA Century of Sermons upon Several Remarkable Subjects: […], London: […] Andrew Clark for Robert Scott, […], published1675,page549:
      Firſt here is the Reſurrection of ourSaviourbarely and poſitively affirmed,whom God hath raiſed up.
    • 1875,William Stubbs, “Royal Prerogative and Parliamentary Authority”, inThe Constitutional History of England in Its Origin and Development (Clarendon Press Series), volume II, Oxford, Oxfordshire: At theClarendon Press,page602:
      And the same feeling appears in the following reign; in 1380 the commons petitioned against the plurality of wars; from time to time we have seen them vigorously endeavouring to limit, direct, and audit the expenditure on the wars, and even attempting to draw distinctions between the national and royal interests in the maintenance of the fortresses of Gascony and Brittany; but when the question is putbarely before them they avoid committing themselves.
    • 1918 October, Arthur Johnson, “The Little Family”, inHarper’s Monthly Magazine, volume CXXXVII, number821, New York, N.Y.; London:Harper & Brothers,page730, column 2:
      Remember, I haven’t tried to embroider; I’m just laying the factsbarely before you—asbarely as I can—to make what you please out of.
    • 1920, John Mantle Clapp, “Clear Thinking—Testing Your Thought”, inTalking Business (Language for Men of Affairs; I), New York, N.Y.: The Ronald Press Company,page432:
      The term “brief” may appear somewhat inappropriate, as the legal brief is often a bulky document, but the sense is rather that the ideas are statedbarely, without elaboration or persuasive enforcement.
    • 1948, William Van O’Connor, “The Employment of Myths”, inSense and Sensibility in Modern Poetry, Chicago, Ill.:The University of Chicago Press,page15:
      Religion intervenes in the sense that it offers precepts, a code of behavior, for the guidance of believers; poetry, if written in terms of ideals and attitudes which are encompassed by religion, offers not precepts but a dramatic presentation of values. The precepts are statedbarely and directly.

Usage notes

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It is grammatically a negative word. It therefore collocates withever rather thannever.

  • Compare
You canbarely ever find used items on eBay.
with
You can almost never find used items on eBay.

Synonyms

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Translations

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by a small margin
almost not at all
merely—seemerely

Anagrams

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