• I hardly even know her
• I hardly know 'er

From the fact that a word ending in/əɹ/ (usually⟨-er⟩ or⟨-or⟩) sounds like a verb followed by “her” as thedirect object.

• (US)IPA^(key): /aɪ ˈhɑɹd.li noʊ‿əɹ/

• Audio(US):

  (file)

Ihardlyknowher

1. (US, humorous, idiomatic)Ajokingretort that draws attention to the possibility ofsexualinnuendo when a word ends with aschwar.

   Person 1: My face is breaking out again, I gotta go buy new cleanser.
   Person 2: Cleanser?I hardly know her!

   • 2007,The Office, season 3, episode19:

     Darryl Philbin (Craig Robinson): How many people a year do you think get their arms cut off in a baler?
     Michael Scott (Steve Carrell): Baler?I hardly know her.

   • 2020 October 17, @maine_gov,Twitter‎^[1], archived fromthe original on18 July 2024:

     Bangor?I hardly know her! *the audience erupts in laughter as I do a silly little dance*

   • 2023 June 22, @abigail_j_lee,Twitter‎^[2], archived fromthe original on16 July 2024:

     [O]ppenheimer?i hardly know her!

• The word used as the subject of the retort is always restated just before the retort is made. In common usage, the retort is made with almost any noun ending in/əɹ/, regardless of possible sexual innuendo, for humorous effect.

• “I hardly know her”, inUrban Dictionary, launched 1999.

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