hardly

Everyday

1. Hardly means almost not, or only just. tree →
2. Hardly ever means almost never. tree →
3. Hardly can mean it is not reasonable: «You can hardly blame him.» tree →

In the lessons

In everyday talk «I could hardly see» means I almost could not see. In reading lessons pupils notice that «hardly» makes a sentence nearly negative. In maths «hardly any left» means very few left. Phrases: hardly any, hardly ever, hardly at all, could hardly, hardly anyone.

Examples

• I could hardly see in the fog. tree →
• We hardly ever go to the cinema. tree →
• There is hardly any milk left. tree →
• She had hardly started when the bell rang. tree →
• He hardly ate anything. tree →
• Hardly anyone came to the match. tree →
• I can hardly believe it! tree →
• He hardly knew himself, so changed was he. tree →

Note

Trap: «hardly» does NOT mean «in a hard way». «He works hard» (a lot); «he hardly works» (almost not at all). «Hardly» is already almost negative, so don't add «not»: say «I can hardly see», not «I can't hardly see». In a problem, «hardly any» means a very small number, close to zero.

In Jewish tradition

In everyday talk «I could hardly see» means I almost could not see. In reading lessons pupils notice that «hardly» makes a sentence nearly negative. In maths «hardly any left» means very few left. Phrases: hardly any, hardly ever, hardly at all, could hardly, hardly anyone.

Examples

• These numbers have been a source of difference between the editors and copyists, hardly any two editors concurring. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
• must not be confused with Zain, Z ; and lastly Qoph, Q is very often replaced by K, which is hardly defensible as there is a true K in addition. ' 44. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
• THERE is hardly another book in Jewish literature, the Bible and the Talmud excepted, that has been so much commented upon as the Sefer Yetzirah. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →

Note

Trap: «hardly» does NOT mean «in a hard way». «He works hard» (a lot); «he hardly works» (almost not at all). «Hardly» is already almost negative, so don't add «not»: say «I can hardly see», not «I can't hardly see». In a problem, «hardly any» means a very small number, close to zero.