scarcely

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   Almost not at all; only just.

   She was so tired she could scarcely keep her eyes open.

2. 2
   adv

   Surely not; definitely not (used to reject an idea).

   You can scarcely expect him to fly a helicopter with no training.

3. 3
   adv

   Only a very short time before (used with 'when').

   Scarcely had she arrived when the phone rang.

From Middle English scarcely, scarsly, scarsely, scarsliche, scarseliche, equivalent to scarce + -ly.

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