barely

barely

hardly; only just; almost not: She barely made it to work on time.; scantily: She’s barely clothed.; sparsely

Not to be confused with:

barley – a grain used as food and in making beer, ale, and whiskey

Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

bare·ly

 (bâr′lē)

adv.

1. By a very little; hardly: could barely see the road in the fog.

2. In a scanty manner; sparsely: a barely furnished room.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

barely

(ˈbɛəlɪ)

adv

1. only just; scarcely: barely enough for their needs.

2. informal not quite; nearly: barely old enough.

3. scantily; poorly: barely furnished.

4. archaic openly

Usage: Since barely, hardly, and scarcely already have negative force, it is redundant to use another negative in the same clause: he had barely had (not he hadn't barely had) time to think; there was scarcely any (not scarcely no) bread left

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

bare•ly

(ˈbɛər li)

adv.

1. scarcely: I had barely enough money.

2. without disguise or concealment; openly.

3. scantily; meagerly.

4. Archaic. merely.

[before 950]

syn: See hardly.

usage: See hardly.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

bare

– barely

1. 'bare'

Bare is an adjective. If something is bare, it is not covered or decorated with anything.

The room has bare wooden floors.

If a part of the body is bare, it has no clothing.

Meg's feet were bare.

2. 'barely'

Barely is an adverb. It has a totally different meaning from bare. You use barely to say that something is only just true or possible. For example, if you can barely do something, you can only just do it. If something is barely noticeable, you can only just notice it.

It was so dark we could barely see.

His whisper was barely audible.

Be Careful!
Don't use 'not' with barely. Don't say, for example, 'The temperature was not barely above freezing'. You say 'The temperature was barely above freezing'.

Be Careful!
If you use an auxiliary verb or modal with barely, you put the auxiliary verb or modal first. You say, for example, 'He can barely read'. Don't say 'He barely can read'.

The audience could barely hear him.

You can use barely to say that one thing happened immediately after another. For example, you can say 'We had barely started the meal when Jane arrived'.

Be Careful!
You use when or before after barely. Don't use 'than'. Don't say, for example, 'We had barely started the meal than Jane arrived'.

I had barely arrived before he led me to the interview room.

They had barely sat down when they were told to leave.

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

Thesaurus

Adv.	1.	barely - only a very short time before; "they could barely hear the speaker"; "we hardly knew them"; "just missed being hit"; "had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open"; "would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave"- W.B.Yeats hardly, scarce, scarcely, just
	2.	barely - in a sparse or scanty way; "a barely furnished room" scantily

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

barely

adverb only just, just, hardly, scarcely, at a push, almost not His voice was barely audible.
completely, amply, fully, profusely

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

barely

adverb

By a very little; almost not:

hardly, just, scarce, scarcely.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

بِالكاد، بالجُهْدلا يُكَادُ

sotva

knapknap nok

kaumamperdünn

μόλις

apenas

hädin tuskin

à peine

jedva

naumlega

appenaa malapena

かろうじて

간신히

nauwelijks

akkuratbare så vidtså vidt noksåvidt

zaledwie

apenasmal

едва

komajsamo

knappt

เกือบไม่พอ

ancakucu ucunazar zor

chỉ vừa đủ

几乎不能勉强

barely

[ˈbɛəlɪ] ADV

1. (= scarcely) → apenas
he can barely read → apenas puede leer
he looked around him with barely concealed horror → miró a su alrededor disimulando apenas su horror
there was barely enough room for all of us → apenas había sitio para todos nosotros
there was barely anyone there → allí no había casi nadie
I had barely closed the door when the phone rang → apenas había cerrado la puerta cuando sonó el teléfono

2. (= scantily) a barely furnished room → una habitación escasamente amueblada

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

barely

[ˈbɛə^rli] adv (= hardly) [audible, visible, perceptible, concealed] → à peine; [see, hear, notice, remember, touch, stand] → à peine
I could barely hear what she was saying → J'entendais à peine ce qu'elle disait.
He was barely breathing → Il respirait à peine.
She was barely sixteen → Elle avait à peine seize ans.
barely half → à peine la moitié

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

barely

adv

(= scarcely) → kaum; (with figures) → knapp, kaum; we barely know him → wir kennen ihn kaum; barely had he started when … → kaum hatte er angefangen, als …; barely concealed horror → kaum verhohlenes Entsetzen; she was barely ten years old → sie war kaum or knapp zehn Jahre alt

furnished → dürftig, spärlich

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

barely

[ˈbɛəlɪ] adv → appena
they had barely enough money → avevano appena denaro a sufficienza
he was so drunk he could barely stand → era così ubriaco che riusciva a malapena a stare in piedi

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

bare

(beə) adjective

1. uncovered or naked. bare skin; bare floors. kaal عارٍ ، بِدون ألبِسه гол nu nahý, holý bloß nøgen; bar γυμνός, ακάλυπτος desnudo, descubierto paljas لخت؛ برهنه paljas nuחשוף, ערום अनावृत gol meztelen telanjang ber, nakinn nudo 裸の 나체의 nuogas, plikas kails; neapsegts terdedah blootbar, nakengoły, nagi لوڅ، لغړ، بربنډ، څرګند، ايستلى (لكه توره له تيكې څخه)، تش لاسى (بې وسيلې)، شړيدلى (لكه كالى) nu gol, neacoperit голый nahý, holý gol go bar, naken, kal เปลือยเปล่า çıplak 無遮蔽的，赤裸的 оголений; голий ننگا ، برہنہ trần truồng 无遮蔽的，赤裸的

2. empty. bare shelves. kaal, leeg فارِغ، خاوٍ празен vazio prázdný leer tom, nøgen άδειοςvacío tühi خالی tyhjä videריק खाली prazan üres kosong auður, tómur vuoto からの 텅 빈 tuščias tukšs kosong leegtom, ødepusty تش، خالى، خوشى vazio gol пустой prázdny prazen prazan tom โล่ง boş, bomboş 空的 порожній خالی trống không 空的

3. of trees etc, without leaves. kaal مُجَرَّد، بِدون أوراق без листа despido holý kahl nøgen που δεν έχει φύλλα (για δέντρα) desnudo, pelado raagus, lehtedeta بی برگ lehdetön dénudé עָרוֹם מְעָלִים, בַּשָׁלֶכֶת खाली ogoljen csupasz meranggas, gundul gróðurlaus, laufvana spoglio 葉のない 잎이 다 떨어진 nuogas, be lapų kails; bez lapām gondol kaalnaken, uten løv/nåler ogołocony بي پاڼو despido desfrunzit голый holý gol ogoljen kal ไม่มีใบ yapraksız, çıplak 光禿的 голий بغیر پتوں کے درخت trơ trụi 光秃的

4. worn thin. The carpet is a bit bare. dun مُهْتَرئ изтъркан gasto odřený dünn slidt τριμμένος, φθαρμένοςdesgastado, usado kulunud کهنه؛ نخ نما ohueksi kulunut uséשחוק घिस जाना istanjen kopott aus snjáður, slitinn consumato, logoro すり切れた 닳아 해진 prasitrynęs apvalkāts; nodilis nipis kaalslitt przetarty لرغونی ، زوړ gasto ros, tocit потёртый zodratý obrabljen luggsliten เก่าจนเสื่อม havı dökülmüş 磨薄的，磨損的 витертий, вичовганий پتلا ، مہین mòn 磨薄的，磨损的

5. basic; essential. the bare necessities of life. allernodigste أساسي، ضَروري основем básico základní bloß basal; grundlæggende στοιχειώδηςbásico, esencial põhi- ابتدایی؛ ضروری perus- essentielבסיסי मात्र puki puszta pokok nauðsynlegur semplice, minimo かろうじての 기본적인 pagrindinis minimāls hidup besahaja essentieelgrunnleggende, nødvendigpodstawowy مهم، لومړني básico esenţial, de bază насущный základný osnoven osnovni grundläggande พื้นฐาน temel, en gerekli 基本的 мізерний بنیادی ، ضروری tối thiểu 基本的

verb

to uncover. The dog bared its teeth in anger. tande gewys يَكْشِف عَن، يَحْسِر оголвам mostrar odhalit, odkrýt entblößen afsløre; blotlægge; vise tænder γυμνώνω, φανερώνωmostrar, descubrir paljastama آشکار کردن؛ نشان دادن paljastaa montrer לַחשוֹף अनावृत करना iskeziti kitakar memperlihatkan sÿna, bera, afhjúpa mostrare, scoprire むき出しにする 드러내다 apnuoginti atsegt; atklāt menyeringaikan giginya ontblotenblotte, legge barobnażyć په ډاگه كول، څرگندول mostrar a scoate la iveală оголять odhaliť; vyceriť pokazati iskeziti blotta เผยให้เห็น üstünü açmak, örtüsünü çıkarmak 裸露 вишкірити نمایاں کرنا bóc trần; để lộ 露出

ˈbarely adverb

scarcely or only just. We have barely enough food. skaars بِالكاد، بالجُهْد едва mal sotva kaum knap; knap nok μόλιςapenas hädavaevalt ناچیز؛ به سختی juuri ja juuri tout justeבקושי मुश्किल से jedva alig hampir tidak naumlega a mala pena かろうじて 겨우 tik, vos tik tikko secukupnya amperbare så vidt, akkurat, så vidt nokledwie په بربنډه بڼه، په سادګى، په ښكاره توګه، ايله بيله، لږ شانته، نه دومره mal numai, doar едва sotva, tak-tak komaj jedva nätt och jämnt เกือบไม่พอ ancak, zar zor 勉強 тільки; ледве محض ، بمشکل vừa vặn 勉强

ˈbareness noun

naaktheid عُرْي голота nudez holost; nahota die Nacktheit nøgenhed γύμνιαdesnudez alastus عریانی؛ لختی alastomuus nuditéעירום नंगापन golotinja, nagost meztelenség, csupaszság ketelanjangan klæðleysi; nekt; gróðurleysi; íburðarleysi nudità 裸 발가벗음 plikumas, nuogumas kailums terdedah blootheid, kaalheidnakenhet nagość بربنډي nudez goliciune нагота nahota golota ogoljenost ödslighet, tomhet ความว่างเปล่า çıplaklık 赤裸 бідність, убогість عریانی sự trơ trụi 赤裸

ˈbareback adverb, adjective

without a saddle. I enjoy riding bareback. bloots غَيْر مُسْرَج، عاري الظَّهْر без седло sem sela bez sedla ungesattelt uden saddel χωρίς σέλα a pelo sadulata بدون زین satulatta à nu לְלֹא אוּכַּף बिना जीन कसे घोड़े पर bez sedla szőrén tanpa pelana berbakt senza sella, a pelo 裸馬で 안장 없는 be balno neapseglots (par zirgu) tanpa pelana zonder zadel uten sal na oklep پرته له زين sem sela fără şa без седла bez sedla brez sedla bez sedla barbacka หลังม้าที่ไม่มีอาน eyersiz 無馬鞍地(的) без сідла, неосідланий ننگی پیٹھ (گھوڑے کی) không có yên 无马鞍地（的）

ˈbarefaced adjective

openly impudent. a barefaced lie. onbeskaamd عَديم الحَياء، صَفيقُ الوَجْه безсрамен descarado nestoudný, nezakrytý unverschämt åbenlys; skamløs κατάφωροςdescarado häbitu بی شرم؛ وقیح röyhkeä impudentחצוף निर्लज्ज bezočan arcátlan terang-terangan, tak tahu malu óskammfeilinn sfacciato 厚かましい 공공연한 begėdiškas, įžūlus nekaunīgs tidak tahu malu schaamteloosskamløs; grepet på fersk gjerningbezczelny بي شرم descarado neruşinat наглый bezočivý nesramen bezočan oblyg, skamlös, fräck ซึ่ง ๆ หน้า yüzsüz, arsız 公然的，厚顏無恥的 безсоромний ڈھیٹ ، بےشرم trơ tráo 公然的，无耻的

ˈbarefoot(ed) adjective, adverb

not wearing shoes or socks etc. The children go barefoot on the beach. kaalvoet حافي القَدَميْن бос descalço bosý barfuß barfodet ξυπόλυτοςdescalzo paljajalu پابرهنه paljain jaloin nu-piedsיחף खाली पांव bosonog, bosonogo mezítláb telanjang kaki, tanpa sepatu atau sandal berfættur scalzo はだしの 맨발의 basas baskājains; ar basām kājām kaki ayam blootsvoetsbarbeintbosy, boso پښي ايبلي (لوڅي) descalço desculţ босои; босиком bosý bos bos barfota เท้าเปล่า yalın ayak, çıplak ayaklı/ayakla 赤腳的 босоногий, босоніж ننگے پاؤں chân trần 赤脚的

ˌbareˈheaded adjective, adverb

not wearing a hat etc. kaalkop, blootshoof مَكْشوف الرأس гологлав cabeça descoberta s nepokrytou hlavou; prostovlasý barhäuptig barhovedet ξεσκούφωτος con la cabeza descubierta, sin sombrero paljapäi بی کلاه paljain päin nu-tête גְלוּי רֹאש खाली सिर gologlav, gologlavo fedetlen fejű tanpa tutup kepala berhöfða a capo scoperto 帽子なしの 맨머리의 vienplaukis ar kailu galvu tidak bertopi blootshoofdsbarhodet z odkrytą głową لوڅ سر em cabelo cu capul gol с непокрытой головой prostovlasý gologlav gologlav barhuvad ไม่ใส่หมวก başı açık, şapkasız 沒戴帽的(地) з непокритою головою ننگے سر đầu trần 不戴帽子的（地）

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

barely

→ لا يُكَادُ sotva knap kaum μόλις apenas hädin tuskin à peine jedva appena かろうじて 간신히 nauwelijks såvidt zaledwie mal едва knappt เกือบไม่พอ ucu ucuna chỉ vừa đủ 几乎不能

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009