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possibly

   Also found in: Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
pos·si·ble  (ps-bl)
adj.
1. Capable of happening, existing, or being true without contradicting proven facts, laws, or circumstances.
2. Capable of occurring or being done without offense to character, nature, or custom.
3. Capable of favorable development; potential: a possible site for the new capital.
4. Of uncertain likelihood.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin possibilis, from posse, to be able; see poti- in Indo-European roots.]

possi·bly adv.
Synonyms: possible, workable, practicable, feasible, viable
These adjectives mean capable of occurring or being done. Possible indicates that something may happen, exist, be true, or be realizable: "I made out a list of questions and possible answers" (Mary Roberts Rinehart).
Workable is used of something that can be put into effective operation: If the scheme is workable, how will you implement it?
Something that is practicable is capable of being effected, done, or put into practice: "As soon as it was practicable, he would conclude his business" (George Eliot).
Feasible refers to what can be accomplished, brought about, or carried out: Making cars by hand is possible but not economically feasible.
Viable implies having the capacity for continuing effectiveness or success: "How viable are the ancient legends as vehicles for modern literary themes?" (Richard Kain).

possibly [ˈpɒsɪblɪ]
sentence substitute & adv
a.  perhaps or maybe
b.  (as sentence modifier) possibly he'll come
adv
by any chance; at all he can't possibly come
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adv.1.possibly - by chance; "perhaps she will call tomorrow"; "we may possibly run into them at the concert"; "it may peradventure be thought that there never was such a time"
2.possibly - to a degree possible of achievement or by possible means; "they can't possibly get here in time for the funeral?"
impossibly - to a degree impossible of achievement; "long thought to be an impossibly difficult operation"; "impossibly far from sources of supply"

possibly
adverb
1. perhaps, maybe, God willing, perchance (archaic), mayhap (archaic), peradventure (archaic), haply (archaic) Exercise may possibly protect against heart attacks.
2. at all, in any way, conceivably, by any means, under any circumstances, by any chance I couldn't possibly answer that.
Translations
possibly [ˈpɒsəblɪ] ADV
1. (= feasibly, conceivably) if I possibly cansi me es posible, si puedo
I go as often as I possibly canvoy siempre que puedo, voy lo más a menudo posible
how can I possibly come tomorrow?¿cómo voy a poder venir mañana?
could you possibly come another day?¿le sería posible venir otro día?, ¿podría venir otro día?
I can't possibly eat all thisme es totalmente imposible comer todo esto
I couldn't possibly allow itde ninguna manera lo voy a permitir
it can't possibly be true!¡no puede ser verdad!
she will do everything she possibly can to help youhará todo lo que esté en su mano or todo lo que pueda para ayudarte
he never does it if he can possibly help itsiempre que puede evitarlo lo evita
2. (= perhaps) "will you be able to come?" - "possibly"-¿podrás venir? -es posible or -puede que sí
possibly notpuede que no
of the 200 who apply, possibly five may be acceptedde los 200 solicitantes, tal vez se elija a cinco

possibly [ˈpɒsɪbli] adv
(= perhaps) → peut-être
Are you coming to the party? - Possibly → Est-ce que tu viens à la soirée? - Peut-être.
[can, can't] if you possibly can → si cela vous est possible
I can't possibly come → Je ne peux vraiment pas venir.
I can't possibly do that → Je ne peux vraiment pas faire ça.
to do everything one possibly can → faire tout son possible
(= conceivably)
The police? What could they possibly want with me? → La police ? Qu'est-ce qu'ils peuvent bien me vouloir ?
How can they possibly eat that stuff? → Mais comment peuvent-il manger ce truc-là ?
What could this possibly mean? → Qu'est-ce que ça peut bien vouloir dire ?
He couldn't possibly have said that! → Il n'a pas pu dire une chose pareille !

possibly
adv
not possiblyunmöglich; I can’t possibly stay indoors all weekendich kann unmöglich das ganze Wochenende in der Wohnung sitzen; nobody could possibly tell the differencees war unmöglich, einen Unterschied zu erkennen; that can’t possibly be truedas kann unmöglich wahr sein; can that possibly be true?kann das (vielleicht doch) stimmen?; very or quite possiblyabsolut or durchaus möglich; how could I possibly have come?wie hätte ich denn kommen können?; how could he possibly have known that?wie konnte er das nur wissen?; he did all he possibly coulder tat, was er nur konnte; I have made myself as comfortable as I possibly canich habe es mir so bequem wie möglich gemacht; if I possibly canwenn ich irgend kann; I couldn’t possibly (polite formula) → ich kann unmöglich
(= perhaps)vielleicht, möglicherweise; possibly notvielleicht nicht, möglicherweise nicht

possibly [ˈpɒsəblɪ] adv
a. he did all he possibly couldha fatto tutto il possibile
as often as I possibly can → quanto più spesso posso
how can I possibly? → come posso?
I cannot possibly do it → non posso assolutamente or proprio farlo
could you possibly...? → potresti...?
if you possibly can → se le è possibile
b. (perhaps) → forse

possibly [ˈpɒsəblɪ] adv
a. he did all he possibly couldha fatto tutto il possibile
as often as I possibly can → quanto più spesso posso
how can I possibly? → come posso?
I cannot possibly do it → non posso assolutamente or proprio farlo
could you possibly...? → potresti...?
if you possibly can → se le è possibile
b. (perhaps) → forse

possibly من الممكن možná muligvis möglicherweise πιθανόν posiblemente mahdollisesti éventuellement moguće possibilmente ことによると 아마도 mogelijk muligens prawdopodobnie possivelmente возможно möjligtvis อาจจะ olasılıkla có thể 可能地


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? Mentioned in ? References in classic literature
 
Possibly I am a hundred, possibly more; but I cannot tell because I have never aged as other men, nor do I remember any childhood.
On my return home, it occurred to me, in 1837, that something might perhaps be made out on this question by patiently accumulating and reflecting on all sorts of facts which could possibly have any bearing on it.
Norris could not possibly keep to herself, put an end to all intercourse between them for a considerable period.
 
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