hardly

adv. 几乎不，简直不；刚刚

中文词源

hardly 几乎不，几乎没有

hard,艰难的，-ly,副词后缀。

hardly (adv.): c. 1200, "in a hard manner, with great exertion or effort," from Old English heardlice "sternly, severely, harshly; bravely; excessively" (see hard (adj.) + -ly (2)). Hence "assuredly, certainly" (early 14c.). Main modern sense of "barely, just" (1540s) reverses this, via the intermediate meaning "not easily, with trouble" (early 15c.). Formerly with superficial negative (not hardly). Similar formation in Old Saxon hardliko, German härtlich, Old Danish haardelig.

3. Their two faces were hardly more than eighteen inches apart.: 他俩的脸相隔还不到18英寸。

4. Half-ruined, hardly a building untouched, it's a desolate place.: 这里大半遭毁，几乎没有一栋建筑完好无损，变成了一块荒废之地。

5. He appeared hardly capable of conducting a coherent conversation.: 他好像连话都说不清楚。