Dictionary
hardly
adverb hard·ly \ˈhärd-lē\
: almost not at all
: almost not
—used to say that something reached a specifed condition or happened only a short time before
Full Definition of HARDLY
1
: with force : vigorously
2
: in a severe manner : harshly
3
: with difficulty : painfully
4
a —used to emphasize a minimal amount <I hardly knew her> <almost new — hardly a scratch on it> b —used to soften a negative <you can't hardly tell who anyone is — G. B. Shaw>
5
: certainly not <that news is hardly surprising>
See hardly defined for English-language learners
See hardly defined for kids
Usage Discussion of HARDLY
Hardly in sense 5 is used sometimes with not for emphasis <just another day at the office? Not hardly>. In sense 4b with a negative verb (as can't, wouldn't, didn't) it does not make a double negative but softens the negative. In “you can't hardly find a red one,” the sense is that you can find a red one, but only with difficulty; in “you can't find a red one,” the sense is that red ones are simply not available. Use of hardly with a negative verb is a speech form; it is most commonly heard in Southern and Midland speech areas. In other speech areas and in all discursive prose, hardly is normally used with a positive <you can hardly find a red one>.
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First Known Use of HARDLY
before 12th century
HARDLY Defined for Kids
hardly
adverb hard·ly \ˈhärd-lē\
Definition of HARDLY for Kids
: only just : barely <I can hardly hear you.>
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