Old English bærlice "openly, clear, public;" see bare (adj.) + -ly (2). Meaning "only, just" is recorded from late 15c.; that of "merely, simply" is from 1570s. In 15c. it also could mean "naked."
双语例句
1. Dave pulled a back muscle and could barely kick the ball.
戴夫背部拉伤，几乎没法踢球。
来自柯林斯例句
2. There was barely time for the two boys to escape unseen.
两个男孩想趁人不备偷偷溜走几乎是来不及的。
来自柯林斯例句
3. The commission had barely begun to make a dent in the problem.
委员会几乎还没有在这个问题上取得任何进展。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Barely had the bulldozers started when Museum of London archaeologists swooped.
推土机刚一启动，伦敦博物馆的考古学家们就蜂拥而至了。
来自柯林斯例句
5. Mother was of very small stature, barely five feet tall.
