| 词汇 | thesaurus_articles_not-completely |
| 释义 | not completelyThese words are all used to talk about making progress towards a goal or a state but not completely reaching that goal or state. The most common word for this, and the word with the broadest use, is almost. Almost is used to say that you have made significant progress towards a state, action, event, or goal, but that you have not completely achieved it. In this use, almost can be used with negative words like no and never. When almost is used to describe something that can be measured, like an amount, a time, a level, etc., it means that it is only a little less than the stated amount, time, level, etc. We need to hurry up - it's almost time to go. Stock prices are almost at an all-time high. We've almost no confidence in his ability to lead. I almost never cry in public. Another very common word for this is nearly. Nearly is slightly more formal than almost, but is very common in both spoken and written use. Like almost, when it is used of something you can measure, nearly usually means that it is only a little bit less than the amount, level, or number stated. It cannot be used with negative words like no or never. It's nearly midnight. We've raised nearly £60,000 for charity tonight. Dinner is nearly ready. Action is packed into nearly every scene of the film. Unlike nearly, the adverb near can only be used when you are talking about a state or condition. He was near tears (= almost crying). About is also used to say that you have made a lot of progress towards completing a task or achieving a goal. About is more informal than nearly, and can be used in the phrase just about to emphasize that you are very close to completing or reaching your goal. Are you about ready to leave? I've about had it with you! I've just about finished painting the house. When about is used to refer to numbers, amounts, etc., it means more or less than the stated number, amount, etc. For more synonyms of about, see the article at approximately. The phrase all but is used to mean that you have almost reached a certain state, but in a negative way. The concert was all but over by the time we arrived. He was a great footballer in his day, but now he's all but forgotten. You can also use the word well-nigh in this way. It was well-nigh impossible to get a person on the phone these days. If you want to emphasize how close you are to being in a particular state, you can use the adverbs practically or virtually. Virtually is a little more formal than practically. The builders said it is practically impossible to do the work that quickly. Don't say such nasty things about her - she's practically family! The laws around this have remained virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. There are several phrases you can use instead of almost. If you come within an inch of something, or, in UK English, you come within a whisker of doing something, you almost do that thing or that thing almost happens to you. These phrases are both used when the thing that almost happens is exciting or dangerous. She slipped down the mountainside and came within an inch of dying. UKHe spoke in support of the strike and came within a whisker of being fired. If you are on the verge of something, you have almost done that thing or you have almost reached that state or goal. Scientists are on the verge of finding a cure. He was on the verge of hysteria. If you want to say that someone or something is very close to being a particular way, you can use the idiom as good as to describe their progress. As good as implies that so much progress has been made towards a state or a goal that you cannot change or stop making progress now. The contract is as good as signed. With Congress refusing to convene, the bill is as good as dead. The adverb just is close in meaning to almost, but is used when you have reached a goal but only by the smallest amount. She just got there in time. We only just found out. |
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