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3. scarcely

scarcely

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(one) can scarcely believe his or her eyes

One is unable to believe or accept what is happening right in front of him or her. She could scarcely believe her eyes when all of her extended relatives surprised her by coming to our wedding. This place is so dirty, I can scarcely believe my eyes!

See also: believe, can, eye, scarcely

scarcely ever

Nearly never; very infrequently; only on a few or rare occasions. We used to go visit Grandma and Grandpa every year when I was a kid, but nowadays, I scarcely ever see them. I scarcely ever get the chance to go out to the movies alone since having kids.

See also: ever, scarcely

exchange no more than

some number of words with someone and not exchange more than some number of words with someone; hardly exchange more than some number of words with someone; scarcely exchange more than some number of words with someone to say hardly anything to someone. (Always negative.) I know Tom was there, but I am sure that I didn't exchange more than three words with him before he left. We hardly exchanged more than two words the whole evening. Sally and Liz didn't have enough time to exchange more than five words.

See also: exchange, more

hardly have time to breathe

 and scarcely have time to breathe

Fig. to be very busy. This was such a busy day. I hardly had time to breathe. They made him work so hard that he scarcely had time to breathe.

See also: breathe, hardly, have, time

hardly ever

Also, rarely ever, scarcely ever. Very seldom, almost never, as in This kind of thief is hardly ever caught, or He rarely ever brings up his wartime experiences. The ever in these expressions, first recorded in 1694, serves as an intensifier.

See also: ever, hardly