I. ADDING SOMETHING OR RESPONDING
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
You use ~ after mentioning another person, thing, or aspect that a previous statement applies to or includes.
‘Nice to talk to you.’—‘Nice to talk to you ~.’...
‘I’ve got a great feeling about it.’—‘Me ~.’...
He doesn’t want to meet me. I, ~, have been afraid to talk to him...
We talked to her agent. He’s your agent, ~, right?
ADV: cl/group ADV
2.
You use ~ after adding a piece of information or a comment to a statement, in order to emphasize that it is surprising or important.
We did learn to read, and quickly ~...
People usually think of it as a ‘boys’ book’, which of course it is, and a very good one ~.
ADV: cl/group ADV emphasis
3.
You use ~ at the end of a sentence to emphasize an opinion that you have added after a statement made by you or by another person.
‘That money’s mine.’—‘Of course it is, and quite right ~.’...
‘Oh excuse me.’—‘I should think so ~.’...
ADV: cl ADV emphasis
II. INDICATING EXCESS
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Please look at category 4 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1.
You use ~ in order to indicate that there is a greater amount or degree of something than is desirable, necessary, or acceptable.
Leather jeans that are ~ big will make you look larger...
Eggs shouldn’t be kept in the fridge, it’s ~ cold...
She was drinking ~ much, eating ~ much, having ~ many late nights...
ADV: ADV adj/adv, oft ADV adj/adv to-inf
2.
You use ~ with a negative to make what you are saying sound less forceful or more polite or cautious.
I wasn’t ~ happy with what I’d written so far...
He won’t be ~ pleased to see you.
= very
ADV: with brd-neg, ADV adj vagueness
3.
You use all ~ or only ~ to emphasize that something happens to a greater extent or degree than is pleasant or desirable.
She remembered it all ~ well...
The letter spoke only ~ clearly of his anxiety for her.
PHRASE: PHR adv/adj emphasis
4.
~ bad: see bad
none ~: see none