transcription, транскрипция: [ нареч. ]
1. ( с трудом ) hardly; only just
он еле двигался — he could hardly move
он еле поднял это — he could hardly lift it
он еле спасся — he had a narrow escape; (от чего-л. ) he only just escaped (+ ger. )
он еле ноги унёс — it was a close shave; he had a narrow / hairbreadth escape
2. ( лишь только ) hardly, scarcely, barely
он еле успел кончить, сказать и т. п. как — hardly / scarcely had he finished, finished speaking, etc . , when; he had hardly / scarcely / barely finished, finished speaking, etc . , when; no sooner had he finished, spoken, etc . , than
он еле успел потушить пламя — he only just had time to put out the fire
еле живой — more dead than alive