I. ADVERB USES
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Please look at category 20 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1.
You use ~ to say that something happened a very short time ago, or is starting to happen at the present time. For example, if you say that someone has ~ arrived, you mean that they arrived a very short time ago.
I’ve ~ bought a new house...
The two had only ~ met...
I ~ had the most awful dream...
I’m only ~ beginning to take it in that he’s still missing.
ADV: ADV before v
2.
If you say that you are ~ doing something, you mean that you are doing it now and will finish it very soon. If you say that you are ~ about to do something, or ~ going to do it, you mean that you will do it very soon.
I’m ~ making the sauce for the cauliflower...
I’m ~ going to walk down the lane now and post some letters...
The Vietnam War was ~ about to end.
ADV: ADV before v, ADV about/going to-inf
3.
You can use ~ to emphasize that something is happening at exactly the moment of speaking or at exactly the moment that you are talking about.
Randall would ~ now be getting the Sunday paper...
Just then the phone rang...
Just as she prepared to set off to the next village, two friends arrived in a taxi.
ADV: ADV adv/prep, ADV as/when cl emphasis
4.
You use ~ to indicate that something is no more important, interesting, or difficult, for example, than you say it is, especially when you want to correct a wrong idea that someone may get or has already got.
It’s ~ a suggestion...
It’s not ~ a financial matter...
You can tell ~ by looking at me that I am all right...
= simply
ADV: ADV group/cl emphasis
5.
You use ~ to emphasize that you are talking about a small part, not the whole of an amount.
That’s ~ one example of the kind of experiments you can do...
= only, merely
ADV: ADV n emphasis
6.
You use ~ to emphasize how small an amount is or how short a length of time is.
Stephanie and David redecorated a room in ~ three days...
= only
ADV: ADV amount emphasis
7.
You can use ~ in front of a verb to indicate that the result of something is unfortunate or undesirable and is likely to make the situation worse rather than better.
Leaving like I did ~ made it worse...
= only
ADV: ADV before v
8.
You use ~ to indicate that what you are saying is the case, but only by a very small degree or amount.
Her hand was ~ visible by the light from the sitting room...
I arrived ~ in time for my flight to London...
ADV: ADV adj/adv/prep, ADV before v
9.
You use ~ with ‘might,’ ‘may,’ and ‘could’, when you mean that there is a small chance of something happening, even though it is not very likely.
It’s an old trick but it ~ might work...
ADV: ADV with modal
10.
You use ~ to emphasize the following word or phrase, in order to express feelings such as annoyance, admiration, or certainty.
She ~ won’t relax...
I knew you’d be here. I ~ knew...
ADV: ADV before v, ADV adj/n emphasis
11.
You use ~ in expressions such as ~ a minute and ~ a moment to ask someone to wait for a short time. (SPOKEN)
‘Let me in, Di.’—‘Okay. Just a minute.’
= hold on
ADV: ADV n
12.
You can use ~ in expressions such as ~ a minute and ~ a moment to interrupt someone, for example in order to disagree with them, explain something, or calm them down. (SPOKEN)
Well, now ~ a second, I don’t altogether agree with the premise.
ADV: ADV n
13.
You can use ~ with negative question tags, for example ‘isn’t he ~?’ and ‘don’t they ~!’, to say that you agree completely with what has been said. (BRIT SPOKEN)
‘That’s crazy,’ I said. ‘Isn’t it ~?’ he said...
‘The manager’s going to have some tough decisions to make.’—‘Won’t he ~.’
ADV: with neg, cl ADV emphasis
14.
If you say that you can ~ see or hear something, you mean that it is easy for you to imagine seeing or hearing it.
I can ~ hear her telling her friends, ‘Well, I blame his mother!’
= almost
ADV: ADV before v
15.
You use ~ to mean exactly, when you are specifying something precisely or asking for precise information.
There are no statistics about ~ how many people won’t vote...
My arm hurts too, ~ here...
ADV: ADV cl/prep/adv
16.
You use ~ to emphasize that a particular thing is exactly what is needed or fits a particular description exactly.
Kiwi fruit are ~ the thing for a healthy snack...
‘Let’s get a coffee somewhere.’—‘I know ~ the place.’
ADV: ADV n emphasis
17.
You use ~ in expressions such as ~ like, ~ as...as, and ~ the same when you are emphasizing the similarity between two things or two people.
Behind the facade they are ~ like the rest of us...
He worked ~ as hard as anyone...
ADV: ADV like n, ADV as adj/adv, ADV n emphasis
18.
You use ~ about to indicate that what you are talking about is so close to being the case that it can be regarded as being the case.
What does she read? Just about everything...
= practically
PHRASE: PHR n/adj/adv
19.
You use ~ about to indicate that what you are talking about is in fact the case, but only by a very small degree or amount.
We’ve got ~ about enough time to get there.
PHRASE: PHR before v, PHR n/adj
20.
~ my luck: see luck
not ~: see not
~ now: see now
only ~: see only
it ~ goes to show: see show
II. ADJECTIVE USE
1.
If you describe a situation, action, or idea as ~, you mean that it is right or acceptable according to particular moral principles, such as respect for all human beings. (FORMAL)
In a ~ society there must be a system whereby people can seek redress through the courts...
= fair
? un~
ADJ
~ly
No government can ~ly claim authority unless it is based on the will of the people.
= fairly
? un~ly
ADV: ADV with v
2.
to get your ~ deserts: see desert