Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
Very is used to give emphasis to an adjective or adverb.
The problem and the answer are ~ simple...
It is ~, ~ strong evidence indeed...
I’m ~ sorry...
They are getting the hang of it ~ quickly...
Thank you ~ much...
The men were ~ much like my father.
ADV: ADV adj/adv emphasis
2.
Not ~ is used with an adjective or adverb to say that something is not at all true, or that it is true only to a small degree.
She’s not ~ impressed with them...
It’s obviously not used ~ much...
‘How well do you know her?’—‘Not ~.’
PHRASE: usu PHR adj/adv
3.
You use ~ to give emphasis to a superlative adjective or adverb. For example, if you say that something is the ~ best, you are emphasizing that it is the best.
They will be helped by the ~ latest in navigation aids...
At the ~ least, the Government must offer some protection to mothers who fear domestic violence.
ADV: ADV superl emphasis
4.
You use ~ with certain nouns in order to specify an extreme position or extreme point in time.
At the ~ back of the yard, several feet from Lenny, was a wooden shack...
I turned to the ~ end of the book, to read the final words...
He was wrong from the ~ beginning...
We still do not have enough women at the ~ top.
ADJ: ADJ n emphasis
5.
You use ~ with nouns to emphasize that something is exactly the right one or exactly the same one.
E~body says he is the ~ man for the case...
She died in this ~ house...
ADJ: ADJ n emphasis
6.
You use ~ with nouns to emphasize the importance or seriousness of what you are saying.
At one stage his ~ life was in danger...
The ~ basis of Indian politics has been transformed...
History is taking place before your ~ eyes.
ADJ: ADJ n emphasis
7.
The expression ~ much so is an emphatic way of answering ‘yes’ to something or saying that it is true or correct.
‘Are you enjoying your holiday?’—‘Very much so.’
PHRASE: PHR as reply, cl PHR emphasis
8.
Very well is used to say that you agree to do something or you accept someone’s answer, even though you might not be completely satisfied with it.
‘We need proof, sir.’ Another pause. Then, ‘Very well.’...
Very well, please yourself.
= all right
CONVENTION formulae
9.
If you say that you cannot ~ well do something, you mean that it would not be right or possible to do it.
He couldn’t ~ well go to her office and force her to write a check...
I said yes. I can’t ~ well say no.
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR inf