hardly a

Thân thiện

Hardly a person was left in the quiet library.

Definition

1. Adjective phrase:
   • Very few; almost no: Used to emphasize the extreme scarcity or near absence of something or someone. It indicates that the number or amount is so small as to be almost negligible.

Usage

• Hardly a is used to modify a singular noun, creating a phrase that functions as an adjective to describe a noun phrase. It conveys a negative meaning similar to "almost no."
• It is typically placed directly before the noun it modifies.

Examples

• (The number of living men who remember is extremely small.)
• (There were almost no clouds.)
• (She had almost no free time.)

Advanced Usage

• "Hardly a" vs. "Hardly any": "Hardly a" is used with singular countable nouns, while "hardly any" is used with plural countable nouns or uncountable nouns.
  • Hardly a student passed the exam. (Singular)
  • Hardly any students passed the exam. (Plural)
  • There's hardly any milk left. (Uncountable)

Variants and Related Words

• Scarcely a: A near synonym, also meaning "almost no" or "very few."
  • Scarcely a day goes by without him calling.
• Barely a: Another synonym, emphasizing a minimal amount just meeting a threshold.
  • We had barely a minute to spare.

Synonyms

• Almost no
• Very few
• Scarcely any

Notes

• The phrase "hardly a" is often used for rhetorical effect to underscore rarity or absence.
• It is important to use the singular form of the noun after "hardly a," even though the meaning is plural ("very few people").

Học thuật

Adjective

1. very few
   • hardly a man is now alive who remembers that famous date and year

Từ đồng nghĩa

• hardly a