Definition of only in English:

only

adverb ˈəʊnliˈoʊnli

1And no one or nothing more besides; solely.
唯一地；仅有地；只
there are only a limited number of tickets available
只剩下数量有限的票了。
only their faith sustained them
只有他们的信念支撑着他们。
Example sentencesExamples
- They are huge missiles that should only be used in properly managed public displays.
- So maybe it's just fine that we peek out of English and into the rest of the world only once a year or so.
- You really fancy this girl and you know she has a boyfriend, but you have only met him once or twice.
- It is the only one solely dedicated to finding the cause and cure of all kinds of arthritis.
- What was she doing dreaming about a female blogger whose eyes she had only seen once?
- In two of the cases, he had never met them and in the other had met the girl only once.
- I am allowed to get properly drunk once a week but only on a Friday or Saturday.
- Once only a few precious Yuppies had cellphones, now every burglar has at least one mobile.
- Besides, most people only hold two cards at any one time so why impose a limit at all.
- Working on this is something that happens only once in an archaeologist's lifetime.
- He has only been to Scotland once before, but to play golf rather than football.
- He made the surprising admission, once known only to the cognoscenti, that he was a lawyer.
- There was no way of removing the feet at the end of the day without damaging them and so each pair could only be used once.
- If people must have fireworks then they should only be for properly organised displays.
- She says they have only met once since, to try to sort out the divorce arrangements.
- Some companies, sticking to the rule book, only give notice once every three years.
- Lord Lansdowne said the estate has only covered its losses once in the past 13 years.
- Christopher has been to York only once before, ironically when he had another injury.
- I've only worn them out once - but I have been known to slip them on to do the hoovering.
- This is just their sixth ever meeting and only once has a match consisted of less then three goals.
Synonyms
exclusively, solely, entirely, uniquely, wholly, to the exclusion of everything else
1. 1.1 No more than (implying that more was expected); merely.
  只；仅仅
  deaths from heart disease have only declined by 10 per cent
  因心脏病死去的人数仅仅下降了10％。
  she was still only in her mid thirties
  她还只有35岁左右。
  Example sentencesExamples
  The Spanish figure of only 100 is hardly credible and should be the stuff of scandal.
  But this does not imply that the track sprinter can get by with training only a few days a week.
  One of the animals shot was a lamb that was only three hours old, along with cows that were in calf.
  Is there a danger we could expect too much of what is, after all, only a five-day event?
  Most jobs were only one or two hours and she was expected to drive her own car between them.
  However do you expect to r-run an operation as c-complex as this with only a staff of seven?
  Kenneth is only 17 and was hardly made for the job of shadowing one as elusive as Bellamy.
  As a group, the San have declined in numbers and only a very few now live in the Kalahari.
  Until the 1930s, the life expectancy of a baby with the disease was only a few months.
  He was born with a congenital heart defect which meant he had only half a heart.
  We are a small special school and a decline in only a small number of children can affect the budget.
2No longer ago than.
才；刚刚
genes that were discovered only last year
去年才刚刚发现的基因。
Example sentencesExamples
- This was discovered only a fortnight ago by Milngavie Primary School near Glasgow.
- The museum itself is built right on the site of a Viking settlement, discovered only a few years ago.
Synonyms
at most, at best, just, only just, no more than, not more than, as little as
1. 2.1 Not until.
  直到…才
  a final report reached him only on January 15
  最后一份报告直到1月15日才到他的手里。
  Example sentencesExamples
  The final wreck in our trilogy of paddle steamers has only recently been discovered.
  Police suspicions were only raised when they discovered he had a travelcard in a third name.
  The company only discovered the mistake when irate bus users rang to complain yesterday.
  Wei Hui only discovered this when she phoned her publisher to discuss royalties.
  However the tickets never arrived and she only discovered she had won when she saw her name in the paper.
  It is only later that the investor discovers that the wine is far less valuable than they were led to believe.
  The two friends only discovered Jake had a painful condition after picking him up in Bolton.
  The club had an air to it, as though it had only recently discovered the miracle of electricity.
  He only discovered her duplicity when he found a marriage certificate in her handbag.
  However, Heather discovered the present only a couple of days later and unwrapped it.
  It was only when Tessa, barely out of her teens, was in a car crash that the truth surfaced.
  His son finds out and it is only at the end of the play we discover the tragedy that results.
  She said she had been out all day on Sunday and only discovered what had been going on when she read it in the paper.
  I only discovered this disturbing news when we met to talk about her new position.
  She became stuck on a narrow ledge and was only rescued after the fire brigade was called out.
  It was only then I discovered they had, in fact, been trying to break into the vestry.
  Police told the court that it was only after close examination that they discovered it was a replica.
  He used not to have comments, and I only discovered that he'd got them going this week.
  Megson and his advisers only discovered Imerman was involved at the eleventh hour.
  It was only after they had signed up that they discovered they would in fact have to pay for this service.
3with infinitive With the negative or unfortunate result that.
不料；结果却
she turned into the car park, only to find her way blocked
她转到停车场，结果却发现路被堵住了。
Example sentencesExamples
- Rivers and lakes can dry up during hot seasons so you can have a great tip only to arrive to find a mud bowl!
- Two men wake in a large filthy bathroom only to discover they are chained to opposite walls.
- One day he stole a car, took off and returned only to find the cops were on to his scam.
- It was a similar story at St Aidan's where parents arrived at the cordon only to be turned away.
- I kicked myself and headed down to the office, only to discover that it was closed for the siesta.
- We all rushed for the boat when it arrived only to be told it was going round the lake.
- My doctor gets miffed when taking my blood pressure only to discover that it is fine.
- Years later, he tried to call his boyfriend from his home in Oval, only to discover he was in prison.
- After we went to see a car at the Showroom were I work, only to find another couple looking at it.
- The team spent all this time exploring new avenues, only to arrive back at their starting point.
- He ran away to become an actor, only to discover there were no acting schools in the city.
- He has often arrived back in Aberdeen at one in the morning only to be on the hospital ward five hours later.
- I spit the fish out into my hand, only to discover the cracked remains of not one, but both caps.
- How must it feel to arrive at the door of a country only to find it slammed in your face?
- I went up to my locker, only to discover that the lock was missing and half my books were gone.
- He immediately set off in his car, only to be deliberately driven off the road by another car.
- So then we decided we wanted to see some of the attractions, only to find you had to have a car to do most.
- At a barbecue men insist on cooking, only to discover that they're still rubbish at it.
- She plucked off her blindfold only to discover the blushing footman she had just embraced!
- He said a prototype car had been run round inside the factory only to be destroyed in a fire.
1. 3.1with modal In an inevitable but undesirable way.
  rebellion will only bring more unhappiness
  叛乱只会带来更多的痛苦。
  Example sentencesExamples
  If they keep paying Mr Garland the above amount things will only get worse before they get better.
  Continuing to falsely condemn Israel in knee jerk fashion will only hasten that outcome.
  That's the balancing act, and if it's not looked at now, it will only get harder in the long term.
  If a man doesn't want to call on Monday, then why make an arrangement to, when it will only be broken?
  Billy finally realises that without massive investment the club will only get worse.
  If the real problem is not addressed, then the plaster will only hide the rot.
  It will only create more problems, the same ones we have at the Mannington Roundabout.
  Further delay would only prolong the agony of dozens of families and can have no justification.
  It will not alter patient care and will only make money for private companies.
  Is liberty a price worth paying, for a security that will only fuel our feelings of insecurity?
  I wish I could get her to understand that he will only ever hurt her but she loves him and cannot see the bad in him.
  Now Mrs Pratley, a lettings manager, fears it will only be a matter of time before her son has a fall.

adjective ˈəʊnliˈoʊnli

1attributive Alone of its or their kind; single or solitary.
仅有的；惟一的
the only medal we had ever won
我们赢得的惟一一枚奖章。
he was an only child
他是独生子。
Example sentencesExamples
- This is not only the best single book on the subject but a model of how military history ought to be written.
- The only thing left of the organic code will be animals, probably lower animals.
- It was a single blow to the face that handed Peterhead the only way that anyone was going to score a goal in this game.
- The puppy and three cats were the only animals abandoned over the festive period.
- Elephants are the only animals in Africa that dig deep holes in search of water.
- The sun has set and the only light comes from the weak glow of a solitary lamp at the end of the pier.
- However, we are the only animal on this planet that can successfully do all of them.
- In fact the only animal that would survive is the pig as it can eat just about anything.
- The only moments she is alone in the screen are there ones in which we can watch her suffer form abstinence.
- The only reason for eating animals and fish is that we wish to indulge our palates.
- The only reason animals are allowed to travel so far to slaughter is financial.
- My single photograph and Brian's two or three are the only ones we managed to get.
- The only drawback was the huge noise these animals created, it scared the life out of the baby.
- Five years later, he wept as the same pair brought home Britain's only gold in Atlanta.
- The pair are Britain's best and possibly only hope for a medal in badminton in Athens.
- As the only rower she was in the single sculls and again won a silver medal.
- It's always a good sign when you can recognise almost every single track from only one repeat.
- In all but the simplest animals, the cells of the germ line are the only cells that can give rise to a new organism.
- Nor should it be forgotten that the only large animal to come across will be Cindy the aged lioness.
- So far, it has remained a purely veterinary war and the only casualties are animals.
Synonyms
sole, single, one (and only), solitary, lone, unique, only possible, individual, exclusive
1. 1.1 Alone deserving consideration.
  唯一值得考虑的
  it's simply the only place to be seen these days
  这是现在惟一可看的地方。
  Example sentencesExamples
  For many years, women considered showing cleavage to be the only way to look sexy.
  It is not the case that the only alternative to keeping animals in a zoo is euthanasia.
  There will be many who consider that the only fitting punishment for them would be a custodial one.
  Indeed, it sometimes seems like love stories are the only stories worth telling.
  After some consideration, she decided that her only choice was to report it to the police.
  When trying to consider the medium as an artistic one it's really the only factor to be considered.
  The sports bits are the only parts of the Today programme worth listening to.
  Are words that say precisely what you want to hear the only way to measure anything?
  Are High Street dealers tied to a single manufacturer the only place to buy new?
  Synonyms
  solely, just, uniquely, exclusively

conjunction ˈəʊnliˈoʊnli

informal

Except that; but.
he is still a young man, only he seems older because of his careworn expression
他还年轻，不过沧桑忧郁的表情使他显得比实际年龄要老。
the place was like school, only better

Usage

The traditional view is that the adverb only should be placed next to the word or words whose meaning it restricts: I have seen him only once rather than I have only seen him once. The argument for this, a topic which has occupied grammarians for more than 200 years, is that if only is not placed correctly the scope or emphasis is wrong, and could even result in ambiguity. But in normal, everyday English, the impulse is to state only as early as possible in the sentence, generally just before the verb. The result is, in fact, hardly ever ambiguous: few native speakers would be confused by the sentence I have only seen him once, and the supposed ‘logical’ sense often emerges only with further clarification, as in I've only seen him once, but I've heard him many times

Phrases

only just

1By a very small margin; almost not.
仅仅；勉强
the building survived the earthquake, but only just
这座建筑地震中没有倒，但也就差一点儿了。
Example sentencesExamples
- The passage here is so narrow that the big male can only just squeeze through.
- The road has been made so narrow in places that buses and lorries can only just get through.
- Get back to water they did, but only just, and Stuart, his men and horses were lucky to escape.
- As recently as 1998 the average house price was only just over four times the cost of a Mondeo.
- So often you see club golfers arriving in a rush, only just in time for their tee-off.
- At the moment I'm earning a very basic wage, only just enough to keep going.
- Though only just due to earthquakes and typhoons, but like Gloria Gaynor, we have survived.
- With just seconds to spare, Anelka only just escaped a £120 bill and being towed away.
- Even after three days, I'm only just getting the hang of what to look for on the mass of blue below.
- It might have been spring, but only just barely, and winter was still clinging to the town of Stancorrie.
Synonyms
at most, at best, just, only just, no more than, not more than, as little as
1. 1.1Very recently.
  刚刚；刚才
  I'd only just arrived back from Paris
  我刚刚从巴黎回来。
  Example sentencesExamples
  She has only just arrived for our interview but has been called back to her newspaper with a crisis pending.
  You have only just arrived, and are both tired and are not thinking properly.
  We had appalling service and replacement kitchen units have only just arrived.
  She had only just arrived in this country from Jamaica and was due to start primary school this week.
  Most French bombers were still obsolete, and the newer models were only just starting to arrive.
  I transferred a grand to my UK account recently and it only just put me back in the black.
  Their best and brightest will have either left the cabinet or have only just arrived.
  Fr Jim was at home on holidays recently and has only just returned to his Kenyan base.
  She added that the report had only just arrived at the department and no decisions had yet been taken.
  She sounded exhausted, and Liena guessed that, wherever she was, she had only just arrived.
  Synonyms
  recently, just, just recently, only just, lately, freshly, not long ago, a short time ago, just a short time ago, a moment ago, just a moment ago, only now, of late, new-

only too —

Used to emphasize that something is the case to an extreme or regrettable extent.
太，极度；到令人遗憾的地步
you should be only too glad to be rid of him
你应该非常高兴可以摆脱他了。
Example sentencesExamples
- Agents are only too glad to employ former players for their contacts in the game.
- Being an inveterate gambler, the fourth son was only too glad to accept the offer.
- The audience liked it and I was flooded with questions which I was only too happy to answer.
- Rebecca seemed only too glad to do so, as she seemed also to want to sit by this newcomer.
- As with scores of book-lovers, book sellers are only too happy to carry the credit.
- By that time a number of landlords were only too glad to sell up and be expropriated.
- The builders are only too happy to tell them what they want to hear.
- It is only too convenient to pose for photo opportunities and political points.
- You really need to talk with someone about this, and your best friend or favorite sibling will be only too happy to listen.
- He will be only too glad to hear from you so why not contact the Western People to see what we can do for you.

Origin

Old English ānlic (adjective) (see one, -ly¹).

Rhymes

lonely

Definition of only in US English:

only

adverbˈōnlēˈoʊnli

1And no one or nothing more besides; solely or exclusively.
唯一地；仅有地；只
there are only a limited number of tickets available
只剩下数量有限的票了。
only their faith sustained them
只有他们的信念支撑着他们。
Example sentencesExamples
- Some companies, sticking to the rule book, only give notice once every three years.
- This is just their sixth ever meeting and only once has a match consisted of less then three goals.
- She says they have only met once since, to try to sort out the divorce arrangements.
- He made the surprising admission, once known only to the cognoscenti, that he was a lawyer.
- He has only been to Scotland once before, but to play golf rather than football.
- If people must have fireworks then they should only be for properly organised displays.
- They are huge missiles that should only be used in properly managed public displays.
- I am allowed to get properly drunk once a week but only on a Friday or Saturday.
- Working on this is something that happens only once in an archaeologist's lifetime.
- In two of the cases, he had never met them and in the other had met the girl only once.
- Besides, most people only hold two cards at any one time so why impose a limit at all.
- So maybe it's just fine that we peek out of English and into the rest of the world only once a year or so.
- There was no way of removing the feet at the end of the day without damaging them and so each pair could only be used once.
- Lord Lansdowne said the estate has only covered its losses once in the past 13 years.
- I've only worn them out once - but I have been known to slip them on to do the hoovering.
- It is the only one solely dedicated to finding the cause and cure of all kinds of arthritis.
- Once only a few precious Yuppies had cellphones, now every burglar has at least one mobile.
- You really fancy this girl and you know she has a boyfriend, but you have only met him once or twice.
- What was she doing dreaming about a female blogger whose eyes she had only seen once?
- Christopher has been to York only once before, ironically when he had another injury.
Synonyms
at most, at best, just, only just, no more than, not more than, as little as
exclusively, solely, entirely, uniquely, wholly, to the exclusion of everything else
1. 1.1 No more than (implying that more was hoped for or expected); merely.
  只；仅仅
  deaths from heart disease have only declined by 10 percent
  因心脏病死去的人数仅仅下降了10％。
  she was still only in her mid-thirties
  她还只有35岁左右。
  Example sentencesExamples
  He was born with a congenital heart defect which meant he had only half a heart.
  We are a small special school and a decline in only a small number of children can affect the budget.
  But this does not imply that the track sprinter can get by with training only a few days a week.
  However do you expect to r-run an operation as c-complex as this with only a staff of seven?
  Until the 1930s, the life expectancy of a baby with the disease was only a few months.
  Kenneth is only 17 and was hardly made for the job of shadowing one as elusive as Bellamy.
  Is there a danger we could expect too much of what is, after all, only a five-day event?
  As a group, the San have declined in numbers and only a very few now live in the Kalahari.
  The Spanish figure of only 100 is hardly credible and should be the stuff of scandal.
  One of the animals shot was a lamb that was only three hours old, along with cows that were in calf.
  Most jobs were only one or two hours and she was expected to drive her own car between them.
2No longer ago than.
才；刚刚
genes that were discovered only last year
去年才刚刚发现的基因。
Example sentencesExamples
- The museum itself is built right on the site of a Viking settlement, discovered only a few years ago.
- This was discovered only a fortnight ago by Milngavie Primary School near Glasgow.
Synonyms
at most, at best, just, only just, no more than, not more than, as little as
1. 2.1 Not until.
  直到…才
  a final report reached him only on January 15
  最后一份报告直到1月15日才到他的手里。
  Example sentencesExamples
  However the tickets never arrived and she only discovered she had won when she saw her name in the paper.
  His son finds out and it is only at the end of the play we discover the tragedy that results.
  I only discovered this disturbing news when we met to talk about her new position.
  It is only later that the investor discovers that the wine is far less valuable than they were led to believe.
  However, Heather discovered the present only a couple of days later and unwrapped it.
  It was only after they had signed up that they discovered they would in fact have to pay for this service.
  The club had an air to it, as though it had only recently discovered the miracle of electricity.
  The final wreck in our trilogy of paddle steamers has only recently been discovered.
  He only discovered her duplicity when he found a marriage certificate in her handbag.
  Police suspicions were only raised when they discovered he had a travelcard in a third name.
  It was only then I discovered they had, in fact, been trying to break into the vestry.
  The company only discovered the mistake when irate bus users rang to complain yesterday.
  He used not to have comments, and I only discovered that he'd got them going this week.
  She said she had been out all day on Sunday and only discovered what had been going on when she read it in the paper.
  She became stuck on a narrow ledge and was only rescued after the fire brigade was called out.
  Wei Hui only discovered this when she phoned her publisher to discuss royalties.
  It was only when Tessa, barely out of her teens, was in a car crash that the truth surfaced.
  The two friends only discovered Jake had a painful condition after picking him up in Bolton.
  Police told the court that it was only after close examination that they discovered it was a replica.
  Megson and his advisers only discovered Imerman was involved at the eleventh hour.
3with infinitive With the negative or unfortunate result that.
不料；结果却
she turned into the parking car, only to find her way blocked
她转到停车场，结果却发现路被堵住了。
Example sentencesExamples
- He has often arrived back in Aberdeen at one in the morning only to be on the hospital ward five hours later.
- After we went to see a car at the Showroom were I work, only to find another couple looking at it.
- My doctor gets miffed when taking my blood pressure only to discover that it is fine.
- She plucked off her blindfold only to discover the blushing footman she had just embraced!
- He ran away to become an actor, only to discover there were no acting schools in the city.
- The team spent all this time exploring new avenues, only to arrive back at their starting point.
- One day he stole a car, took off and returned only to find the cops were on to his scam.
- So then we decided we wanted to see some of the attractions, only to find you had to have a car to do most.
- I went up to my locker, only to discover that the lock was missing and half my books were gone.
- I spit the fish out into my hand, only to discover the cracked remains of not one, but both caps.
- Rivers and lakes can dry up during hot seasons so you can have a great tip only to arrive to find a mud bowl!
- He said a prototype car had been run round inside the factory only to be destroyed in a fire.
- He immediately set off in his car, only to be deliberately driven off the road by another car.
- It was a similar story at St Aidan's where parents arrived at the cordon only to be turned away.
- I kicked myself and headed down to the office, only to discover that it was closed for the siesta.
- Two men wake in a large filthy bathroom only to discover they are chained to opposite walls.
- At a barbecue men insist on cooking, only to discover that they're still rubbish at it.
- We all rushed for the boat when it arrived only to be told it was going round the lake.
- Years later, he tried to call his boyfriend from his home in Oval, only to discover he was in prison.
- How must it feel to arrive at the door of a country only to find it slammed in your face?
1. 3.1with modal Inevitably, although unfortunate or undesirable.
  只会
  rebellion will only bring more unhappiness
  叛乱只会带来更多的痛苦。
  if banks canceled the debts, these countries would only borrow more
  如果银行取消他们的债务，这些国家只会借得更多。
  Example sentencesExamples
  If they keep paying Mr Garland the above amount things will only get worse before they get better.
  Is liberty a price worth paying, for a security that will only fuel our feelings of insecurity?
  It will only create more problems, the same ones we have at the Mannington Roundabout.
  If the real problem is not addressed, then the plaster will only hide the rot.
  If a man doesn't want to call on Monday, then why make an arrangement to, when it will only be broken?
  Now Mrs Pratley, a lettings manager, fears it will only be a matter of time before her son has a fall.
  I wish I could get her to understand that he will only ever hurt her but she loves him and cannot see the bad in him.
  Continuing to falsely condemn Israel in knee jerk fashion will only hasten that outcome.
  Billy finally realises that without massive investment the club will only get worse.
  It will not alter patient care and will only make money for private companies.
  That's the balancing act, and if it's not looked at now, it will only get harder in the long term.
  Further delay would only prolong the agony of dozens of families and can have no justification.

adjectiveˈōnlēˈoʊnli

1attributive Alone of its or their kind; single or solitary.
仅有的；惟一的
the only medal we had ever won
我们赢得的惟一一枚奖章。
he was an only child
他是独生子。
Example sentencesExamples
- The sun has set and the only light comes from the weak glow of a solitary lamp at the end of the pier.
- The only reason animals are allowed to travel so far to slaughter is financial.
- The only reason for eating animals and fish is that we wish to indulge our palates.
- In fact the only animal that would survive is the pig as it can eat just about anything.
- The only thing left of the organic code will be animals, probably lower animals.
- It's always a good sign when you can recognise almost every single track from only one repeat.
- However, we are the only animal on this planet that can successfully do all of them.
- The only drawback was the huge noise these animals created, it scared the life out of the baby.
- My single photograph and Brian's two or three are the only ones we managed to get.
- This is not only the best single book on the subject but a model of how military history ought to be written.
- Nor should it be forgotten that the only large animal to come across will be Cindy the aged lioness.
- In all but the simplest animals, the cells of the germ line are the only cells that can give rise to a new organism.
- So far, it has remained a purely veterinary war and the only casualties are animals.
- The pair are Britain's best and possibly only hope for a medal in badminton in Athens.
- Elephants are the only animals in Africa that dig deep holes in search of water.
- The only moments she is alone in the screen are there ones in which we can watch her suffer form abstinence.
- As the only rower she was in the single sculls and again won a silver medal.
- It was a single blow to the face that handed Peterhead the only way that anyone was going to score a goal in this game.
- Five years later, he wept as the same pair brought home Britain's only gold in Atlanta.
- The puppy and three cats were the only animals abandoned over the festive period.
Synonyms
sole, single, one, one and only, solitary, lone, unique, only possible, individual, exclusive
1. 1.1 Alone deserving consideration.
  唯一值得考虑的
  it's simply the only place to be seen these days
  这是现在惟一可看的地方。
  Example sentencesExamples
  It is not the case that the only alternative to keeping animals in a zoo is euthanasia.
  Are High Street dealers tied to a single manufacturer the only place to buy new?
  For many years, women considered showing cleavage to be the only way to look sexy.
  Indeed, it sometimes seems like love stories are the only stories worth telling.
  The sports bits are the only parts of the Today programme worth listening to.
  After some consideration, she decided that her only choice was to report it to the police.
  There will be many who consider that the only fitting punishment for them would be a custodial one.
  Are words that say precisely what you want to hear the only way to measure anything?
  When trying to consider the medium as an artistic one it's really the only factor to be considered.
  Synonyms
  solely, just, uniquely, exclusively

conjunctionˈōnlēˈoʊnli

informal

Except that; but for the fact that.
〈非正式〉可是；不过
he is still a young man, only he seems older because of his careworn expression
他还年轻，不过沧桑忧郁的表情使他显得比实际年龄要老。

Usage

In normal, everyday English, the tendency is to place only as early as possible in the sentence, generally just before the verb, and the result is rarely ambiguous. Misunderstandings are possible, however, and grammarians have debated the matter for more than two hundred years. Advice varies, but in general, ambiguity is less likely if only is placed as close as is naturally possible to the word(s) to be modified or emphasized. I saw her only once stresses the single instance; I only saw her once leaves it unclear whether she was heard (or otherwise perceived) in addition to being seen

Phrases

only just

1By a very small margin; almost not.
仅仅；勉强
the building survived the earthquake, but only just
这座建筑地震中没有倒，但也就差一点儿了。
Example sentencesExamples
- As recently as 1998 the average house price was only just over four times the cost of a Mondeo.
- At the moment I'm earning a very basic wage, only just enough to keep going.
- The road has been made so narrow in places that buses and lorries can only just get through.
- So often you see club golfers arriving in a rush, only just in time for their tee-off.
- It might have been spring, but only just barely, and winter was still clinging to the town of Stancorrie.
- Get back to water they did, but only just, and Stuart, his men and horses were lucky to escape.
- With just seconds to spare, Anelka only just escaped a £120 bill and being towed away.
- Even after three days, I'm only just getting the hang of what to look for on the mass of blue below.
- The passage here is so narrow that the big male can only just squeeze through.
- Though only just due to earthquakes and typhoons, but like Gloria Gaynor, we have survived.
Synonyms
at most, at best, just, only just, no more than, not more than, as little as
1. 1.1Very recently.
  刚刚；刚才
  I'd only just arrived back from Paris
  我刚刚从巴黎回来。
  Example sentencesExamples
  Most French bombers were still obsolete, and the newer models were only just starting to arrive.
  She had only just arrived in this country from Jamaica and was due to start primary school this week.
  She has only just arrived for our interview but has been called back to her newspaper with a crisis pending.
  She added that the report had only just arrived at the department and no decisions had yet been taken.
  Fr Jim was at home on holidays recently and has only just returned to his Kenyan base.
  Their best and brightest will have either left the cabinet or have only just arrived.
  You have only just arrived, and are both tired and are not thinking properly.
  She sounded exhausted, and Liena guessed that, wherever she was, she had only just arrived.
  We had appalling service and replacement kitchen units have only just arrived.
  I transferred a grand to my UK account recently and it only just put me back in the black.
  Synonyms
  recently, just, just recently, only just, lately, freshly, not long ago, a short time ago, just a short time ago, a moment ago, just a moment ago, only now, of late, new-

only too —

Used to emphasize that something is the case to an extreme or regrettable extent.
太，极度；到令人遗憾的地步
you should be only too glad to be rid of him
你应该非常高兴可以摆脱他了。
they found that the rumor was only too true
他们发现这个谣言太真实了。
Example sentencesExamples
- The audience liked it and I was flooded with questions which I was only too happy to answer.
- Being an inveterate gambler, the fourth son was only too glad to accept the offer.
- Rebecca seemed only too glad to do so, as she seemed also to want to sit by this newcomer.
- The builders are only too happy to tell them what they want to hear.
- As with scores of book-lovers, book sellers are only too happy to carry the credit.
- Agents are only too glad to employ former players for their contacts in the game.
- It is only too convenient to pose for photo opportunities and political points.
- You really need to talk with someone about this, and your best friend or favorite sibling will be only too happy to listen.
- By that time a number of landlords were only too glad to sell up and be expropriated.
- He will be only too glad to hear from you so why not contact the Western People to see what we can do for you.

Origin

Old English ānlic (adjective) (see one, -ly).

词汇	only
释义	Definition of only in English: only adverb ˈəʊnliˈoʊnli 1And no one or nothing more besides; solely. 唯一地；仅有地；只 there are only a limited number of tickets available 只剩下数量有限的票了。 only their faith sustained them 只有他们的信念支撑着他们。 Example sentencesExamples They are huge missiles that should only be used in properly managed public displays. So maybe it's just fine that we peek out of English and into the rest of the world only once a year or so. You really fancy this girl and you know she has a boyfriend, but you have only met him once or twice. It is the only one solely dedicated to finding the cause and cure of all kinds of arthritis. What was she doing dreaming about a female blogger whose eyes she had only seen once? In two of the cases, he had never met them and in the other had met the girl only once. I am allowed to get properly drunk once a week but only on a Friday or Saturday. Once only a few precious Yuppies had cellphones, now every burglar has at least one mobile. Besides, most people only hold two cards at any one time so why impose a limit at all. Working on this is something that happens only once in an archaeologist's lifetime. He has only been to Scotland once before, but to play golf rather than football. He made the surprising admission, once known only to the cognoscenti, that he was a lawyer. There was no way of removing the feet at the end of the day without damaging them and so each pair could only be used once. If people must have fireworks then they should only be for properly organised displays. She says they have only met once since, to try to sort out the divorce arrangements. Some companies, sticking to the rule book, only give notice once every three years. Lord Lansdowne said the estate has only covered its losses once in the past 13 years. Christopher has been to York only once before, ironically when he had another injury. I've only worn them out once - but I have been known to slip them on to do the hoovering. This is just their sixth ever meeting and only once has a match consisted of less then three goals. Synonyms exclusively, solely, entirely, uniquely, wholly, to the exclusion of everything else 1.1 No more than (implying that more was expected); merely. 只；仅仅 deaths from heart disease have only declined by 10 per cent 因心脏病死去的人数仅仅下降了10％。 she was still only in her mid thirties 她还只有35岁左右。 Example sentencesExamples The Spanish figure of only 100 is hardly credible and should be the stuff of scandal. But this does not imply that the track sprinter can get by with training only a few days a week. One of the animals shot was a lamb that was only three hours old, along with cows that were in calf. Is there a danger we could expect too much of what is, after all, only a five-day event? Most jobs were only one or two hours and she was expected to drive her own car between them. However do you expect to r-run an operation as c-complex as this with only a staff of seven? Kenneth is only 17 and was hardly made for the job of shadowing one as elusive as Bellamy. As a group, the San have declined in numbers and only a very few now live in the Kalahari. Until the 1930s, the life expectancy of a baby with the disease was only a few months. He was born with a congenital heart defect which meant he had only half a heart. We are a small special school and a decline in only a small number of children can affect the budget. 2No longer ago than. 才；刚刚 genes that were discovered only last year 去年才刚刚发现的基因。 Example sentencesExamples This was discovered only a fortnight ago by Milngavie Primary School near Glasgow. The museum itself is built right on the site of a Viking settlement, discovered only a few years ago. Synonyms at most, at best, just, only just, no more than, not more than, as little as 2.1 Not until. 直到…才 a final report reached him only on January 15 最后一份报告直到1月15日才到他的手里。 Example sentencesExamples The final wreck in our trilogy of paddle steamers has only recently been discovered. Police suspicions were only raised when they discovered he had a travelcard in a third name. The company only discovered the mistake when irate bus users rang to complain yesterday. Wei Hui only discovered this when she phoned her publisher to discuss royalties. However the tickets never arrived and she only discovered she had won when she saw her name in the paper. It is only later that the investor discovers that the wine is far less valuable than they were led to believe. The two friends only discovered Jake had a painful condition after picking him up in Bolton. The club had an air to it, as though it had only recently discovered the miracle of electricity. He only discovered her duplicity when he found a marriage certificate in her handbag. However, Heather discovered the present only a couple of days later and unwrapped it. It was only when Tessa, barely out of her teens, was in a car crash that the truth surfaced. His son finds out and it is only at the end of the play we discover the tragedy that results. She said she had been out all day on Sunday and only discovered what had been going on when she read it in the paper. I only discovered this disturbing news when we met to talk about her new position. She became stuck on a narrow ledge and was only rescued after the fire brigade was called out. It was only then I discovered they had, in fact, been trying to break into the vestry. Police told the court that it was only after close examination that they discovered it was a replica. He used not to have comments, and I only discovered that he'd got them going this week. Megson and his advisers only discovered Imerman was involved at the eleventh hour. It was only after they had signed up that they discovered they would in fact have to pay for this service. 3with infinitive With the negative or unfortunate result that. 不料；结果却 she turned into the car park, only to find her way blocked 她转到停车场，结果却发现路被堵住了。 Example sentencesExamples Rivers and lakes can dry up during hot seasons so you can have a great tip only to arrive to find a mud bowl! Two men wake in a large filthy bathroom only to discover they are chained to opposite walls. One day he stole a car, took off and returned only to find the cops were on to his scam. It was a similar story at St Aidan's where parents arrived at the cordon only to be turned away. I kicked myself and headed down to the office, only to discover that it was closed for the siesta. We all rushed for the boat when it arrived only to be told it was going round the lake. My doctor gets miffed when taking my blood pressure only to discover that it is fine. Years later, he tried to call his boyfriend from his home in Oval, only to discover he was in prison. After we went to see a car at the Showroom were I work, only to find another couple looking at it. The team spent all this time exploring new avenues, only to arrive back at their starting point. He ran away to become an actor, only to discover there were no acting schools in the city. He has often arrived back in Aberdeen at one in the morning only to be on the hospital ward five hours later. I spit the fish out into my hand, only to discover the cracked remains of not one, but both caps. How must it feel to arrive at the door of a country only to find it slammed in your face? I went up to my locker, only to discover that the lock was missing and half my books were gone. He immediately set off in his car, only to be deliberately driven off the road by another car. So then we decided we wanted to see some of the attractions, only to find you had to have a car to do most. At a barbecue men insist on cooking, only to discover that they're still rubbish at it. She plucked off her blindfold only to discover the blushing footman she had just embraced! He said a prototype car had been run round inside the factory only to be destroyed in a fire. 3.1with modal In an inevitable but undesirable way. rebellion will only bring more unhappiness 叛乱只会带来更多的痛苦。 Example sentencesExamples If they keep paying Mr Garland the above amount things will only get worse before they get better. Continuing to falsely condemn Israel in knee jerk fashion will only hasten that outcome. That's the balancing act, and if it's not looked at now, it will only get harder in the long term. If a man doesn't want to call on Monday, then why make an arrangement to, when it will only be broken? Billy finally realises that without massive investment the club will only get worse. If the real problem is not addressed, then the plaster will only hide the rot. It will only create more problems, the same ones we have at the Mannington Roundabout. Further delay would only prolong the agony of dozens of families and can have no justification. It will not alter patient care and will only make money for private companies. Is liberty a price worth paying, for a security that will only fuel our feelings of insecurity? I wish I could get her to understand that he will only ever hurt her but she loves him and cannot see the bad in him. Now Mrs Pratley, a lettings manager, fears it will only be a matter of time before her son has a fall. adjective ˈəʊnliˈoʊnli 1attributive Alone of its or their kind; single or solitary. 仅有的；惟一的 the only medal we had ever won 我们赢得的惟一一枚奖章。 he was an only child 他是独生子。 Example sentencesExamples This is not only the best single book on the subject but a model of how military history ought to be written. The only thing left of the organic code will be animals, probably lower animals. It was a single blow to the face that handed Peterhead the only way that anyone was going to score a goal in this game. The puppy and three cats were the only animals abandoned over the festive period. Elephants are the only animals in Africa that dig deep holes in search of water. The sun has set and the only light comes from the weak glow of a solitary lamp at the end of the pier. However, we are the only animal on this planet that can successfully do all of them. In fact the only animal that would survive is the pig as it can eat just about anything. The only moments she is alone in the screen are there ones in which we can watch her suffer form abstinence. The only reason for eating animals and fish is that we wish to indulge our palates. The only reason animals are allowed to travel so far to slaughter is financial. My single photograph and Brian's two or three are the only ones we managed to get. The only drawback was the huge noise these animals created, it scared the life out of the baby. Five years later, he wept as the same pair brought home Britain's only gold in Atlanta. The pair are Britain's best and possibly only hope for a medal in badminton in Athens. As the only rower she was in the single sculls and again won a silver medal. It's always a good sign when you can recognise almost every single track from only one repeat. In all but the simplest animals, the cells of the germ line are the only cells that can give rise to a new organism. Nor should it be forgotten that the only large animal to come across will be Cindy the aged lioness. So far, it has remained a purely veterinary war and the only casualties are animals. Synonyms sole, single, one (and only), solitary, lone, unique, only possible, individual, exclusive 1.1 Alone deserving consideration. 唯一值得考虑的 it's simply the only place to be seen these days 这是现在惟一可看的地方。 Example sentencesExamples For many years, women considered showing cleavage to be the only way to look sexy. It is not the case that the only alternative to keeping animals in a zoo is euthanasia. There will be many who consider that the only fitting punishment for them would be a custodial one. Indeed, it sometimes seems like love stories are the only stories worth telling. After some consideration, she decided that her only choice was to report it to the police. When trying to consider the medium as an artistic one it's really the only factor to be considered. The sports bits are the only parts of the Today programme worth listening to. Are words that say precisely what you want to hear the only way to measure anything? Are High Street dealers tied to a single manufacturer the only place to buy new? Synonyms solely, just, uniquely, exclusively conjunction ˈəʊnliˈoʊnli informal Except that; but. he is still a young man, only he seems older because of his careworn expression 他还年轻，不过沧桑忧郁的表情使他显得比实际年龄要老。 the place was like school, only better Usage The traditional view is that the adverb only should be placed next to the word or words whose meaning it restricts: I have seen him only once rather than I have only seen him once. The argument for this, a topic which has occupied grammarians for more than 200 years, is that if only is not placed correctly the scope or emphasis is wrong, and could even result in ambiguity. But in normal, everyday English, the impulse is to state only as early as possible in the sentence, generally just before the verb. The result is, in fact, hardly ever ambiguous: few native speakers would be confused by the sentence I have only seen him once, and the supposed ‘logical’ sense often emerges only with further clarification, as in I've only seen him once, but I've heard him many times Phrases only just 1By a very small margin; almost not. 仅仅；勉强 the building survived the earthquake, but only just 这座建筑地震中没有倒，但也就差一点儿了。 Example sentencesExamples The passage here is so narrow that the big male can only just squeeze through. The road has been made so narrow in places that buses and lorries can only just get through. Get back to water they did, but only just, and Stuart, his men and horses were lucky to escape. As recently as 1998 the average house price was only just over four times the cost of a Mondeo. So often you see club golfers arriving in a rush, only just in time for their tee-off. At the moment I'm earning a very basic wage, only just enough to keep going. Though only just due to earthquakes and typhoons, but like Gloria Gaynor, we have survived. With just seconds to spare, Anelka only just escaped a £120 bill and being towed away. Even after three days, I'm only just getting the hang of what to look for on the mass of blue below. It might have been spring, but only just barely, and winter was still clinging to the town of Stancorrie. Synonyms at most, at best, just, only just, no more than, not more than, as little as 1.1Very recently. 刚刚；刚才 I'd only just arrived back from Paris 我刚刚从巴黎回来。 Example sentencesExamples She has only just arrived for our interview but has been called back to her newspaper with a crisis pending. You have only just arrived, and are both tired and are not thinking properly. We had appalling service and replacement kitchen units have only just arrived. She had only just arrived in this country from Jamaica and was due to start primary school this week. Most French bombers were still obsolete, and the newer models were only just starting to arrive. I transferred a grand to my UK account recently and it only just put me back in the black. Their best and brightest will have either left the cabinet or have only just arrived. Fr Jim was at home on holidays recently and has only just returned to his Kenyan base. She added that the report had only just arrived at the department and no decisions had yet been taken. She sounded exhausted, and Liena guessed that, wherever she was, she had only just arrived. Synonyms recently, just, just recently, only just, lately, freshly, not long ago, a short time ago, just a short time ago, a moment ago, just a moment ago, only now, of late, new- only too — Used to emphasize that something is the case to an extreme or regrettable extent. 太，极度；到令人遗憾的地步 you should be only too glad to be rid of him 你应该非常高兴可以摆脱他了。 Example sentencesExamples Agents are only too glad to employ former players for their contacts in the game. Being an inveterate gambler, the fourth son was only too glad to accept the offer. The audience liked it and I was flooded with questions which I was only too happy to answer. Rebecca seemed only too glad to do so, as she seemed also to want to sit by this newcomer. As with scores of book-lovers, book sellers are only too happy to carry the credit. By that time a number of landlords were only too glad to sell up and be expropriated. The builders are only too happy to tell them what they want to hear. It is only too convenient to pose for photo opportunities and political points. You really need to talk with someone about this, and your best friend or favorite sibling will be only too happy to listen. He will be only too glad to hear from you so why not contact the Western People to see what we can do for you. Origin Old English ānlic (adjective) (see one, -ly¹). Rhymes lonely adv..1 phr. Definition of only in US English: only adverbˈōnlēˈoʊnli 1And no one or nothing more besides; solely or exclusively. 唯一地；仅有地；只 there are only a limited number of tickets available 只剩下数量有限的票了。 only their faith sustained them 只有他们的信念支撑着他们。 Example sentencesExamples Some companies, sticking to the rule book, only give notice once every three years. This is just their sixth ever meeting and only once has a match consisted of less then three goals. She says they have only met once since, to try to sort out the divorce arrangements. He made the surprising admission, once known only to the cognoscenti, that he was a lawyer. He has only been to Scotland once before, but to play golf rather than football. If people must have fireworks then they should only be for properly organised displays. They are huge missiles that should only be used in properly managed public displays. I am allowed to get properly drunk once a week but only on a Friday or Saturday. Working on this is something that happens only once in an archaeologist's lifetime. In two of the cases, he had never met them and in the other had met the girl only once. Besides, most people only hold two cards at any one time so why impose a limit at all. So maybe it's just fine that we peek out of English and into the rest of the world only once a year or so. There was no way of removing the feet at the end of the day without damaging them and so each pair could only be used once. Lord Lansdowne said the estate has only covered its losses once in the past 13 years. I've only worn them out once - but I have been known to slip them on to do the hoovering. It is the only one solely dedicated to finding the cause and cure of all kinds of arthritis. Once only a few precious Yuppies had cellphones, now every burglar has at least one mobile. You really fancy this girl and you know she has a boyfriend, but you have only met him once or twice. What was she doing dreaming about a female blogger whose eyes she had only seen once? Christopher has been to York only once before, ironically when he had another injury. Synonyms at most, at best, just, only just, no more than, not more than, as little as exclusively, solely, entirely, uniquely, wholly, to the exclusion of everything else 1.1 No more than (implying that more was hoped for or expected); merely. 只；仅仅 deaths from heart disease have only declined by 10 percent 因心脏病死去的人数仅仅下降了10％。 she was still only in her mid-thirties 她还只有35岁左右。 Example sentencesExamples He was born with a congenital heart defect which meant he had only half a heart. We are a small special school and a decline in only a small number of children can affect the budget. But this does not imply that the track sprinter can get by with training only a few days a week. However do you expect to r-run an operation as c-complex as this with only a staff of seven? Until the 1930s, the life expectancy of a baby with the disease was only a few months. Kenneth is only 17 and was hardly made for the job of shadowing one as elusive as Bellamy. Is there a danger we could expect too much of what is, after all, only a five-day event? As a group, the San have declined in numbers and only a very few now live in the Kalahari. The Spanish figure of only 100 is hardly credible and should be the stuff of scandal. One of the animals shot was a lamb that was only three hours old, along with cows that were in calf. Most jobs were only one or two hours and she was expected to drive her own car between them. 2No longer ago than. 才；刚刚 genes that were discovered only last year 去年才刚刚发现的基因。 Example sentencesExamples The museum itself is built right on the site of a Viking settlement, discovered only a few years ago. This was discovered only a fortnight ago by Milngavie Primary School near Glasgow. Synonyms at most, at best, just, only just, no more than, not more than, as little as 2.1 Not until. 直到…才 a final report reached him only on January 15 最后一份报告直到1月15日才到他的手里。 Example sentencesExamples However the tickets never arrived and she only discovered she had won when she saw her name in the paper. His son finds out and it is only at the end of the play we discover the tragedy that results. I only discovered this disturbing news when we met to talk about her new position. It is only later that the investor discovers that the wine is far less valuable than they were led to believe. However, Heather discovered the present only a couple of days later and unwrapped it. It was only after they had signed up that they discovered they would in fact have to pay for this service. The club had an air to it, as though it had only recently discovered the miracle of electricity. The final wreck in our trilogy of paddle steamers has only recently been discovered. He only discovered her duplicity when he found a marriage certificate in her handbag. Police suspicions were only raised when they discovered he had a travelcard in a third name. It was only then I discovered they had, in fact, been trying to break into the vestry. The company only discovered the mistake when irate bus users rang to complain yesterday. He used not to have comments, and I only discovered that he'd got them going this week. She said she had been out all day on Sunday and only discovered what had been going on when she read it in the paper. She became stuck on a narrow ledge and was only rescued after the fire brigade was called out. Wei Hui only discovered this when she phoned her publisher to discuss royalties. It was only when Tessa, barely out of her teens, was in a car crash that the truth surfaced. The two friends only discovered Jake had a painful condition after picking him up in Bolton. Police told the court that it was only after close examination that they discovered it was a replica. Megson and his advisers only discovered Imerman was involved at the eleventh hour. 3with infinitive With the negative or unfortunate result that. 不料；结果却 she turned into the parking car, only to find her way blocked 她转到停车场，结果却发现路被堵住了。 Example sentencesExamples He has often arrived back in Aberdeen at one in the morning only to be on the hospital ward five hours later. After we went to see a car at the Showroom were I work, only to find another couple looking at it. My doctor gets miffed when taking my blood pressure only to discover that it is fine. She plucked off her blindfold only to discover the blushing footman she had just embraced! He ran away to become an actor, only to discover there were no acting schools in the city. The team spent all this time exploring new avenues, only to arrive back at their starting point. One day he stole a car, took off and returned only to find the cops were on to his scam. So then we decided we wanted to see some of the attractions, only to find you had to have a car to do most. I went up to my locker, only to discover that the lock was missing and half my books were gone. I spit the fish out into my hand, only to discover the cracked remains of not one, but both caps. Rivers and lakes can dry up during hot seasons so you can have a great tip only to arrive to find a mud bowl! He said a prototype car had been run round inside the factory only to be destroyed in a fire. He immediately set off in his car, only to be deliberately driven off the road by another car. It was a similar story at St Aidan's where parents arrived at the cordon only to be turned away. I kicked myself and headed down to the office, only to discover that it was closed for the siesta. Two men wake in a large filthy bathroom only to discover they are chained to opposite walls. At a barbecue men insist on cooking, only to discover that they're still rubbish at it. We all rushed for the boat when it arrived only to be told it was going round the lake. Years later, he tried to call his boyfriend from his home in Oval, only to discover he was in prison. How must it feel to arrive at the door of a country only to find it slammed in your face? 3.1with modal Inevitably, although unfortunate or undesirable. 只会 rebellion will only bring more unhappiness 叛乱只会带来更多的痛苦。 if banks canceled the debts, these countries would only borrow more 如果银行取消他们的债务，这些国家只会借得更多。 Example sentencesExamples If they keep paying Mr Garland the above amount things will only get worse before they get better. Is liberty a price worth paying, for a security that will only fuel our feelings of insecurity? It will only create more problems, the same ones we have at the Mannington Roundabout. If the real problem is not addressed, then the plaster will only hide the rot. If a man doesn't want to call on Monday, then why make an arrangement to, when it will only be broken? Now Mrs Pratley, a lettings manager, fears it will only be a matter of time before her son has a fall. I wish I could get her to understand that he will only ever hurt her but she loves him and cannot see the bad in him. Continuing to falsely condemn Israel in knee jerk fashion will only hasten that outcome. Billy finally realises that without massive investment the club will only get worse. It will not alter patient care and will only make money for private companies. That's the balancing act, and if it's not looked at now, it will only get harder in the long term. Further delay would only prolong the agony of dozens of families and can have no justification. adjectiveˈōnlēˈoʊnli 1attributive Alone of its or their kind; single or solitary. 仅有的；惟一的 the only medal we had ever won 我们赢得的惟一一枚奖章。 he was an only child 他是独生子。 Example sentencesExamples The sun has set and the only light comes from the weak glow of a solitary lamp at the end of the pier. The only reason animals are allowed to travel so far to slaughter is financial. The only reason for eating animals and fish is that we wish to indulge our palates. In fact the only animal that would survive is the pig as it can eat just about anything. The only thing left of the organic code will be animals, probably lower animals. It's always a good sign when you can recognise almost every single track from only one repeat. However, we are the only animal on this planet that can successfully do all of them. The only drawback was the huge noise these animals created, it scared the life out of the baby. My single photograph and Brian's two or three are the only ones we managed to get. This is not only the best single book on the subject but a model of how military history ought to be written. Nor should it be forgotten that the only large animal to come across will be Cindy the aged lioness. In all but the simplest animals, the cells of the germ line are the only cells that can give rise to a new organism. So far, it has remained a purely veterinary war and the only casualties are animals. The pair are Britain's best and possibly only hope for a medal in badminton in Athens. Elephants are the only animals in Africa that dig deep holes in search of water. The only moments she is alone in the screen are there ones in which we can watch her suffer form abstinence. As the only rower she was in the single sculls and again won a silver medal. It was a single blow to the face that handed Peterhead the only way that anyone was going to score a goal in this game. Five years later, he wept as the same pair brought home Britain's only gold in Atlanta. The puppy and three cats were the only animals abandoned over the festive period. Synonyms sole, single, one, one and only, solitary, lone, unique, only possible, individual, exclusive 1.1 Alone deserving consideration. 唯一值得考虑的 it's simply the only place to be seen these days 这是现在惟一可看的地方。 Example sentencesExamples It is not the case that the only alternative to keeping animals in a zoo is euthanasia. Are High Street dealers tied to a single manufacturer the only place to buy new? For many years, women considered showing cleavage to be the only way to look sexy. Indeed, it sometimes seems like love stories are the only stories worth telling. The sports bits are the only parts of the Today programme worth listening to. After some consideration, she decided that her only choice was to report it to the police. There will be many who consider that the only fitting punishment for them would be a custodial one. Are words that say precisely what you want to hear the only way to measure anything? When trying to consider the medium as an artistic one it's really the only factor to be considered. Synonyms solely, just, uniquely, exclusively conjunctionˈōnlēˈoʊnli informal Except that; but for the fact that. 〈非正式〉可是；不过 he is still a young man, only he seems older because of his careworn expression 他还年轻，不过沧桑忧郁的表情使他显得比实际年龄要老。 Usage In normal, everyday English, the tendency is to place only as early as possible in the sentence, generally just before the verb, and the result is rarely ambiguous. Misunderstandings are possible, however, and grammarians have debated the matter for more than two hundred years. Advice varies, but in general, ambiguity is less likely if only is placed as close as is naturally possible to the word(s) to be modified or emphasized. I saw her only once stresses the single instance; I only saw her once leaves it unclear whether she was heard (or otherwise perceived) in addition to being seen Phrases only just 1By a very small margin; almost not. 仅仅；勉强 the building survived the earthquake, but only just 这座建筑地震中没有倒，但也就差一点儿了。 Example sentencesExamples As recently as 1998 the average house price was only just over four times the cost of a Mondeo. At the moment I'm earning a very basic wage, only just enough to keep going. The road has been made so narrow in places that buses and lorries can only just get through. So often you see club golfers arriving in a rush, only just in time for their tee-off. It might have been spring, but only just barely, and winter was still clinging to the town of Stancorrie. Get back to water they did, but only just, and Stuart, his men and horses were lucky to escape. With just seconds to spare, Anelka only just escaped a £120 bill and being towed away. Even after three days, I'm only just getting the hang of what to look for on the mass of blue below. The passage here is so narrow that the big male can only just squeeze through. Though only just due to earthquakes and typhoons, but like Gloria Gaynor, we have survived. Synonyms at most, at best, just, only just, no more than, not more than, as little as 1.1Very recently. 刚刚；刚才 I'd only just arrived back from Paris 我刚刚从巴黎回来。 Example sentencesExamples Most French bombers were still obsolete, and the newer models were only just starting to arrive. She had only just arrived in this country from Jamaica and was due to start primary school this week. She has only just arrived for our interview but has been called back to her newspaper with a crisis pending. She added that the report had only just arrived at the department and no decisions had yet been taken. Fr Jim was at home on holidays recently and has only just returned to his Kenyan base. Their best and brightest will have either left the cabinet or have only just arrived. You have only just arrived, and are both tired and are not thinking properly. She sounded exhausted, and Liena guessed that, wherever she was, she had only just arrived. We had appalling service and replacement kitchen units have only just arrived. I transferred a grand to my UK account recently and it only just put me back in the black. Synonyms recently, just, just recently, only just, lately, freshly, not long ago, a short time ago, just a short time ago, a moment ago, just a moment ago, only now, of late, new- only too — Used to emphasize that something is the case to an extreme or regrettable extent. 太，极度；到令人遗憾的地步 you should be only too glad to be rid of him 你应该非常高兴可以摆脱他了。 they found that the rumor was only too true 他们发现这个谣言太真实了。 Example sentencesExamples The audience liked it and I was flooded with questions which I was only too happy to answer. Being an inveterate gambler, the fourth son was only too glad to accept the offer. Rebecca seemed only too glad to do so, as she seemed also to want to sit by this newcomer. The builders are only too happy to tell them what they want to hear. As with scores of book-lovers, book sellers are only too happy to carry the credit. Agents are only too glad to employ former players for their contacts in the game. It is only too convenient to pose for photo opportunities and political points. You really need to talk with someone about this, and your best friend or favorite sibling will be only too happy to listen. By that time a number of landlords were only too glad to sell up and be expropriated. He will be only too glad to hear from you so why not contact the Western People to see what we can do for you. Origin Old English ānlic (adjective) (see one, -ly). adv..1 phr.
随便看	special partner special plea special-plead special pleader special pleading parallelopipedon parallelopipedons parallel park parallel parking parallel perspective parallel port parallel postulate parallel processing parallel processor parallel roads parallel ruler parallels parallel sailing parallel skier parallel skiing parallel text parallel to parallel tracking parallel turn parallel universe