possibly
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pos·si·bly
(pŏs′ə-blē)adv.
1. Perhaps: He hesitated, possibly remembering his unsuccessful last attempt.
2. Conceivably: Could they possibly be here already?
3. Under any circumstances: I can't possibly do it.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
possibly
(ˈpɒsɪblɪ)sentence substitute, adv
a. perhaps or maybe
b. (as sentence modifier): possibly he'll come.
adv
by any chance; at all: he can't possibly come.
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pos•si•bly
(ˈpɒs ə bli)adv.
1. by merest chance; perhaps; maybe: Possibly he will show up.
2. by any possibility; conceivably: Could you possibly help me?
[1350–1400]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
possible
– possibly1. 'possible'
Possible is an adjective. If something is possible, it can be done or achieved.
It is possible for us to measure the amount of rain.
Some improvement may be possible.
Possible is often used in expressions such as as soon as possible and as much as possible. If you do something as soon as possible, you do it as soon as you can.
I like to know as much as possible about my patients.
He sat as far away from me as possible.
Be Careful!
Don't say 'as soon as possibly'.
You also use possible to say that something may be true or correct.
It is possible that he made a mistake.
That's one possible answer.
2. 'possibly'
Possibly is an adverb. You use possibly to show that you are not sure about something.
Television is possibly to blame for this.
She is always cheerful, which is possibly why people like her.
You also use possibly when you are asking someone to do something in a very polite way. For example, you say 'Could you possibly carry this for me?'
Could you possibly meet me there tomorrow at ten?
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Adv. | 1. |  possibly - by chance; "perhaps she will call tomorrow"; "we may possibly run into them at the concert"; "it may peradventure be thought that there never was such a time" |
| 2. | possibly - to a degree possible of achievement or by possible means; "they can't possibly get here in time for the funeral?" impossibly - to a degree impossible of achievement; "long thought to be an impossibly difficult operation"; "impossibly far from sources of supply" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
possibly
adverb
1. perhaps, maybe, God willing, perchance (archaic), mayhap (archaic), peradventure (archaic), haply (archaic) Exercise may possibly protect against heart attacks.
2. at all, in any way, conceivably, by any means, under any circumstances, by any chance I couldn't possibly answer that.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
possibly
[ˈpɒsəblɪ] ADV1. (= feasibly, conceivably) if I possibly can → si me es posible, si puedo
I go as often as I possibly can → voy siempre que puedo, voy lo más a menudo posible
how can I possibly come tomorrow? → ¿cómo voy a poder venir mañana?
could you possibly come another day? → ¿le sería posible venir otro día?, ¿podría venir otro día?
I can't possibly eat all this → me es totalmente imposible comer todo esto
I couldn't possibly allow it → de ninguna manera lo voy a permitir
it can't possibly be true! → ¡no puede ser verdad!
she will do everything she possibly can to help you → hará todo lo que esté en su mano or todo lo que pueda para ayudarte
he never does it if he can possibly help it → siempre que puede evitarlo lo evita
I go as often as I possibly can → voy siempre que puedo, voy lo más a menudo posible
how can I possibly come tomorrow? → ¿cómo voy a poder venir mañana?
could you possibly come another day? → ¿le sería posible venir otro día?, ¿podría venir otro día?
I can't possibly eat all this → me es totalmente imposible comer todo esto
I couldn't possibly allow it → de ninguna manera lo voy a permitir
it can't possibly be true! → ¡no puede ser verdad!
she will do everything she possibly can to help you → hará todo lo que esté en su mano or todo lo que pueda para ayudarte
he never does it if he can possibly help it → siempre que puede evitarlo lo evita
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
possible
(ˈposəbl) adjective1. able to happen or be done. It's possible that the train will be delayed; We'll come as soon as possible; I'll do everything possible; She did the only possible thing in the circumstances.posible
2. satisfactory; acceptable. I've thought of a possible solution to the problem.posible
ˌpossiˈbility – plural possiˈbilities – noun something that is possible; the state of being possible; (a) likelihood. There isn't much possibility of that happening; There's a possibility of war; The plan has possibilities (= looks as if it may be a good one).posibilidad
ˈpossibly adverb1. perhaps. `Will you have time to do it?' `Possibly.' tal vez, a lo mejor, es posible; posiblemente
2. in a way or manner that is possible. I'll come as fast as I possibly can; I can't possibly eat any more; Could you possibly lend me your pen? lo más... que pueda/posible; de ninguna manera; ser posible
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
possibly
→ posiblementeMultilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009