word-vault
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A lightweight JavaScript package for English word definitions and collections.
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{
"term": "possibly",
"partOfSpeech": "adverb",
"ox3000": true,
"cefr": "b1",
"definitions": [
{
"senseNumber": 1,
"definition": "used to say that something might exist, happen or be true, but you are not certain",
"cefr": "b1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "It was possibly their worst performance ever."
},
{
"text": "She found it difficult to get on with her, possibly because of the difference in their ages."
},
{
"text": "‘Will you be around next week?’ ‘Possibly.’"
},
{
"text": "‘I’m sure he didn’t mean to be rude.’ ‘Quite possibly *(= you may be right)*, but the damage has been done.’"
},
{
"text": "Last year, his mother died, possibly due to heart failure."
},
{
"text": "a popular but possibly dangerous type of extreme diet"
}
],
"synonyms": "perhaps",
"topics": ["Doubt, guessing and certainty"]
},
{
"senseNumber": 2,
"definition": "used with can/could to emphasize that you are surprised, annoyed, etc. about something",
"labels": "(usually ironic)",
"cefr": "b1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "You can't possibly mean that!"
},
{
"text": "How could you possibly think that I had anything to do with it!"
},
{
"text": "He turned out to be the nicest guy you could possibly imagine."
},
{
"text": "What could possibly go wrong?"
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 3,
"definition": "used with could to ask somebody politely to do something",
"cefr": "b1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "Could you possibly open that window?"
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 4,
"definition": "used with can/could to say that somebody will do or has done as much as they can in order to make something happen",
"cefr": "b1",
"ox3000": true,
"examples": [
{
"text": "I will come as soon as I possibly can."
},
{
"text": "They tried everything they possibly could to improve the situation."
},
{
"text": "We don’t want these rumours to spread if we can possibly avoid it."
},
{
"text": "I don't see what more he could possibly do."
}
]
},
{
"senseNumber": 5,
"definition": "used with negatives, especially can't/couldn't, to say strongly that you cannot do something or that something cannot or could not happen or be done",
"examples": [
{
"text": "I can't possibly tell you that!"
},
{
"text": "You can't possibly carry all those bags."
},
{
"text": "‘Let me buy it for you.’ ‘That's very kind of you, but I couldn't possibly *(= accept)*.’"
}
]
}
],
"pronunciations": {
"uk": [
{
"pronunciation": "/ˈpɒsəbli/",
"audio": "po/possibly/possibly__gb_3.mp3"
}
],
"us": [
{
"pronunciation": "/ˈpɑːsəbli/",
"audio": "po/possibly/possibly__us_1.mp3"
}
]
},
"wordOrigin": null
}