possibly
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++pos·si·bly /ˈpɒsəbli $ ˈpɑː-/ ●●● S1 W2 adverb 1 MAYBEused when saying that something may be true or likely, although you are not completely certain 可能，也许，或许 SYN perhaps, maybe This last task is possibly the most difficult. 这最后一项任务也许是最难的。 It will take three weeks, possibly longer. 要花三个星期，也许更久。 ‘Will you be here tomorrow?’ ‘Possibly.’ “你明天到这儿来吗？”“也许吧。” ‘Was it murder?’ ‘Quite possibly (=it is very likely).’ “是谋杀吗？”“很可能是。”2 spokenSURPRISED used to emphasize that you are very surprised or shocked by something, or you cannot understand it 竟然〔用于强调惊讶、震惊或不能理解〕 How could anyone possibly do such a thing? 怎么竟会有人做出这样的事？3 could/can you possibly spokenASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO something used when making a polite request 请你…可以吗？〔用于礼貌地请求〕 Could you possibly close that window? 您能把那扇窗关上吗？4 TRY TO DO OR GET somethingused to emphasize that someone will do or has done everything they can to help or to achieve something 尽可能 We shall be contributing as much as we possibly can to the campaign. 我们将尽最大努力为这场运动做出贡献。 Doctors did everything they possibly could to save his life. 医生们竭尽所能挽救他的生命。5 REFUSEused to emphasize that you cannot do something, or that something cannot or could not happen or be done 〔用于强调不可能〕can’t/couldn’t possibly I can’t possibly allow you to go home in this weather. 我不可能让你在这种天气回家。 She couldn’t possibly have heard what was said. 她不可能听见说了什么。Examples from the Corpus
possibly• He looked at me as though I were very young and possibly a trifle slow.• Stone is possibly America's finest film director.• Could it possibly apply to human beings?• Many analysts believe interest rates will rise, possibly as early as next spring.• The examination hall was vast, with at least 700 or 800 student and quite possibly as many as 1000.• No such claim could possibly be made for the Smolensk, Kursk, or Poltava gubernii.• The cancer was possibly caused by exposure to asbestos.• How could anyone possibly do that to her?• Trade between the two countries began in the 11th century, possibly even earlier.• He's playing in the US Open Golf Championships - possibly for the last time.• You can't possibly go to all those stores in one day.• The cilia in the respiratory tract hasten the exit from the body of possibly harmful foreign material.• He's going to stay at least three weeks, possibly longer.• In the following pages a number of the more visible and possibly more successful and productive organizations are identified and described.• I have everything I could possibly need.• No-one else can possibly picture what you suffer.• They may insist on payment by instalments, possibly spread throughout the whole of your notice period.Quite possibly• Why did she churn so agitatedly in my stomach? Quite possibly I was the only one who found her frightful.• Yet another mill had been added to the growing Playne empire. Quite possibly it reverted to its former use.• Would an effective theory of how advertising works have helped? Quite possibly, it would have made little difference.How could ... possibly• How could I possibly countenance such thoughts?• I remember, that first night, sitting here thinking, how could we possibly do all that?• How could it possibly happen to him?• How could Luke Denner possibly have driven Mark to his death?• How could I possibly have forgotten that church?• How could she possibly know, since he had not set eyes on the girl?• How could she possibly know that he was wading in blood from a self-inflicted wound?• Who would drive us there and how could we possibly pay some one enough to take such a risk?pos·si·bly adverbChineseSyllable
true used saying or Corpus be may something when that
possibly
pos‧si‧bly S1 W2 /ˈpɒsəbli, ˈpɒsɪbli $ ˈpɑː-/
adverb
SYN perhaps, maybe:
This last task is possibly the most difficult.
It will take three weeks, possibly longer.
‘Will you be here tomorrow?’ ‘Possibly.’
‘Was it murder?’ ‘Quite possibly (=it is very likely).’
2. spoken used to emphasize that you are very surprised or shocked by something, or you cannot understand it:
How could anyone possibly do such a thing?
3. could/can you possibly spoken used when making a polite request:
Could you possibly close that window?
4. used to emphasize that someone will do or has done everything they can to help or to achieve something:
We shall be contributing as much as we possibly can to the campaign.
Doctors did everything they possibly could to save his life.
5. used to emphasize that you cannot do something, or that something cannot or could not happen or be done
can’t/couldn’t possibly
I can’t possibly allow you to go home in this weather.
She couldn’t possibly have heard what was said.
pos‧si‧bly S1 W2 /ˈpɒsəbli, ˈpɒsɪbli $ ˈpɑː-/
adverb Word Family: noun: possibility ≠ impossibility, the impossible, possible; adverb: possibly ≠ impossibly; adjective: possible ≠ impossible
1. used when saying that something may be true or likely, although you are not completely certain SYN perhaps, maybe:
2. spoken used to emphasize that you are very surprised or shocked by something, or you cannot understand it:
3. could/can you possibly spoken used when making a polite request:
4. used to emphasize that someone will do or has done everything they can to help or to achieve something:
5. used to emphasize that you cannot do something, or that something cannot or could not happen or be done
can’t/couldn’t possibly
Making an opinion sound less definite 以不确定的语气表达意见
◆ Most cybercrime involves traditional crimes, such as theft and fraud, being committed in new ways. Phishing is perhaps /possibly /probably the best-known example of this.大多数网络犯罪都包含盗窃、诈骗等传统犯罪，只是犯罪的方式有了新的变化。网络钓鱼大概是这类犯罪中最著名的例子。 ◆ It seems /appears that the more personal data which organizations collect, the more opportunity there is for this data to be lost or stolen.看来各种机构收集的个人资料越多，这些资料丢失或被盗的可能性就越大。 ◆ It seems clear that introducing national ID cards would do little to prevent identity theft.看来很明显的是，采用全国通用身份证对防止身份盗用起不了什么作用。 ◆ It could be argued that the introduction of national ID cards might actually make identity theft easier.可以说采用全国通用身份证实际上可能使身份盗用更容易。 ◆ It is possible that /It may be that the only way to protect ourselves against DNA identity theft is to avoid the creation of national DNA databases.或许保护自己免遭 DNA 身份盗用的唯一途径就是不要建立全国 DNA 数据库。
◆ It's pretty much inevitable that prices will go up this year.今年价格上涨几乎是不可避免的了。 ◆ I think it's likely to rain this afternoon.我觉得今天下午有可能下雨。 ◆ I'm probably going to be away then.到那时候我可能就要离开了。 ◆ I guess there's a fifty per cent chance that they'll say no.我估计他们不同意的几率有百分之五十。 ◆ It's unlikely, but not totally impossible, I suppose. 我想这不大可能，但并非完全没有可能。 ◆ They can't possibly/really be serious about buying a boat!他们不可能真要买一条船吧！ ◆ Let's start without them. They're bound to be late.咱们不等他们了，先开始吧。他们肯定会迟到。