virtually
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++vir·tu·al·ly /ˈvɜːtʃuəli $ ˈvɜːr-/ ●●● S2 W2 AWL adverb 1 ALMOSTalmost 实际上，几乎，差不多 SYN practically Virtually all the children come to school by bus. 几乎所有的孩子都乘公交车上学。 He was virtually unknown before running for office. 他在参加竞选之前几乎不为人知。► see thesaurus at almost2 on a computer, rather than in the real world 虚拟地，模拟地 Professors can help students virtually by communicating over the Internet. 教授可通过网上交流的方式帮助学生。Examples from the Corpus
virtually• They receive messages from virtually every nerve in the human body via connections with the optic nerve and spinal cord.• Virtually everyone expects Monica to succeed.• When disturbed they roll up so tightly that it is virtually impossible to unroll them.• The original building remains virtually intact and is now the administrative block of the North Wing.• The recession has cut the number of Thames's commercial customers and has virtually killed off profits from selling redundant properties.• Unlike previous generations of cruise ships, the ever-larger vessels delivered in recent years have virtually no single cabins.• It had virtually no towns, in fact; and those it had were very primitive indeed.• Some of them had abandoned front rooms and virtually none opened front windows.• virtually published on the Internetvir·tu·al·ly adverbChineseSyllable
almost Corpus
virtually
vir‧tu‧al‧ly S2 W2 AC /ˈvɜːtʃuəli $ ˈvɜːr-/
adverb1. almost
SYN practically:
Virtually all the children come to school by bus.
He was virtually unknown before running for office.
2. on a computer, rather than in the real world:
Professors can help students virtually by communicating over the Internet.
▪ almost not completely or not quite: I’ve almost finished my essay. | It's almost lunchtime.
▪nearly almost. Nearly is more commonly used in British English than American English: I’ve been a teacher for nearly 10 years now. | It’s very nearly time to go home.
▪not quite almost, but not yet: ‘Is he 60?’ ‘Not quite!’ | It’s not quite time to go yet. | I’m not quite ready yet.
▪practically/virtually very nearly: The room was practically empty. | practically all/everything/everyone etc : The frost killed practically every plant in the garden. | Virtually everyone had gone home.
▪more or less/just about/pretty much especially spoken very nearly – use this when saying that the difference is not important: All the rooms are more or less the same size. | His jacket was pretty much the same colour as his trousers. | The policy will benefit just about everyone.
▪getting on for British English informal, getting on toward especially American English informal almost a particular time, age, or period of time – used especially when you are not sure of the exact time, age etc: It’s getting on for 10 years since we last saw each other. | ‘How old’s Diane?’ ‘She must be getting on toward 50.’
▪close to almost a particular number, amount, or time – used especially when the number or amount is surprisingly large or the time is very late: It was close to midnight by the time we arrived. | They’ve spent close to $1.3 billion on the project.
▪approaching/nearing almost – used when a number or amount is still increasing or a time is getting nearer: The unemployment rate was nearing 20%.
▪be on the verge of (doing) something to be very close to doing something: She was on the verge of tears (=almost crying). | I was on the verge of giving up. | They were on the verge of making a decision.
▪be on the brink of something to be very close to an extremely bad situation: The two countries are on the brink of war. | The company was on the brink of bankruptcy.
vir‧tu‧al‧ly S2 W2 AC /ˈvɜːtʃuəli $ ˈvɜːr-/
adverb1. almost SYN practically:
2. on a computer, rather than in the real world:
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