How Do You Spell PRETTY NEARLY?

Pronunciation: [pɹˈɪti nˈi͡əli] (IPA)

The phrase "pretty nearly" is commonly used in colloquial English to mean "almost" or "nearly". The word "pretty" is pronounced /ˈprɪti/, with the "r" sound being silent. The word "nearly" is pronounced /ˈnɪrli/ with emphasis on the first syllable and the "r" sound being pronounced. The spelling of the phrase may seem odd, as the two words are not typically paired together. However, it is a common expression that has become standard in the English language.

PRETTY NEARLY Meaning and Definition

1. Pretty nearly is an idiomatic expression used to convey that something comes extremely close to being or accomplishing a certain state or goal. It is typically used to describe a situation in which there is only a very small margin or degree of difference remaining.

   The phrase "pretty nearly" is often used interchangeably with terms like "almost" or "virtually," but it offers a slightly stronger emphasis on the proximity of the outcome. It implies that whatever is being described is just shy of reaching the intended result, typically indicating a high level of success or accuracy.

   For example, if someone says, "He pretty nearly won the race," it suggests that the individual was very close to winning but fell just short. Similarly, if someone remarks, "The evidence pretty nearly proves his guilt," it implies that there is a strong body of evidence pointing towards the presumption of guilt, but perhaps lacking a conclusive element.

   Overall, "pretty nearly" serves as a descriptive expression that highlights a situation or outcome coming astonishingly close to an expected or desired result. Whether it refers to achievements, conditions, or conclusions, this phrase underscores a high level of approximation while acknowledging a minimal yet perceptible difference.

Common Misspellings for PRETTY NEARLY

• oretty nearly
• lretty nearly
• -retty nearly
• 0retty nearly
• peetty nearly
• pdetty nearly
• pfetty nearly
• ptetty nearly
• p5etty nearly
• p4etty nearly
• prwtty nearly
• prstty nearly
• prdtty nearly
• prrtty nearly
• pr4tty nearly
• pr3tty nearly
• prerty nearly
• prefty nearly
• pregty nearly
• preyty nearly

Etymology of PRETTY NEARLY

The word "pretty" derives from the Middle English word "pretti", which means "cunning" or "crafty". It later evolved to mean "beautiful" or "attractive" in the 15th century.

The word "nearly" comes from the Old English word "nearlic", which ultimately traces back to the Proto-Germanic word "nauhwalijks". This word combines "nauh", meaning "near", and "walijks", which means "related to time or occurrence".

When these two words are combined, "pretty nearly" means "almost" or "very close to". It expresses a degree of closeness or approximation.

Idioms with the word PRETTY NEARLY

• pretty nearly "Pretty nearly" is an idiom that means almost, very close to, or nearly. It is used to describe something that is almost complete or very close to being true or accurate.