• (British) IPA: /ˈhɑːdli/
• (America) IPA: /ˈhɑɹdli/,

hardly (comparative hardlier, superlative hardliest)

1. (manner, obsolete) Firmly, vigorously, with strength or exertion.
   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, John Florio, transl., The Essayes, […], printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821 ↗:

     , Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.148:

     Let him hardly be possest with an honest curiositie to search out the nature and causes of all things […].

   • 1818, [Mary Shelley], chapter IV, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. In Three Volumes, volume I, London: Printed [by Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, OCLC 830979744 ↗, [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=emu.010001278701;view=1up;seq=118 pages 101–102]:

     Sometimes my pulse beat so quickly and hardly, that I felt the palpitation of every artery; at others, I nearly sank to the ground through languor and extreme weakness.

2. (manner, archaic) Harshly, severely; in a hard manner.

   I can't really deal hardly with people.

3. (now, rare) With difficulty.
   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, John Florio, transl., The Essayes, […], printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821 ↗:

     , Folio Society, 2006, vol.1, p.234:

     And what gentle flame soever doth warme the heart of young virgins, yet are they hardly drawne to leave and forgoe their mothers, to betake them to their husbands […].

   • 1977, John Le Carré, The Honourable Schoolboy, Folio Society 2010, page 40:

     While in Chelsea, Anne Smiley pined, taking very hardly to her unaccustomed role of wife abandoned.

4. (degree) Barely, only just, almost not.

   they hardly ever watch television;  I hardly think they'll come in this bad weather;  it's hardly possible he could lose the election.

• (barely, almost not or not quite) barely, just, only just, scarcely

• French: dur, durement
• Portuguese: severamente
• Russian: ре́зко

• French: guère, à peine
• German: kaum
• Italian: appena
• Portuguese: quase não, mal
• Russian: едва́
• Spanish: apenas, a duras penas

1. Not really.

   I think the Beatles are a really overrated band. ― Hardly!