if only

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Conjunction

1. Used other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see if, only

   It made me feel better, if only for a moment.

   It won't be much fun if only guys turn up to the party.

2. (idiomatic) I wish that; signifies a wish or desire for the present or the future.

   If only I won the lottery.

3. (idiomatic) I wish that; signifies a regret about an action in the past.

   If only I had ​listened to my parents.

4. (idiomatic) Even if for no other reason than; only just.

   I was pretty sure I wanted a red shirt, but I still tried on one blue one if only to make sure that's definitely not what I wanted.

Antonyms

• God forbid

Translations

• French: si seulement, pour peu que
• German: wenn auch, wenn doch nur, wenn bloß
• Italian: magari, mi piacerebbe, se solo
• Portuguese: oxalá, quem me dera quem dera (a sentence in the subjunctive mood follows)
• Russian: хоте́лось бы
• Spanish: ojalá, si, si tan solo, si tan siquiera

Translations

• French: ne fût-ce que, ne serait-ce que
• Portuguese: quanto mais não seja

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