чуть было не...

• ЧУТЬ БЫЛО HE...; ЧУТЬ-ЧУТЬ БЫЛО HE...

[Particle; these forms only; usu. foll. by a pfv past verb, Part, or Verbal Adv]

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⇒ s.o. was about to do sth. but did not, or began doing sth. but quickly stopped; sth. was about to happen but did not, or began happening but was quickly interrupted:

- (very) nearly;

- almost;

- all but;

- (be) on the verge of (doing sth. <happening>).

     ♦ "Дура - чуть было не вышла замуж" (Грекова 3). "Fool...you nearly got married" (За).

     ♦ "[Я] чуть было не прошёл мимо великого начинания". - "А что, если бы прошли?" - говорил я. "Не говори", - отвечал Платон Самсонович и снова вздрагивал (Искандер 6). "То think that I almost let this great undertaking slip through my fingers!" "Well, and what if you had?" I would ask. "Don't even suggest such a thing," he [Platon Samsonovich] would answer, wincing once again (6a).

     ♦ После чаю он уже приподнялся с своего ложа и чуть было не встал; поглядывая на туфли, он даже начал спускать к ним одну ногу с постели, но тотчас же опять подобрал её (Гончаров 1). When he had drunk his tea, he sat up and all but got out of bed; glancing at his slippers, he even commenced lowering one foot toward them, but immediately drew it back again (1b).

     ♦ "...Два-три раза он чуть-чуть было не сознался вполне, почти намекал и только разве не договаривал..." (Достоевский 2). "IVvo or three times he was on the verge of confessing outright, almost hinted at it, and stopped just short of telling all" (2a).