во всяком случае

• ВО ВСЯКОМ СЛУЧАЕ{{}}

[PrepP; Invar]

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1. [usu. adv; used with verbs in the fut or with надо, следует, пора etc]

⇒ without fail, given any circumstances (the action in question will or should be carried out or come about):

- in any case <event>;

- one way or another <the other>;

- whatever happens.

     ♦ ...Ему [Бородавкину] незачем было торопиться, так как можно было заранее предсказать, что предприятие его во всяком случае окончится успехом... (Салтыков-Щедрин 1). ...Не [Wartkin] had no reason to hurry, since he could predict beforehand that his venture would in any case end in success... (1a).

     ♦ "Скверно! - решил он наконец, - скверно, с какой стороны ни посмотри. Во-первых, надо будет подставлять лоб и во всяком случае уехать..." (Тургенев 2). "It's a bad business!" he decided finally. "A bad business, whichever way you look at it. In the first place I'll have to stand there waiting to be shot at, and whatever happens I'll have to leave..." (2e).

2. [used as Particle; often parenth; usu. placed before the word or phrase modified]

⇒ used in conjunction with a word or phrase that qualifies or restricts the preceding statement:

- at least;

- at any rate;

- in any case;

- [in limited contexts] anyway.

     ♦ Я неудачник. Во всяком случае так считает моя мама (Войнович 5). I'm a failure. Or at least my mother considers me one (5a).

     ♦ "Не нужно нам никакой квартиры, - сказал Дмитриев задыхающимся голосом. - Не нужно, понятно тебе? Во всяком случае, мне не нужно" (Трифонов 4). "We don't need any apartment at all," said Dmitriev in a choked voice. "We don't need it, you understand? In any case / don't need it" (4a).

     ♦ ...Никто у него в семье не был [в 1937 году] посажен или убит и палачей - явных, во всяком случае, - не определялось (Аксёнов 12). ...No one in his family had been imprisoned or killed [in 1937] and there were no executioners - obvious ones, anyway - recruited from among his kin (12a).

3. [sent adv (parenth)]

⇒ regardless of the circumstances described in the preceding context, often regardless of which of the described options is correct or valid:

- in any case (event);

- at any rate;

- at <in> all events;

- whatever the case.

     ♦ От Коровьева и Бегемота несло гарью, рожа Бегемота была в саже, а кепка наполовину обгорела. "Салют, мессир", - прокричала неугомонная парочка... "Очень хороши", - сказал Воланд... "Во всяком случае, мы явились, мессир, - докладывал Коровьев, - и ждём ваших распоряжений" (Булгаков 9). Koroviev and Behemoth reeked of smoke, Behemoth's face was sooty, and his cap badly singed "Salute, Messire!" cried the irrepressible pair. ..."A fine pair," said Woland. "In any case, we've come, Messire," reported Koroviev, "and we are waiting for your orders" (9a).

     ♦ "Значит, он миллионер?" - "Во всяком случае, за расходами не стоит" (Войнович 3). "Then he's a millionaire?" "At any rate, he doesn't spare expense" (3a).

     ♦ Возможно, он [архитектор III.] сам спровоцировал запрет барельефа. Возможно, сразу согласился. Возможно, не очень энергично отстаивал. Во всяком случае, теперь сотрудничество с тобой повредило бы его положению и карьере (Зиновьев 1). "Probably he [the architect S.] provoked the banning of the bas-relief himself. Probably he was the first to agree to it. Probably he defended it without any great conviction. At all events, working with you would have damaged his professional position" (1a).

     ♦ Знал ли он [Маяковский] о моём восторженном отношении к нему? Во всяком случае, между нами порой среди той или иной собравшейся группы литераторов устанавливался бессловесный контакт... (Олеша 3). Was he [Mayakovsky] aware of my rapturous regard for him? Whatever the case, from time to time, at one gathering of literary people or another, a tacit understanding was established between us... (3a).