ar éigean

Irish

Alternative forms

• ar éigin

Etymology

From the Old Irish prepositional phrase ar éicin (“under compulsion”), from ar (“on account of”) éicin (“necessity”, dat. sg.).

Adverb

ar éigean

1. barely, scarcely, only just, with difficulty

   Tá sé beo ar éigean.

   He is barely alive.

2. scarcely (probably not; certainly not)

   An dtiocfaidh sé? —Is ar éigean é.

   Will he come? —Scarcely.

Synonyms

• (probably not; certainly not): ní móide

Derived terms

• ar ais nó ar éigean (“willy nilly”)