scarcely

 
Pronunciation: /ˈskɛːsli/

adverb

  • only just; almost not: her voice is so low I can scarcely hear what she is saying
  • only a very short time before: she had scarcely dismounted before the door swung open
  • used to suggest that something is unlikely to be or certainly not the case: they could scarcely all be wrong

Scarely, like barely, should normally be followed by when, not than, to introduce a subsequent clause: they had scarcely pulled to a halt when Rale flung the door open.